Work polishing method

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(FIELD OF THE INVENTION)

[0001] The present invention relates to a work polishing method.

(PRIOR ART)

(CONVENTIONAL TECHNIQUE AND ITS DRAWBACKS)

[0002] Among the conventional work polishing methods, there is a wet type polishing method which is practiced such that a work is subjected to dry polishing with the aid of a buffing wheel, and thereafter, the dry polishing surface of the work is subjected to wet polishing.

[0003] However, when the conventional polishing method as mentioned above is employed for the purpose of polishing each work, this work is subjected merely to wet polishing in the presence of an acid detergent liquid. For this reason, there arises an inconvenience that dirty foreign matters are removed from the surface of the work with some difficulty, and moreover, it is practically difficult to remove an oxide film from the surface of the work due to the substantially intense strengthening achieved for the work in the presence of the acid detergent liquid.

(OBJECT OF THE INVENTION)

[0004] The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the inconvenience inherent to the conventional technique as mentioned above. Therefore, a object of the present invention is to provide a work polishing method which assures that dirty foreign matters adhering to the surface of a work to be polished and an oxide film extending over the surface of the work can easily be removed, thereafter, the surface of the work to be polished is subjected to dry polishing, and subsequently, the surface of the work can be subjected to dry polishing.

(STRUCTURE OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS)

[0005] According to the present invention, the work polishing method is practiced such that each work is subjected to dry polishing after a surface of the work to be polished is subjected to barrel polishing, and thereafter, the work is subjected to wet polishing. Thus, dirty foreign matters adhering to the surface of the work to be polished and an oxide film extending over the whole surface of the work can easily be removed prior to steps to be conducted subsequent to the dry polishing and the wet polishing.

[0006] Therefore, when this work polishing method is employed, the surface of the work to be polished can be subjected to dry polishing after dirty foreign matters adhering to the surface of the work to be polished and an oxide film extending over the whole surface of the work are easily removed, and thereafter, the work can be subjected to wet polishing.

[0007] Incidentally, when barrel polishing is conducted as a step to be practiced after the dry polishing, wet polishing can be conducted after the oxide film formed when the dry polishing is conducted as well as the polishing refuse adhering to the surface of the work are removed from the work. Consequently, each wet type polishing operation can be performed at a high efficiency, and moreover, concave parts or the like remaining on the surface of the work, for which any polishing operation can not practically be achieved with buffing wheels during the dry polishing step can be subjected to polishing. can be subjected to polishing.

[0008] In addition, when barrel polishing is conducted as a step to be practiced after completion of the dry polishing and the wet polishing, each wet polishing operation can be performed after the oxide film formed during the dry polishing step as well as the polishing refuse adhering to the surface of the work are removed from the work, and moreover, concave parts or the like remaining on the surface of the work, for which any polishing operation can not practically be performed with buffing wheels during the dry polishing step, can be subjected to polishing.

(DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS)

[0009] For example, an aluminum wheel usable for a vehicle or the like can be noted as a work employable for carrying out the present invention. However, the present invention should not be limited only to the aluminum wheel as a work but all products each usable as a work are involved in the concept of the work in the present invention.

[0010] Usually, a wet type polishing method or a dry type polishing method for polishing the polishing surface of a work in the presence of a polishing agent is employed as a polishing method in the present invention. In this case, the number of buffs usable for carrying out the present invention may be limited only to one. Alternatively, a plurality of buffs may be used for carrying out the present invention. Incidentally, a buff wheel can be noted as one example which represents the buff.

[0011] To carry out the present embodiment, an ordinary wet type polishing method and an ordinary dry type polishing method can be employed for practicing the wet type polishing method and the dry type polishing method wherein the surface of a work is subjected to polishing in the presence of a polishing agent fed between the polishing surface of the work and the working surface of the buff wheel.

[0012] In addition, to carry out the present invention, any type of barrel polishing method such as a fluid barrel polishing method, a vibration barrel polishing method or the like can be used as a barrel polishing Method. Additionally, any type of usually used polishing agent such as ceramic grain or the like can be employed as a polishing agent.

[0013] Further, the barrel polishing operation performed as a preliminary step for the dry type polishing step can be used as a so-called rough polishing operation.

[0014] Furthermore, the barrel polishing operation performed as a preliminary step for the wet type polishing operation exhibits the same operational effect as that of the dry type polishing operation, and therefore, it can be used as a so-called intermediate polishing step.

[0015] Moreover, the barrel polishing operation performed as a post-step for the wet type polishing operation exhibits the same operational effect as that of the wet type polishing operation, and therefore, it can be used as a so-called finish polishing step.

Claims

1. A method of polishing a work, wherein a surface of said work to be polished is subjected to barrel polishing, thereafter said work is subjected to dry polishing and subsequently to wet polishing.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein between the dry polishing and the wet polishing the work is subjected to barrel polishing.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein after the wet polishing said work is finally subjected to barrel polishing.