Fine finishing is a challenge, Vortex Method™ solved it.

What the Vortex Method™ is and why it is worth.

The Vortex Method™ is a way to diagnose what is going wrong in your finishing process and how to fix first and optimize later, under LEAN manufacturing lens. It fixes real issues working on the equipment, on the setup, on the practices. In 3 words fixes and improves on the entire finishing process; while you are not interested in improving anything but YOUR own finishing process(es), I’m not interested in anything but YOUR data to apply it.

Common plants status above fine finishing and its issues.

Many plants have switched from air blasting to wheel blasting in time due to their goal of Opex optimizing, real status today is that plenty of processes run on habits and when there is an issue those who implemented the equipment/practice left long ago. 80% of blasting market is about foundries and pre coating cleaning, so accordingly goes the expertise you can easily find; if you are into fine finishing: media below SAE S70 size, Ra & Rz matters as well Almen A, you are in the land of fine finishing, and you need someone skilled on this niche.

Vortex Method applied, the hopper is just behind.

Why Vortex Method™ does it NOT have a clear protocol that I can follow my own?

Because it is a mix of experience, physics and engineering applied. Surface treatments are inside any industry, getting general data it is helpful within a limit because each application has its own expertise, variance and critical points. As said above it is worth to apply for fine finishing, where media as consistent cost and spoiling the parts processed is NOT an option to take in consderation.

Why is Vortex Method™ named so?

Because the first check I do to improve is opening the hopper and look at the Vortex over there, is it there? How it looks? How is consistent, how is the media. Check is visual and tactical too, touching the media moving to understand the pressure, the flowing, the mix. Mathematic would say it is not the first step, it is the zero step to start fixing first and, improving later. Having seen it hundreds of times I can say how it looks, accordingly with your media and application. Recipe is similar, ingredients change, same result: fixing and improving, on your process, inside your plant, starting from your real data and status.

Why is Vortex Method™ worth?

Because with a small amount invested you get a process status, the more critical the process is for your operations the more critical having an updated report is for you, where is clearly stated a road map to reduce risks and liabilities; allows to understand your equipment status, the wrong practices if any and overall to make a clear diagnose of the health of your own finishing process – where to cure before it becomes a patient if needed.

How is the Vortex Method™ applied?

It starts with a call, a conversation that can clarify your issues and clarifying you the risks you are potentially facing working on your real data and application; it works greatly if followed by an onsite visit to ground in real all is going on during the process, before and after. All this allows me to write down the report with the road map to fix the issues, improve the process and create the data benchmark can be used for future references.

When and how to understand if it is worth?

There are plenty of consulting companies and experts in blasting out there, major part of them is focused on foundries/castings and paint preparation, their media is usually made by “big shots”, SAE S70 is considered one of the smallest them use. Instead, I work with what we can call “fine finishing”, where media size drops consistently, where values of Ra and Rz becomes critical and I can set wheel blaster working in the field where compressed air is king just because few can settle the equipment correctly.

Conclusion.

Here some equipment FAQs answered.

If you wanna share your data and start applying my Vortex Method™ to your own process, book the next available slot accordingly with your time zone and don’t worry, I travel worldwide. https://calendar.app.google/id7gG91WFyScM1pz6

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