Frequently Asked Questions

A vibratory dryer is a vibratory machine without a lining, that has heating elements to dry media such as corn cobb, walnut shell or wooden pegs, which in turn absorbs water and dirt from parts as they travel through the machine. Secondly, a conveyor or rotary drum style dryer moves parts through a continuous chamber while blowing hot air or tumbling with drying media along the way. Lastly, there are combination machines that have an inner finishing channel with an outer drying channel which saves on cost and floor space.

Also called “polarity” on a motor, this can be accomplished by switching two of the three leads with each other. This works in the panel or the motor housing.

On all types of vibratory finishers, an imbalance on the drive is created to cause vibration as the drive rotates. A greater amount of imbalance creates more “amplitude,” which is a major component of the roll in the process channel. “Lead angle” refers to how much forward movement is happening on every stroke. In a round bowl style vibratory finisher, “lead angle” is used to determine how aggressively the machine is feeding horizontally. We call this “feed.”

Some machines have single voltage motors so they will need to be sent to a motor repair shop to be rewound. If you have a dual voltage motor, the information tag typically has both wiring schematics. After the motor is considered, then the machine’s panel will need a certified electrician to change the main fuses, adjust heaters/overload relay, transformer wiring, and possibly the disconnect if it is not capable of handling the new full load amperage.

There are three major types of media used in finishing processes and each one is effective for different purposes. Ceramic media is typically abrasive and is used mostly for deburring applications where burr removal is required. Plastic media can be abrasive and is used mostly for finer finishes (lower RA). Steel media is used for burnishing (a type of peening) and to soften edges quickly for hand safety. Each type of media are available in hundreds of shapes and sizes. Ceramic and plastic media are also available in different compositions which are variances in type and size of abrasive grit, thus providing different finishes on parts.

Typically, a machine should be relined when you cannot keep the drain functional or in the machine, or when bare metal is visible in the process channel. Check your lining once a year with a hammer and nail in the bottom of the channel to check the thickness. This may help determine when to plan for a shutdown to reline.

There are thousands of formulations of compound (concentrated soap) available. The main purpose of a compound is to help keep the process clean. This can aid the process by removing dirt/oil from the parts and to help keep the media clean. Keeping the media clean helps finish the parts because it allows the surface of the media to do it’s job without it “loading” or “glazing” up. Once the media is “loaded” up then it cannot work effectively. The other main feature of compound is sometimes to add a rust protection characteristic to the parts or media.

There are many types of urethane linings, but the most common in this industry are 80-Durometer, 90-Durometer and 95-Durometer Hot Pour. Each one is polyurethane-based and measured on a Shore-A scale. The higher the durometer, the more cut resistant it is. Advancement from a non-hot pour to the hot pour material is a big jump in the physical characteristics of cut and wear resistance as well. For steel ball burnishing processes, 80-Durometer is essential to help with the roll of the heavy media. For part-on-part or sharp part processes, the 95-Durometer Hot Pour is essential.

No. An isolation pad is a good idea on machining equipment, but with a vibratory machine, it adds a weak spot for the vibration to go to, thus making the base of the machine vibrate more than it should. Always use steel or concrete to shim or level your machine if necessary. Do not lag the machine down if it is not level and flat on the floor first.

Parts not rolling well can be caused by many things, the most common of which is media wear. Worn media decreases the volume of the process below the required level for proper roll.

Every municipality’s waste water restrictions are different, so check there first, but there are different levels (i.e. cost) of equipment that can help in cleaning the waste water. The simplest versions help settle the heavy particles in the water. The next step will help filter and or settle, which can remove even finer particles. The higher end versions either centrifuge or ultra-filter the waste water.

If you have internal separation (i.e. gate and screen deck), then 4-to-1 (media to parts) is minimum in order to push the parts out of the machine. If it is a batch process, then 3-to-1 is average. If part impingement is a concern, the media-to-parts ratio needs to increase to an acceptable level of part-on-part dinging or damage.

There are two types of sound covers available. The first one is a heavy-duty vinyl cover with sound abatement foam sandwiched inside and then custom sewn to fit your machine. This cover can be suspended to raise out of the way when the operator needs full access to the machine. The second option is a rigid aluminum hood that creates a top shell with sound abatement foam glued inside. This hood style can be supplied with gas shocks to help carry the weight or with a hydraulic power pack to actuate up and down. Both styles cut the decibel rating down by 6-10.

After ensuring the bowl is filled properly, then more weight needs to be added to the bottom of the machine to increase the amplitude. If the machine is too choppy at this point, then more weight can be added to the top to help turn this into a roll effect. Remember that small steps are best when engaging in changes such as this.

In typical applications involving one finishing machine (not including large systems or drying), the power drop is typically 30 amps for 3 phase motors under 10HP. On larger machines, it increases to 60 amps. For water, house pressure (40-50 psi) is enough with the connections being ¼ to ½ NPT. For air, the pressure should be around 90-120 psi with the connections being ¼ to ½ NPT.

After ensuring the bowl is filled properly and that your media-to-parts ratio is at least 4-to-1, then more weight needs to be added to the top of the machine to increase the feed. Keep in mind that small steps are best when engaging in these types of changes.

If your machine is not functioning, the first item to explore is possible mechanical/electrical problems. Check the incoming power and fusing in the panel, then ensure that the belt has not broken. Next, verify that the drive has not seized-up by trying to spin it by hand, and then inspect the motor. Once these items have been examined and eliminated, focus on the process parameters: water flow rate, media level and compound drum level. It's also important to note that the weight settings should not be changed when the machine is not working properly.  

Check the service manual first due to the many variations that manufacturers use. The motor always needs to rotate opposite of the process’s direction. The top master weight should follow the bottom master weight by 90 degrees approximately. So if your process is travelling counter-clockwise then your motor should be going clockwise and when the bottom master weight is at 6 o’clock the top master weight should be at 3 o’clock.

A vibratory machine's oil should be changed every 1,000 operating hours. For example, if you are running one shift of production 5 days a week, the oild should be changed every 6 months. Be sure to use Mobil 600 (SHC 626 on large machines), change the oil filter element in the filter assembly, and clean the suction/intake filter on the pump. Keep an oil change log.

For equipment that is manually grease lubricated, plan on giving each drive bearing housing 1 shot of grease (Mobil XHP 222 or SHC 100) every 20-40 operating hours. Do not over or under grease the bearings as this is a more common cause for failure than load wear on the rollers.