Fig. 14 shows results for complex-shaped cast aluminum components placed loose within a rotating barrel that was free to spin at moderate speed inside a bubbling abrasives bed of metal shots. The finishing effect can be observed by comparing the full components in Fig. 14a and b and the magnification of its top portion in Fig. 14c and d. It is evident that the workpiece surface became smoother and shinier after fluidized bed processing. The shining effect is due to the use of steel shots, which, besides exerting a finishing action, tend to release some debris that confers a chrome-like finish to the
impinged workpiece. It is also worth mentioning that each area ofthe complex-shaped workpiece is finished to the same quality,with no appreciable differences, even in the holes and concave zones. Furthermore, the deburring effect of the bubbling fluidized bed is evident fromthe evolution of the burrs along the edges of the workpiece in Fig. 14a and c, which decrease or almost disappear after just 5 min of processing with steel shots (Fig. 14b and d).