CNC Deburring 

This is the experts guid to CNC deburring. At Moleroda we have so much experience of working with machinists who want to debur parts within their CNC machines.

As such, we’ve put together the best tools and consumables for this purpose.

What is CNC deburring? 

CNC deburring refers to the process of removing burrs from machined parts using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology. Burrs are unwanted, raised edges or rough surfaces that can be left behind after machining operations such as milling, drilling, turning, or grinding. They can be caused by the cutting tools interacting with the material, and they can impact the overall quality, functionality, and safety of the final product.

CNC deburring involves using CNC-controlled machinery and tools to precisely remove these burrs and create smooth, polished, and clean edges on machined parts. .

CNC deburring can be done using various techniques, including abrasive methods (such as sanding, grinding, or polishing) and non-abrasive methods (such as using high-pressure water jets or brushes). The choice of deburring method depends on the material, the complexity of the part, the required level of precision, and other factors.

The benefits of CNC deburring 

Deburring directly within a CNC machine offers several benefits that contribute to improved efficiency, precision, and overall manufacturing quality. Here are some of the key advantages:

1.Time Efficiency

Integrating deburring into the CNC machining process reduces the need for additional operations, setups, and transfers between machines. This streamlines the production workflow, saves time, and minimizes production delays.

2. Consistency

CNC machines are highly precise and repeatable. By performing CNC deburring within the same CNC machine, you ensure that each part is deburred consistently and to the same specifications, resulting in uniform product quality.

3. Reduced Handling

Moving parts between different machines or workstations for deburring increases the risk of damage, misalignment, or contamination. Keeping the part within the same CNC machine eliminates these risks and reduces the need for manual handling.

4.Tolerance Control

Deburring as part of the CNC process allows for real-time adjustments and monitoring of the deburring process. CNC machines can be programmed to remove burrs with a high level of accuracy, ensuring that the desired tolerances are maintained.

5. Complex Geometries

Some parts have intricate and complex geometries that make manual deburring challenging. CNC machines can be equipped with specialized deburring tools that can access difficult-to-reach areas and contours, ensuring thorough deburring.

6. Reduced Operator Intervention

Automated CNC deburring within a CNC machine reduces the need for skilled operators to perform manual deburring tasks. This is particularly valuable for high-volume production runs and helps allocate skilled labor to more critical tasks.

7. Data Tracking

Modern CNC machines often come with data collection and analysis capabilities. Integrating deburring allows for the collection of data related to deburring processes, which can be used for quality control, process optimization, and continuous improvement.

8. Quality Improvement

Consistent deburring within the CNC machine leads to improved product quality by removing burrs that could otherwise impact functionality, safety, and aesthetics.

9. Cost Savings

While there may be an initial investment in tooling and setup for CNC deburring, the overall cost savings over time can be significant due to reduced labor, increased throughput, and improved product yield.

10. Flexibility

CNC machines can be reprogrammed relatively easily to adapt to design changes, different part configurations, or new projects. This flexibility extends to deburring as well, allowing for efficient changes in the deburring process.

The best tools and consumables for CNC deburring 

Radial Wheels mounted on an MM503 mandrel

Ideal for CNC debirring, these brushes should be fitted with 3 x leaves on each mandrel. The mandrel is 3mm, so this fits in an ER16 – 3mm collet.

Speeds and feeds

We recommend the following:

• Situate this in your driven tooling and run between 8 – 10k rpm.
• Run your main spindle between 60 – 120 rpm and have the feed rate between 0.15 and 0.25.
• You will find the feed rate that works for you depending on the burrs that you need to remove.
• Set your offset so that approx. 2mm in touching the workpiece. You can then set your G1 codes to follow the profile of your part, keeping the 2mm touching.

Wet or dry? 

• We have run this wet and dry but found that wet was slightly better on the surface finish.

These are used externally as well as internally with the same speeds and feeds. Thread cleaning is a very popular process with these tools.

RODA NyWheel and RODA Split NyWheel

These run in-CNC machines with the same method as the habras wheels but at slightly faster speeds, making them ideal for CNC deburring.

Speeds and feeds

We recommend the following:

• running at an approach of 20MS. 
• For a 30mm dia wheel  look at approx. 14k rpm on the driven tooling. This however can be reduced if your driven tooling cannot achieve this speed as some only go to 8’000.

We have found the most successful grades are the C100 Brown and the C110 Silicon Black.

Contact us for split wheels – as these are tailor made for your application.

Forward Facing Deburring Brushes

Mainly used on CNC Milling machines. We have had success with light burrs but have also had disappointing results on very heavy burrs.

These fit on a TR style (Roloc) holder that has a 6mm shaft, so they will go straight into a ER16 or ER32 collet on your driven tooling.

There are also versions of these brushes that are more like the Xebec style brush. We have found them to be very good inside a deep bore when CNC deburring, but not so good on external surfaces. They are expensive, therefore other products may be more suitable.

Contact us for more information!

Xebec Extended deburring tool

This is by far the best Xebec (Pronounced Zee Bec) product on the market, and we sell lots of these for both In-CNC and to be run in micro motors.

This is a ceramic deburring tool on the end of a carbon shaft, with a 3mm stainless shank.

These work in 2 ways:

Internally: For the cleaning out of internal bores or any cross holes we would run this (depending on the size) at approx. 10-15k RPM. The centrifugal forces then allow the carbon shaft to flex and the ceramic to hug the inside of the bore, doing all of the work.

Externally: Due to the carbon shaft, you can run this along the profile of a part, whilst setting the geometry off set to allow between 1 and 2mm touching the part. When approaching parallel to the part you can use the flex as a spring mechanism so that you are always touching the part. Ideally this would be in driven tooling to get even wear.

These are available in ball and cylinder shapes…

In Conclusion

Integrating deburring within a CNC machine offers efficiency, precision, consistency, and cost-saving advantages. It’s particularly valuable in industries where high-quality finishes and tight tolerances are critical for the end product. Moleroda are here to help! We have a team of experts with alot of experience in CNC deburring so don’t hesitate to give us a call!

More Information 

For more information on polishing give us a call – we have experts here who have been polishing for years! 

And take a look at our You Tube page for videos of us hard at work finishing!