Analysis of the Charge Movements in Barrel Finishing

A laboratory scale barrel has been designed and constructed in order to achieve information about the charge movements in tumbling operation. The charge has been evidenced to be moving for almost the whole time with the same speed than the barrel. The velocity gradients are thus present mainly in the active layer of the charge and depend upon the rotational speed of the barrel. Also the relative speed of the work-piece with respect to the charge depends on the rotational speed.