Processing is finished. The bowl holds a mix of parts and media. They have to be separated.
It sounds trivial. It is not — poorly planned separation means parts lost in waste, or media leaving with the shipment.
The separation screen
The most common method. The mix passes over a screen and the parts stay on top.
The rule: parts must be larger than the media.
This brings a constraint many discover late: media selection is not only about the finish. It is also about separation. Media too large for your parts makes separation impossible.
Reverse separation
When parts are smaller than the media, reverse separation applies. The media stays on top, the parts fall through.
Used for small parts — screws, contacts, jewellery components.
Magnetic separation
Ferrous parts can be separated magnetically, regardless of size.
It is the most convenient method when available, because it removes the size constraint entirely. It does not work on aluminium, brass or austenitic stainless steel.
How to choose
For each application a solution can be adopted that meets its particular requirements.
The question to ask at purchase is not only “what finish do I get”, but also “how do I get my parts out of the bowl”. The answer to the second shapes the choice as much as the first.
Related reading
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