Optimise your compound dosing to improve cut rate, extend media life, and produce cleaner components — without waste.
Why dosing rate matters
Compound flow rate is one of the easiest variables to get wrong — and one of the most impactful. Too little compound and you'll see poor cutting, media glazing, and dirty components. Too much and you'll dilute the process, waste compound, and create unnecessary effluent to dispose of.
Recommended flow rates
As a starting point, use the following as a guide for most standard bowl sizes:
- Small bowl (up to 100L): 0.3–0.8 litres per hour
- Medium bowl (100–300L): 0.5–1.5 litres per hour
- Large bowl (300L+): 1.0–3.0 litres per hour
These are starting benchmarks. The correct rate for your process depends on the compound concentration, the media type, the material being processed, and the desired result.
Test method: Run a batch and inspect the outflow water — it should be moderately soapy and slightly discoloured with swarf. If it's very dark or thick, reduce flow. If it's completely clear, increase flow.
Compound concentration
Most Sharmic compounds are supplied as concentrates to be diluted with water before use. Standard dilution ratios are typically 1:20 to 1:50 (compound to water), but always check the product data sheet. Using concentrate undiluted does not improve results — it wastes compound and can damage media.
Signs of incorrect dosing
- Too little: Components coming out dirty, media glazing, poor cut rate, components sticking together
- Too much: Excessive foam in the bowl, components coming out with compound residue, high effluent volumes, rapid media wear
Continuous vs batch dosing
Most vibratory bowls use a continuous drip-feed system. This is the recommended approach for consistent results. Batch dosing (adding compound at the start of a cycle) is less consistent and not recommended for production processes.
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