Successful 1st Conference on Deburring and Cleaning

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Grinding and cleaning still remain the neglected areas in manufacturing. Despite this, a strong interest in efficient solutions for these tasks was evident at the fully booked 1st Conference on "Deburring and Cleaning" organized by fairXperts GmbH, which took place on July 3 and 4, 2013, in Nürtingen.

Almost all manufacturing processes result in burr formation. Since these unwanted material formations can impair functionality, ergonomics, and aesthetics, they often need to be removed. Just like component and surface cleaning, this should of course be done as efficiently and reliably as possible. The two-day conference "Deburring and Cleaning," organized by fairXperts GmbH, focused on the appropriate methods for this purpose.

The first day of the event was dedicated to deburring. The opening presentation addressed the general topic and provided detailed information on burr formation and the issue of "secondary burrs," particularly in machining. Solutions to prevent or reduce burrs were also presented, along with factors influencing the choice of the appropriate deburring method. The following eight presentations covered various technologies for cost-effective deburring. The focus was especially on methods for removing internal burrs, where conventional techniques such as milling, grinding, vibratory finishing, or blasting reach their limits. One of these was flow grinding, also known as pressure blasting. This process is used for deburring, polishing, and edge rounding of hard-to-reach geometries, such as intersecting holes in the automotive industry, aerospace, biomedical products, and extrusion tools. Also introduced was CO2 snow deburring, which is increasingly used for removing burrs on plastic and lightweight metal parts. In addition to chemical deburring, the event also discussed electrochemical metalworking, which not only involves deburring (ECM) but also shaping with this process. Examples demonstrated that this method can produce burr-free contours, structures, or even complete holes—"around the corner"—in a component. A presentation on the possibilities and limitations of thermal deburring (TEM), a process capable of achieving burr-free or sharp-edged results, was also part of the program. The tenth and final presentation of the first day on demagnetization as a preparation step before cleaning processes provided a seamless transition to the second day, which focused on industrial component and surface cleaning. It began with a presentation on contamination-controlled machining as part of managing technical cleanliness. A practical example-based lecture addressed the requirements for plant technology, media, and preparation for an efficient cleaning process. Ultrasonic, spray, and CO2 snow cleaning were additional methods discussed, with their potential and limitations examined in the presentations. The importance of the cleaning ratio for an effective cleaning process, as well as its design and implementation for different applications, was also emphasized. In the last two of the nine presentations on the second day, solutions for bath monitoring and component cleanliness testing were presented.

Alongside the conference, 17 companies showcased products and services related to deburring and cleaning.

The feedback from the 125 participants was consistently positive. The broad range of topics was praised for providing a comprehensive overview of current developments and trends in deburring and cleaning, as well as imparting valuable knowledge. In addition to this knowledge transfer, attendees appreciated the opportunity to network and exchange experiences.