Custom Finishing

Typical applications

• Deburring and cosmetic cleanup of molded and cast parts
• Ball burnishing for a bright, shiny finish on cast parts
• Sand blasting for a uniform matte surface or as powder coat preparation
• Texture and finish matching across multi-piece assemblies
• Preparation for decoration, coating, or labeling

Process overview

1. 1

   Finish specification review

   Cosmetic grade, texture, and any match requirements are confirmed against the print or an approved sample.

2. 2

   Mechanical finishing

   Sand blasting, vibratory deburring with plastic media, and ball burnishing where a bright finish is wanted — selected to suit the substrate and the cosmetic standard. Note that ball burnishing and powder coating are mutually exclusive.

3. 3

   Secondary operations

   Milling, drilling, tapping, reaming, sawing, trimming, hand sanding, and DA (dual-action) sanding — typically 400 grit and finer — as the part requires.

4. 4

   Inspection

   Parts are checked against the approved cosmetic standard before shipment.

Part design considerations

• Cosmetic grading criteria should be defined (e.g., with an approved sample) rather than left to interpretation

DFM guidance

• Provide an approved physical sample for cosmetic/texture matching whenever possible — it resolves ambiguity faster than a written spec alone

Quality controls

• Visual inspection against approved cosmetic standard

Secondary operations available

• Powder coating
• Pad printing and decoration
• Assembly
• Packaging

Frequently asked questions