AU717650B2

AU717650B2 - Workpiece polishing method

Info

Publication number: AU717650B2
Application number: AU23755/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Shuji Kawasaki
Original assignee: BBF Yamate Corp
Current assignee: BBF Yamate Corp
Priority date: 1996-11-27
Filing date: 1999-04-14
Publication date: 2000-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2017-11-12
Also published as: AU2375599A; AU717651B2; AU2375699A

Description

6 *.S

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 SHUJI KAWASAKI, AKITAKA MATSUSHITA, BBF YAMATE CORPORATION

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Workpiece polishing method The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- 2 WORKPIECE POLISHING METHOD Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a workpiece polishing method.

Prior Art Conventional technique and its drawbacks Among the conventional workpiece polishing methods, there is a wet type polishing method which is practiced such that a workpiece is subjected to dry polishing with the aid of a buffing wheel, and thereafter, the dry polished surface of the workpiece is subjected to wet polishing.

However, when the conventional polishing method as mentioned above is employed for the purpose of polishing each workpiece, the workpiece is subjected merely to wet polishing in the presence of an acid detergent liquid.

It is difficult to remove dirty or foreign matter from the surface of the workpiece during such wet polishing. Moreover, it is practically difficult to remove an oxide file from the surface of the workpiece due to the substantially intense strengthening achieved for the workpiece in the presence of the acid detergent liquid.

Object of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the inconvenience inherent to the conventional technique as mentioned above. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece polishing method o: 25 which assures that dirt or foreign matter adhering to the surface of a workpiece to be polished and any oxide film extending over the surface of the workpiece can easily be removed, thereafter, the surface of the workpiece to be polished is subjected to dry polishing, and subsequently, the surface of the workpiece can be subjected to dry polishing.

Structure of the Invention and Advantageous Effects According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided, a method of buffing a workpiece, comprising the steps of: 1. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then 2. subjecting the workpiece to dry buffing; and then 3. subjecting the workpiece to wet buffing.

3 Thus, dirt and foreign matter adhering to the surface of the workpiece to be polished and oxide film extending over the whole surface of the workpiece can easily be removed prior to any steps to be conducted subsequent to the dry polishing and the wet polishing.

Therefore, when this workpiece polishing method is employed, the surface of the workpiece to be polished can be subjected to dry polishing after dirty foreign matters adhering to the surface of the workpiece to be polished and an oxide file extending over the whole surface of the workpiece are easily removed, and thereafter, the workpiece can be subjected to wet polishing.

Thus a related aspect of the invention provides a method of buffing a workpiece, comprising the steps of: 1. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then 2. subjecting the workpiece to dry buffing; then 3. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; and then 4. subjecting the workpiece to wet buffing.

If a barrel polishing step is conducted after the dry polishing, wet polishing can be conducted after the oxide file formed when the dry polishing is conducted as well as the polishing refuse adhering to the surface of the workpiece are removed from the workpiece.

.20 Consequently, each wet type polishing operation can be performed at a high efficiency, and moreover, concave parts or the like remaining on the '.surface of the workpiece, for which polishing cannot be practically achieved with a buffing wheel during the dry polishing step, can be subjected to polishing.

25 In addition, when a barrel polishing step is conducted after completion of the dry polishing and the wet polishing, each wet polishing operation can be performed after the oxide film formed during the dry polishing step as well as the polishing refuse adhering to the surface of the workpiece are removed from 5. the workpiece. Moreover, concave parts or the like remaining on the surface of 0.0. 30 the workpiece, for which polishing cannot be practically performed with buffing wheels during the dry polishing step, can be subjected to polishing.

Thus a yet further related aspect of the invention provides a method of buffing a workpiece, comprising the steps of: 1. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then 2. subjecting the workpiece to dry buffing; then 3. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then 4. subjecting the workpiece to wet buffing; and then subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing.

Description of Preferred Embodiments As an example, an aluminium wheel useable for a vehicle or the like can be a workpiece employable on which the present invention may be carried out.

However, the present invention should not be limited only to the aluminium wheel as a workpiece but all products each useable as a workpiece are involved in the concept of the workpiece in the present invention.

Usually, a wet type polishing method or a dry type polishing method for polishing the polishing surface of a workpiece in the presence of a 9 *e 9 4 polishing agent is employed as a polishing method in the present invention.

In this case, the number of buffs useable for carrying out the present invention may be limited only to one. Alternatively, a plurality of buffs may be used for carrying out the present invention. Incidentally, a buff wheel can be noted as one example which represents the buff.

To carry out the present embodiment of the invention, an ordinary wet type polishing method and an ordinary dry type polishing method can be employed for practicing the wet type polishing method and the dry type polishing method wherein the surface of a workpiece is subjected to 10 polishing in the process of a polishing agent fed between the polishing surface of the workpiece and the working surface of the buff wheel.

In addition, to carry out the present invention, any type of barrel .polishing method such as a fluid barrel polishing method, a vibration barrel polishing method or the like can be used as a barrel polishing method.

*.15 Additionally, any type of usually used polishing agent such an ceramic grain or the like can be employed as a polishing agent.

Further, the barrel polishing operation performed as a preliminary step for the dry type polishing step can be used as a so- called rough polishing operation, Furthermore, the barrel polishing operation performed as a preliminary step for the wet type polishing operation exhibits the same operational effect as that of the dry type polishing operation, and therefore, it can be used as a so-called intermediate polishing step.

Moreover, the barrel polishing operation performed as a post-step for the wet type polishing operation exhibits the same operational effect as that of the wet type polishing operation, and therefore, it can be used as a socalled finish polishing step.

Claims

1. A method of buffing a workpiece, comprising the steps of: 1. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then

2. subjecting the workpiece to dry buffing; and then

3. subjecting the workpiece to wet buffing. 2. A method of buffing a workpiece, comprising the steps of: 1. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then 2. subjecting the workpiece to dry buffing; then 3. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; and then

4. subjecting the workpiece to wet buffing. 3. A method of buffing a workpiece, comprising the steps of: 1. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then 2. subjecting the workpiece to dry buffing; then 3. subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing; then 4. subjecting the workpiece to wet buffing; and then subjecting the workpiece to barrel buffing. DATED this first day of February 2000 SHUJI KAWASAKI, AKITAKA MATSUSHITA, BBF YAMATE CORPORATION Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: RICE CO. o"o. F.B. RICE CO. go S S. *ooo,