Buffing

Buffing

Buffing - Buffing is a final operation to improve the polish of a metal and to bring out the maximum lustre. Buffing is a frequent operation prior to plating. In buffing, the rubbing action is more gentle than the vigorous and aggressive cutting action employed in polishing. Buffing removes negligible amounts of metal.

The size of the work is changed very little, sometimes, 0.0025 to 0.0075 mm. Basically, buffing flows or smears the surface metal. It takes the peaks and flows them into valleys. This gives a mirror like polish.

Buffing does not maintain flatness or roundness. It is used only to obtain very smooth reflective surfaces. Buffing is usually confined to the nonferrous metals, such as aluminium, copper, brass and zinc alloy die castings, stainless steel, chromium and nickel plate, etc.