Before
After
Objective
Truex Incorporated tasked Bel Air Finishing with developing a safe, repeatable alternative to the chemical brightening process traditionally used to finish annealed CDA-268 brass garden hose fittings. The goal was to achieve a clean, bright, and uniform surface appearance suitable for high-volume production (1–2 million parts per year), while eliminating hazardous chemicals, reducing consumable waste, and avoiding labor-intensive manual buffing.
| Industry | Hardware, Consumer Goods |
| Part Description | Garden House Hardware – Brass Male Fitting |
| Fabrication Method | Stamped & Formed |
| Material | CDA-268 Brass |
| Process Technology | Multiple Methods, Burnishing |
| Equipment Type | Automated Finishing, Burnisher, Tumblers, Vibratory Finisher |
Solution
Bel Air implemented a vibratory burnishing process using the FM-BB Series Vibratory Batch Bowl to produce a bright, uniform finish on the annealed CDA-268 brass fittings. A non-abrasive burnishing media blend was selected to smooth minor forming marks and enhance surface reflectivity without affecting thread geometry or dimensional fit.
Processing parameters—including media type, compound concentration, bowl amplitude, and cycle duration—were refined to achieve consistent brightness across batch loads. The resulting process is safe, repeatable, and easily scalable to high-volume production, allowing the customer to eliminate hazardous chemical brightening and reduce manual finishing labor while maintaining cosmetic quality.
If you are unsure what equipment and media you require to achieve your desired surface finish, then send us your part, and we will evaluate it and provide you with a metrology report.