Deburring specialist turns to academia

Although the company's directors have 40 years' experience between them, the company says thaty this initiative "will help us to go back to first principles to make sure that we haven't missed anything, and also see if there are ways that we can enhance the process." And while many universities play up the higher tech subjects like nano technologies, composite material properties and exploiting thermal mismatch, there are those that want to discuss deburring openly as a valid production process, highlighting that deburring is wrongly perceived with negative connotations. "I've never understood why companies are unwilling to talk about deburring issues. The topic plays a valid part in the manufacturing process and is a huge area for exploring cost reduction," says Dr Steve Plummer, Principal Lecturer in Manufacture at the School of Engineering at Brighton University and the Course Leader for the MSc degree in Product Innovation & Development. His specialism is manufacturing cost reduction. "Deburring, not only needs to be costed in but should be regarded as a benefit alongside other processes such as edge and surface finishes. Only then will industry be willing to look outside their limited experience for better answers." Thermal deburring is one process that few people know about, especially in the UK, yet an American expert LaRoux K Gillespie in his Deburring and Edge Finishing Handbook claimed it is one of the least expensive deburring methods.