A method for outer surface finishing of a workpiece may include coaxially placing the workpiece inside a vessel. The exemplary vessel may include at least one baffle that may radially extend from an inner wall of the vessel toward the outer surface of the workpiece. The exemplary method may further include pouring an abrasive medium inside the vessel, rotating the abrasive medium about the longitudinal axis in a first direction within the vessel relative to the outer surface of the workpiece by rotating the vessel about the longitudinal axis, and concurrently rotating the workpiece within the vessel about the longitudinal axis in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

Apparatus 10 and method for cleaning, rejuvenating or treating the internal surfaces of a timber barrel 28 with an abrasive, the apparatus 10 comprising a clamping arrangement that includes at least one clamp 21-24 for clamping the barrel 28. The clamp 21-24 being rotatable to rotate the barrel 28 about its axis and the clamping arrangement being operable to tilt the axis of the barrel 28 during rotation through at least about 20°, preferably 25-40%, to either side of horizontal.

In one embodiment, a vibration barrel polishing method using a vibration barrel polishing system that includes a polishing tank having a bottom surface therein and a polishing jig capable of holding a workpiece and rotatable around a rotation axis is provided. This method includes a step of supporting the polishing jig in the polishing tank in a state in which a lowermost portion of the polishing jig is separated from the bottom surface, a clearance d between the lowermost portion of the polishing jig and the bottom surface being greater than or equal to a grain diameter of a polishing medium, a step of causing the polishing medium to flow in the polishing tank, and a step of rotating the polishing jig around the rotation axis in the state in which the lowermost portion of the polishing jig is separated from the bottom surface.

A method for outer surface finishing of a workpiece may include coaxially placing the workpiece inside a vessel. The exemplary vessel may include at least one baffle that may radially extend from an inner wall of the vessel toward the outer surface of the workpiece. The exemplary method may further include pouring an abrasive medium inside the vessel, rotating the abrasive medium about the longitudinal axis in a first direction within the vessel relative to the outer surface of the workpiece by rotating the vessel about the longitudinal axis, and concurrently rotating the workpiece within the vessel about the longitudinal axis in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

In one embodiment, a vibration barrel polishing method using a vibration barrel polishing system that includes a polishing tank having a bottom surface therein and a polishing jig capable of holding a workpiece and rotatable around a rotation axis is provided. This method includes a step of supporting the polishing jig in the polishing tank in a state in which a lowermost portion of the polishing jig is separated from the bottom surface, a clearance d between the lowermost portion of the polishing jig and the bottom surface being greater than or equal to a grain diameter of a polishing medium, a step of causing the polishing medium to flow in the polishing tank, and a step of rotating the polishing jig around the rotation axis in the state in which the lowermost portion of the polishing jig is separated from the bottom surface.

An embodiment comprises a container to include a substrate during processing (e.g., centrifugal or vibratory processing) and protect the substrate from other substrates (e.g., medical implants) that are simultaneously being processed and/or from the polishing environment (e.g. vibratory tub sidewalls) during processing. Other embodiments are described herein.

A masking tool system includes a first masking body and a second masking body. The first masking body includes a bore passing through a portion of the first masking body and a first sealing element disposed on a first end of the first masking body. The second masking body includes a bore passing through the second masking body and a second sealing element disposed on a first end of the second masking body. The system may also include a rod configured to pass through the bores of the first and second masking bodies and to secure the first and second masking bodies to a metallic article placed therebetween. A diagonal length of the masking tool system induces a wobbling rotation during processing.

A system, fixture and method for media finishing a cluster of airfoils are provided. The fixture may include a base having a first end and a second end, a receptacle disposed on the base and configured to receive the stator cluster, and at least one mock airfoil disposed at each of the first and second ends of the base in alignment with the airfoils of the cluster.

A thread cutting tap and a method of treating the thread cutting tap, which includes a thread cutting portion including a plurality of cutting lands, is provided. Each cutting land has one or more thread cutting teeth in the chamfered section. Each thread cutting tooth includes a primary cutting edge. The method includes immersing at least the thread cutting portion in a bed of granules and effectuating relative movement between the thread cutting portion and the granules for generating an edge rounding of a first magnitude at the primary cutting edge of each tooth, and then exposing a subset of the thread cutting teeth to a dynamic plastic deformation treatment. The subset includes all the thread cutting teeth in the chamfered section, so as to generate an edge rounding of a second magnitude, greater than the first magnitude, at the primary cutting edge of each tooth in the subset.

A fixture is provided for retaining a metal workpiece for contact by finishing media during operation of a media based finishing operation. The fixture comprises a body and a magnet for retaining the workpiece in contact with the body. By use of super-magnetic materials a significant holding force may be achieved.