Why is Deburring Important in Steel Fabrication?

Before talking about the importance of deburring in steel fabrication, let’s discuss first of all what a burr is.

As you may have guessed, a burr is a rough part that has been left over from machining a metal component. Beyond metal work, burrs also consist of remnants that are left behind on a surface from shearing operations. If you can imagine cutting fabric with a pair of scissors and leaving small threads behind no matter how sharp your scissors, these threads would be the equivalent to burrs or imperfections on metal.

In relation to steel fabrication, burrs can cause problems. Extensive cutting of steel can result in many remnants which along with other burrs may get lodged in different areas making it difficult to remove all extraneous material. If the metal is cut with inferior tools, burning may be a normal occurrence in the procedure.

Deburring in steel fabrication – Technology helps

Advanced technology benefits the industry by helping to reduce mistakes and waste. Modern fabrication equipment helps the shearing process to be more streamlined and also reduces mistakes. Whether the burr is microscopic or noticeable by its size, small imperfections like these can impact the safety and effectiveness of your steel product.

As well as relying on the precision of your fabrication process, there is a range of deburring processes that can ensure your metal surfaces are ready to be used. These include:

• Manual deburring in steel fabrication – This requires an individual to deburr and manually smooth the metal’s surface. Sandpaper and tools can be used to achieve the right finish.
• Thermal deburring – This relies on a gas explosion to push all the burrs away from the product. If it’s not done correctly, however, it can cause damage and eventually corrosion.
• Grinding – At Metro Steel we can roller, vibrate, or sandblast burrs to create a smooth and seamless finish. Grinding, however, may not offer the level of precision that you require.
• Freezing – Steel can become brittle when it is very cold and when this happens a steel fabricator can use a pellet spray for deburring in steel fabrication
• Chemical deburring – Many companies invest in this technology to remove burrs from intricate parts without impacting the metal’s integrity. Small burrs can be dissolved in a clear and precise manner.
• High-pressure water – This relies on the strong impact of water to wash away any burrs

Safety first

Metal burrs can cause problems even when a person is wearing gloves. Tiny shards of metal can penetrate through the gloves and into the skin.  Consequently, a worker handling steel components could sustain an injury which might require a simple clean-up to stitches.

The importance of precision

In order to supply the product as ordered, a structural fabrication team needs to ensure deburring in steel fabrication is carried out precisely without impacting the dimensional or structural integrity of the metal. Failure to correctly deburr products can result in dimensional errors and may add a new burr to be corrected.

Thankfully, Metro Steel is here to help. You can rely on our skills and expertise to provide precise, clean results for every project.

Do you need steel fabrication services you can rely on?

Give Metro Steel a call on 07 3204 1000 to discuss your needs or drop by our purpose-built facility at 109 Kabi Circuit, Deception Bay, Qld 4034.