Most articles about mass finishing deal with the technology of the equipment, talking about physical characteristics, motion, friction, centrifugal force, etc. When it comes to the production of grinding & polishing media and compounds, this is mainly guided by chemical factors: for example, it requires consideration of chemical reactions and procedures, such as the precise setting of mixing ratios and temperatures. But environmental protection and sustainability also play a big role. In this article, we try to highlight the complexities that must be dealt with in the production of mass finishing consumables.
As one of the very few suppliers of mass finishing equipment, Walther Trowal also produces a complete range of consumables such as grinding & polishing media and chemical compounds, but also flocculants and different types of water cleaners. The entire range of consumables is produced in-house, namely at plants in Haan/Germany and Stoke-on-Trent/Great Britain. The annual production volume amounts to around 8,600 tons.
The manufacturing of consumables involves complex processes and high-value capital equipment. Moreover, it requires consideration of many technical parameters and compliance with numerous guidelines and legal requirements. Last but not least, it demands the handling of hazardous materials, the responsible use of valuable resources, the protection of the environment, and observance of workplace safety rules.
Grinding and Polishing Media
At its manufacturing location in Haan, Walther Trowal produces up to 2,400 tons of plastic media per year. The entire media range includes more than 130 types of plastic and more than 100 types of ceramic grinding and polishing media.
The plastic media are made on ultra-modern production lines. Production and warehousing require compliance with numerous legal and regulatory rules. Because of the relatively low ignition temperatures of the basic and auxiliary materials, the entire equipment and the respective storage tanks must be regularly examined and certified in line with ATEX standards and must be approved by the authorities. Accordingly, the process controls for mixing the powders, resins, and auxiliary materials are quite complex.
The minerals and resins, as the basic materials for the media, are initially mixed in special mixing tanks in line with the respective media recipes. In a second step – after passing a quality check – the mineral/resin mix is precisely and automatically dosed onto the production lines. Upon request, and subject to the purchase of a minimum quantity, we also develop special grinding and polishing media types that are precisely adapted to the finishing tasks of the customers.
Our ceramic media are produced at the plant in Stoke-on-Trent in England, which, at present, undergoes a comprehensive modernization program. With brand-new storage and production facilities and the complete refurbishment of several production lines, the Stoke-on-Trent location is well prepared for the future.
Compounds
The production of compounds also requires a considerable amount of equipment and complex electronic controls. For mixing the compounds at our Haan manufacturing location, we operate a fully automatic mixing system with filling stations for all standard packaging units. Our annual compound production amounts to about 2,700 tons. In our chemical laboratory, we are continuously developing new compounds, be it to comply with stricter environmental standards or to assist our customers with their specific surface finishing problems.
Powders and pastes for grinding, polishing, and other purposes are blended in a specially modified “plowshare” mixer for particularly homogeneous mixing results. Our average annual powder production amounts to 700 tons.
Quality
Our production systems are equipped with comprehensive measuring and control technology, and all our production recipes are managed electronically in a central control panel. This ensures that all our consumables are produced absolutely consistently and always comply with our strict quality standards. During the production process, all relevant production parameters, like temperature and sensor settings, are continuously monitored and recorded. This allows us to completely backtrack the production conditions of every single product batch.
Both our manufacturing plants are certified in line with DIN ISO 9001. As part of our quality control procedure, we take reference samples from every single production batch, which are tested and approved in our in-house laboratories. Audits by independent organizations, such as DEKRA, are part of our daily routine. Finally, our customers also conduct regular audits at our plants according to their own in-house quality standards.
Our team of over 20 experienced employees, exclusively working in our media and compound production, provides an additional substantial quality guarantee. On average, these employees have been working at our company for around 13 years.
High Customer Benefits
Our investment in state-of-the-art equipment and well-trained, experienced personnel produces significant benefits for the customers. The rate of customer complaints due to faulty consumables amounts to only about 2/1000ths relative to our total annual production. Moreover, the in-house production provides a high degree of flexibility and absolutely reliable deliveries. With a total stock of around 1,000 tons at our Haan warehouse, Walther Trowal can even supply rarely purchased consumables within short lead times. And finally, the customers can be sure that the production of our media and compounds, as well as their use, is in full compliance with the latest environmental regulations.
Good Vibrations
by Christoph Cruse
Contributing Editor MFN and General Sales Manager at Walther Trowal GmbH
Tel. +49.2129.571 207
E-mail: c.cruse@walther-trowal.de
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