CREDIT: MFI
For achieving high-polished finishes on additive components significantly faster than traditional manual methods, Mass Finishings Inc. (MFI) will showcase its HZ-40 centrifugal barrel-finisher system at the Rapid + TCT 2025 event April 8-10, 2025, at the Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, in booth 1021. The system not only reduces labor costs and production times, it efficiently removes surface roughness and scale to consistently generate mirror-like finishes on multiple 3D printed metal parts simultaneously.
As a high-energy finishing machine, the HZ-40 uses the pressure and friction created through centrifugal force to quickly remove excess material and burrs, polish part surfaces and create a uniform finish in an operation that is quieter than vibratory tumblers. The system achieves finishes that are isotropic, meaning parts are polished uniformly and evenly in all directions, results that are unachievable through hand finishing.
Centrifugal barrel tumbling
Centrifugal barrel finishing, also known as centrifugal barrel tumbling, operates on the “Ferris Wheel” principle with a one-to-one ratio of barrel rotation to turret rotation. The process involves loading one or all four chambers with a mixture of parts, water, compound and media, which are filled to around 50-80% capacity. As the machine rotates, the barrels spin around the turret in a planetary motion, creating a highly effective sliding force inside the barrel.
For common part materials such as titanium, aluminum, Inconel, Nitinol, printable plastics, carbon steel, gold and silver, the HZ-40 uses ceramic, plastic, and porcelain media in a variety of 3D shapes and size variations for the best finishing results.
Finishing machine
The HZ-40 is one of MFI’s most popular industrial finishing machines and is ideal for precision part manufacturers. Its small footprint (4ft x 3ft) makes it easy to fit into most production operations without sacrificing any finishing speed or results. Plus, its compact size and multiple barrel styles provide flexibility for work in nearly any industry.