Chamfer Blending and Radiusing: Flex-Hone® Applications

Chamfer blending is a surface finishing technique for through-holes that blends sharp edges, removes microburrs, and produces radiused-edge transitions. It eliminates stress risers produced by chamfering, a machining operation that creates a beveled edge. Left uncorrected, these stress concentrations reduce fatigue strength and increase the likelihood that a fatigue crack will start and spread across a machined part. In some applications, part failure can have disastrous consequences.   

Chamfer Blending Applications

Chamfer blending is used in the manufacture of automotive and aerospace parts, semiconductors, medical devices, and other critical components. By finishing through-holes for a flawless fit, chamfer blending helps keep assembled parts together. In the aerospace industry, for example, jet engines need burr-free, chamfered through-holes to accommodate fasteners and protect the integrity of components and subassemblies. With rotating parts, properly radiused chamfer surfaces are especially important.

Deburring and Surface Finishing

The CNC machines used by aircraft manufactures produce parts that can require extensive deburring and finishing operations. The nickel-base and titanium alloys used in aircraft components quickly dull cutting tools such as drills and reamers, creating extruded burrs that are difficult to remove. Fortunately, the Flex-Hone® tool from Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM) is perfect for the final deburring of through-holes in chamfer blending applications.

The Flex Hone for Chamfer Blending

The Flex-Hone for chamfer blending is available in a variety of grit sizes and abrasive types, and is suitable for finishing titanium, Inconel, super CVM, and nickel-based stainless steel alloys. Designed to polish and radius the outer corners (the intersection of the chamfer and the flange face), the Flex-Hone tool also handles the inner corners and hole. The increased flexibility of BRM’s chamfer Flex-Hone also allows this chamfering tool to pass through thin web sections, and polish the chamfer front and back.