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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Bead Blasting Tungsten Carbide vs. Wire Wheel Cleaning?
Q. We make some Surgical Rasps with TC cutting surfaces brazed into the handles. We need to clean them after brazing and after Gold Plating. We plate the whole instrument and then Bead Blast the ends of the handles to a matte finish as well as blast the TC insert to remove the small gold layer that sticks to it. The beads are very fine, almost like flour; pressure is about 90 psi. There is a debate going on about what is more harmful to the cutting teeth of the TC inserts, Bead Blasting or using a Stainless Steel Wire wheel (Fine) on a grinding wheel machine (6" wheel at 3400rpm). My feeling is the Bead Blast would be the least destructive given the Hardness of the beads about a 6 on Moh's scale and the SS being similar hardness, but probably a little harder, and striking the TC with much more force.
Anyone have an educated opinion? I'm open to alternatives as well.
Much Thanks, Joe
Operations Manager - Tucker, Georgia
August 29, 2012
A. All material removal systems are dependent on energy and resistance. After that comes how that energy is applied and through what transfer mechanism/media. The amount of energy force is applied, in this case, is through a particle under pressure or a flexible solid. Both have variables due to the angle of energy transfer and both systems can be manipulated to some extent. My guess is the blast system is less aggressive.
AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
August 31, 2012
Q. AF, Thank you for your input. I do turn the air pressure down a bit when Cleaning the TC inserts. I too feel the Beads s/b much less aggressive than a spinning wire brush.
Joe
Surgical Instrument Dist/Mfg - Tucker, Georgia, United States
September 6, 2012
A. Again you are dealing with variable factors. It is easier to control the energy/pressure of the blast system than it is the pressure against the wheel system.
AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
September 7, 2012
Removing gold plating on tungsten carbide ring
Q. Hi, I want to remove gold plating on a tungsten carbide ring and want to know of its possible without effecting the rest of the ring or damaging it.
Haasan Hosany- London, U.K.
April 2, 2019
A. Hi Haasan. You are talking about a finger ring (jewelry), not some kind of industrial part like a piston ring? And you're sure it's actual gold plating, not titanium nitride or other coloration?
Jeweler's polishing sticks ought to do it if there are no engraved areas which you can't reach with them. Otherwise, it sounds like bead blasting is the way to go.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 2019
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