? Where is your part right now?

Not made yetOne shop: we machine or form the part and sand it in the same order, so nothing is transported between the two. Sanding removes material, so the allowance it needs is planned while the part is still being made.See the processes we run →Already madeSend the finished parts and say which faces have to be sanded and how fine. A rubbed abrasive cuts material away and cannot reach a sharp internal corner or a deep pocket, so the geometry decides what is possible.Check if my parts qualify →Still comparing finishesSanding is the coarsest rung of the surface ladder: a random, non-directional texture rather than a controlled roughness value. If the drawing asks for a number, the answer is usually the next rung up.Which finish do I need? →

SURFACE FINISHING

Sanding Service

Random, non-linear texture Grit number sets fineness Burr-free and dust-free No sharp corners or pockets

Sanding is the process of rubbing abrasive particles over the surface of a part to cut a random, non-linear texture. The abrasive - our published examples are sand and lead beads - is held on a plate or on paper, and its capacity is measured in grit number, where a higher number means finer particles and a finer surface finish. The published result is a mild polish free of burrs and dust; the limit is sharp corners and pockets, which a rubbed surface cannot create.

Get a quote Can sanding do my part?

Random textureNon-directional, as published for this process

Grit numberHow abrasive capacity is measured - higher is finer

Burr-freePublished result: a mild polish free of burrs and dust

No sharp cornersPublished limit: corners and pockets are out of reach

A hand rubbing abrasive paper across a wet metal surface to leave a fine sanded texture — The grit number sets where the finish lands: a coarse grit cuts fast and leaves a visible texture, a fine grit cuts slowly and leaves a finer one.

Where it fits

Sanding is a finishing step - and the grit number is the whole decision

Abrasive is rubbed across the part to cut a random texture. A coarse grit removes material quickly and leaves a clear texture; a fine grit removes less and leaves a finer surface. The grit number is what moves the finish up or down the ladder.

STEP 1Machine or form the partSanding is subtractive - it rubs material away, so the part has to arrive within reach of the grit you specify

STEP 2Choose the grit numberA higher grit number means finer particles and a finer surface finish - the one variable that sets the result

STEP 3Rub the abrasive over the surfaceAbrasive held on paper, a belt or a wheel is worked across the part to cut a random, non-linear texture

STEP 4You are here - a sanded surfaceThe published result is a mild polish completely free of burrs and dust, with a shiny, high gloss finish

STEP 5InspectCheck for missed areas, a texture that runs the wrong way, and burrs left at an edge the abrasive could not reach

Two things decide the outcome: the grit number - a higher number is a finer abrasive and a finer surface - and the geometry, because a rubbed surface only follows what the abrasive can touch. That is why a sharp internal corner or a deep pocket is out of reach. See the specifications for what is published and what is still To confirm.

A sanding machine working across a metal surface to remove swirl marks and leave an even texture

Machine sanding removes the marks left by a previous, coarser step - which is why the grit is stepped down rather than jumped from coarse to fine in one pass.

A close view of an abrasive grinding wheel with a coarse, granular cutting face — Abrasive media come as paper, belts and wheels. What they share is that capacity is measured in grit number.

A metal surface with an even grit-blasted matte texture after abrasive treatment — Blasting throws the abrasive at the part instead of rubbing it across, so the texture is more even - a different rung of the ladder.

Two metal panels compared side by side after treatment with two different abrasive media — Two abrasive media on the same part leave two different textures - the medium is part of the specification, alongside the grit number.

An aluminium part under abrasive treatment that leaves a uniform matte grey surface — The abrasive medium, not only the grit, changes the texture - which is why both are stated on a drawing.

Fit check

Can we sand your part? Three things decide it

The geometry the abrasive can reach, the texture the drawing asks for, and the jobs sanding cannot do. The last one is where a sanding request most often has to change.

Geometry the abrasive can reach

Flat faces and open contours are where a rubbed surface works best
A random, non-linear texture follows the path of the abrasive across the surface
Sharp internal corners and deep pockets are out of reach - the published limit of the process
Blind holes, narrow slots and undercuts are hard for a flat sheet or a wheel to enter

The texture and the grit

A higher grit number means finer particles and a finer surface finish
Which grit numbers we run for which finish is To confirm - send the requirement, not just a grit
No Ra value is published for sanding, so a roughness call-out is To confirm
The published result is a mild polish, free of burrs and dust, with a shiny high gloss finish

The grit numbers and the achievable finish are To confirm with the shop - what is published is the direction (higher grit, finer finish), not a table of numbers.

What sanding cannot do

Sharp corners and pockets - the published description says sanding may be unable to create them
A mirror or a scratch-free reflective surface - that is polishing, which removes the scratches rather than laying a texture over them
An added layer for corrosion or colour - sanding removes material, it does not deposit any

If the part needs a controlled roughness, a mirror or a corrosion layer, say so at quoting - the route is different. See which finish.

Specifications

Sanding: a random texture cut by an abrasive measured in grit number

The published page for this process carries no specification table, so this one is built from what the description states. Everything the shop has not confirmed is marked To confirm rather than given a number.

Abrasive media

Sand, lead beads and othersThe published examples of standard abrasive media for this process

How the abrasive is held

On a plate or on paperAs published; the paper form is the one called sandpaper

Abrasive capacity

Measured in grit numberAs published - this is how the fineness of the abrasive is stated

Grit and finish

Higher grit = finerA higher grit number means finer particles and produces a finer surface finish

Texture produced

Random, non-linearAs published - the texture is not directional

Result (published claim)

Mild polish, free of burrs and dustThe published result, described as a shiny, high gloss finish

Sharp corners and pockets

Not possibleThe published limit: sanding may be unable to create sharp corners and pockets

Grit numbers run (range)

To confirmThe shop has not confirmed which grit numbers are used for which finish

Achievable surface roughness (Ra)

To confirmNo Ra value is published for this process

Materials offered

To confirmThe page for this process lists no materials; our published description refers to custom solutions for all metal types

Equipment (hand, belt, wheel)

To confirmWhich sanding methods we run is being confirmed with the shop

The line that matters most: the published strength and the published limit sit in the same sentence. Sanding can leave a mild polish free of burrs and dust - and it may be unable to create sharp corners and pockets. Decide which of those two your part needs before it is quoted.

What it removes

Sanding cuts material away - edges and sharp features are where it shows

This is a subtractive finish: abrasive is rubbed over the surface and takes a thin layer with it. On a flat face that is the point; on an edge, a thread or a sharp corner it is the risk.

Where it acts	What changes	Why it matters	What to do
Burrs and sharp edges	Material is rubbed off the edge	Removing the burr is the job - the edge that is left is rounded rather than sharp.	Specify the edge break you want.
Sharp internal corners	The corner is not reached at all	The published limit: sanding may be unable to create sharp corners and pockets, because a flat sheet or a wheel cannot enter them.	Design a radius or choose a machining route for the corner.
Deep pockets and blind recesses	The abrasive cannot reach the bottom	A rubbed surface follows what the abrasive touches; a deep pocket is out of its reach.	Say if the pocket has to be finished so the route can be confirmed.
Threads	Over-sanding rounds the crest	Abrasive that runs across a thread takes the crest with it, and the thread no longer gauges.	Protect or mask threads through the sanding step.
Sealing and mating faces	A thin layer is removed	Hand sanding can take a face out of flat even when the amount removed is small.	State the flatness a sealing face has to hold.
Cosmetic faces	A random, non-linear texture appears	This is the benefit: an even, non-directional finish that is free of burrs and dust.	No allowance needed - this is the duty the finish was specified for.

Sanding removes material rather than adding it, so the allowance it needs is on the part, not over it. Where the abrasive cannot reach - a sharp corner, a deep pocket - the answer is a different process.

Tell us which faces may be sanded and which features must keep their exact shape, and we will confirm what the abrasive can reach.

Get a quote

Which finish

Sanding is the coarsest rung - the next one up depends on the requirement

Sanding, smooth machining, fine machining and polishing sit on one ladder of finishing, from a random rubbed texture to a mirror. The rung is chosen by the requirement on the drawing, not by the process name.

A hand rubbing an abrasive sheet over a metal part to cut a random, non-directional texture

Abrasive paper, belt or wheel

This process

Abrasive is rubbed across the part to leave a random, non-linear texture, and the grit number sets how fine it is. It is the rung to choose when the job is to break a burr, clean up a surface or leave a uniform non-directional finish - not when the drawing asks for a controlled roughness value.

Best for: deburring, blending, a random non-directional texture, a surface to key for paint or bonding

Not for: a sharp internal corner or a deep pocket, which the abrasive cannot enter.

Two metal panels side by side showing a brushed texture against a smoother satin finish

The next rung: smooth and fine machining

Ra 1.6 and Ra 0.8 um

When the drawing asks for a roughness value rather than a texture, the next rungs up are cut by the tool instead of rubbed by an abrasive. Smooth machining leaves tool marks still visible at a published Ra 1.6 um; fine machining drives it to a published Ra 0.8 um by controlling feed and speed with sharper tools. Both are measured in Ra; sanding is not.

Best for: a stated Ra, a smoother surface than a rubbed texture, a pre-finish before polishing

Not for: a random texture - machining leaves a directional pattern, not a rubbed one.

A row of metal test pieces showing different surface finishes from matte to reflective

Not applicable - choose another process

When sanding is wrong

Three requirements rule sanding out. A mirror or a scratch-free reflective finish is polishing or brushing, not sanding. A sharp internal corner or a deep pocket has to be cut by machining, because a rubbed abrasive cannot reach it. And a corrosion layer or a colour needs a process that adds material - anodizing, zinc plating or powder coating - because sanding only removes it.

Choose instead: polishing for a mirror, CNC machining for sharp geometry, a coating for corrosion or colour

The dividing line: sanding changes the texture of the surface; it does not add a layer and it cannot cut a form.

Requirement on the drawing	Choose	Because
A deburred edge and a random, non-directional texture	Sanding	Abrasive rubbed over the part removes the burr and leaves a textured surface.
A stated roughness of Ra 1.6 um	Smooth machining	The tool cuts a controlled roughness; tool marks may still be visible.
The finest surface by machining, Ra 0.8 um	Fine machining	Sharper tools, lower feed and higher speed drive the roughness down.
A mirror or a scratch-free reflection	Polishing	Polishing removes scratches and marks rather than laying a texture over them.
Sharp internal corners and deep pockets	CNC machining	A rubbed abrasive cannot enter a corner or a deep recess.
A corrosion layer or a colour	Anodizing / Powder coating	These add a layer; sanding removes material and adds nothing.

The ladder runs from a random rubbed texture, through the machined roughness values, to a mirror. Pick the rung by the requirement, then name the process.

Tell us what the surface has to do - break a burr, hold an Ra, or reflect - and we will confirm which rung the part needs.

Get a quote

Pick or avoid

When sanding is the right call - and when it is not

Pick sanding when

The job is to break a burr or blend a surface rather than to hold a roughness value.
A random, non-directional texture is wanted - for appearance or to key a surface for paint or bonding.
The geometry is open enough for a flat sheet, a belt or a wheel to reach the face.
The finish is the first step on the way to a smoother one, and the grit is being stepped down.
The published result - a mild polish free of burrs and dust - is what the part needs.

Avoid sanding when

A mirror or a scratch-free reflective surface is needed. See polishing.
A controlled Ra is called out on the drawing - sanding publishes no Ra value; see smooth machining or fine machining.
The part has sharp internal corners or deep pockets - the published limit of sanding is that it may be unable to create them.
A layer for corrosion or colour is the requirement - sanding removes material instead of adding it. See anodizing or powder coating.
The surface must stay flat to a tight tolerance and a rubbed finish would take it out.

Not sure whether the part needs a rubbed, a machined or a polished surface? Send the drawing and say what the surface has to do.

Get a quote

Design constraints

What decides whether the sanded part comes back right

Four variables: the grit, the geometry the abrasive can reach, the features that must not be touched, and the finish that comes after.

The grit number

A higher grit number means finer particles and a finer surface finish. The grit is the one variable that sets where the finish lands, so it belongs on the drawing rather than in a note. Which grit numbers we run for which finish is being confirmed.

The geometry

A rubbed abrasive follows what it can touch. Flat faces and open contours are easy; a sharp internal corner, a deep pocket or a narrow slot is out of reach - the published limit of the process. Design a radius where a corner has to be finished.

Features that must not change

Threads, sealing faces and any face held to a tight size have to be protected. Abrasive that runs across a thread rounds the crest, and hand sanding can take a sealing face out of flat even when little material is removed.

What the surface has to do next

A sanded, non-directional texture is a good key for paint, adhesive or a coating, which is why sanding is often a pre-finish. Say what comes after it so the grit is chosen for that step rather than in isolation.

Coarse or fine - the trade

A coarse grit cuts fast and leaves a visible texture; a fine grit cuts slowly and leaves a finer surface. Stepping down through the grits takes longer than jumping to the final one, but it removes the marks the coarse grit left behind.

Inspecting a rubbed surface

A random texture is judged by eye against a sample, not by a gauge. Agree the sample and the direction of light before the batch runs, because a texture that reads as even under one light can look patchy under another.

Drawing notes

What to write on the drawing so the sanded surface is what you meant

Two lines carry the requirement: where the surface may be sanded, and how fine. The features that must not be touched are the third.

1.  SAND THE FOLLOWING SURFACES:    ____________________________________________  (SEE VIEW A)    FINISH: RANDOM, NON-DIRECTIONAL TEXTURE  (OR)  GRIT NO. ______2.  WHERE A ROUGHNESS IS REQUIRED, STATE IT:    Ra ______ um  -  SANDING PUBLISHES NO Ra VALUE.  IF Ra IS    CALLED OUT, THE ROUTE IS CONFIRMED BEFORE THE BATCH.3.  DO NOT SAND THE FOLLOWING FEATURES:    - ALL TAPPED HOLES AND THREADS    - SEALING FACES AND MATING FACES    - ______  (ANY FACE THAT MUST HOLD ITS SIZE OR FLATNESS)4.  EDGE BREAK: ______  (SANDING ROUNDS THE EDGE IT TOUCHES)5.  CORNERS AND POCKETS MARKED SHARP SHALL NOT BE SANDED -    A RUBBED ABRASIVE CANNOT ENTER THEM.6.  INSPECT: NO BURRS, NO LOOSE ABRASIVE DUST, TEXTURE EVEN    ACROSS THE PART, NO MISSED AREAS, MASKED FACES CLEAR.

Examples only - replace every blank with your own requirement. The line that matters most is the grit or the finish call-out: without it, the surface cannot be judged against a sample.

Which metals

What we sand - what is published, and what is still being confirmed

The page for this process lists no materials. Our published description refers to custom solutions for all metal types, so metals are shown as being confirmed here rather than presented as a fixed table.

Material	Sanding	Notes	Use instead
Metals - all types	To confirm	Our published description says custom solutions for all metal types; the page for this process lists no material table, so the exact list is being confirmed.	—
Plastics	To confirm	Not named in the published description for sanding. Plastics are a published material for other finishes in this family.	—
Parts needing a mirror finish	Different finish	Sanding lays a random texture; it does not remove scratches to a reflective surface.	Polishing
Parts with sharp corners or deep pockets	Not this process	The published limit of sanding is that it may be unable to create sharp corners and pockets.	CNC machining
Parts needing a corrosion layer or colour	Different process	Sanding removes material and adds no layer of its own.	Anodizing
Parts needing a stated Ra	Choose machined	No Ra value is published for sanding; a stated roughness is cut by the tool.	Fine machining

Send the drawing with the material on it - if sanding is not the right step for the material or the surface, we will say which one is.

Get a quote

Applications

Where a sanded surface is doing the work

Sanding is used where a burr has to go, where a surface has to be keyed, and where a random, non-directional texture is the finish the part needs.

Metal parts after deburring and before powder coating, laid out on a bench with an even bare surface

Deburring before a coating line

A burr left under a coating becomes a defect in the film. Sanding removes the burr and leaves a non-directional texture that gives the coating or the adhesive something to key to.

A group of precision machined stainless steel components with an even matte surface

Keying a machined surface

A machined face can be too smooth for paint or an adhesive to hold. A random sanded texture is what turns a machined face into a surface the next layer can grip.

A machined metal part being deburred at an edge to remove a sharp burr

Deburring a machined edge

The task sanding is most often asked to do: take a sharp, raised edge off a machined part so it is safe to handle and will not damage an assembly.

QA and documentation

What you get back with the parts

Purchasing usually needs paper as well as parts. Here is what we can state today and what is still being confirmed.

Available

Visual inspection

Sanded parts are checked for burrs, missed areas, loose abrasive dust and an even, non-directional texture across the face.

Available

Sample comparison

A random texture is judged against an agreed sample under the agreed lighting, because a rubbed finish has no single-number call-out.

To confirm

Standard and call-out

No Ra value is published for this process. If the drawing states a roughness or a standard, it is being confirmed whether sanding can hold it or the part needs a machined rung.

To confirm

Grit record per batch

A record of the grit numbers used on a batch is being confirmed with the shop so a finish can be repeated identically.

Sanding, roughness and the rest of the surface ladder

Sanding is one rung on a ladder of finishing. These are the rungs above it and the sibling processes, in the order a drawing usually steps through them.

Smooth machining - Ra 1.6 um

The next rung up: a smoother surface cut by the tool. Tool marks may still be visible, and it is the standard pre-finish before polishing.

Fine machining - Ra 0.8 um

The finest of the three machining rungs, driven down by sharper tools, lower feed and higher speed. This is the rung to choose when the drawing asks for a minimum roughness.

Polishing - mirror and gloss

Where sanding lays a texture, polishing removes scratches and marks to leave a reflective surface. The top of the ladder.

Brushing - a directional satin texture

The sibling of sanding: an abrasive is used, but the result is a controlled, directional line rather than a random texture.

Bead blasting - media thrown, not rubbed

Abrasive media are thrown at the part instead of being rubbed across it. The finish is more even and more matte than a sanded face.

As-machined or deburring - the starting surface

The surface sanding most often receives, and the point at which a burr becomes a finishing problem.

All surface finishes

The whole family on one page, so the rung above sanding can be compared against the others before a call-out is written.

FAQ

Sanding FAQ: the questions engineers ask us

What is sanding?

Sanding is the process of rubbing abrasive particles over the surface of a part to create a random, non-linear texture. The abrasive - published examples are sand and lead beads - is held on a plate or on paper, and its capacity is measured in grit number. The published result is a mild polish free of burrs and dust.

What does the grit number mean?

It is the measure of the abrasive capacity. A higher grit number means finer particles, and finer particles produce a finer surface finish. It is the one number that moves a sanded finish up or down the scale.

Can sanding hold a stated Ra?

No Ra value is published for this process, so a roughness call-out is being confirmed rather than promised. If the drawing states an Ra such as 1.6 or 0.8 um, that is a machined rung - see which finish.

Can sanding make a mirror finish?

The published description says sanding can leave a shiny, high gloss finish, and also that it is a mild polish. A true mirror or a scratch-free reflection is produced by polishing, which removes the marks rather than laying a texture over them. See polishing.

Can sanding create sharp corners and pockets?

The published description states that sanding may be unable to create sharp corners and pockets. A flat sheet or a wheel cannot enter a sharp internal corner or a deep recess, so those features belong to a machining route.

Which materials can be sanded?

The page for this process lists no materials. Our published description refers to custom solutions for all metal types, and that scope is being confirmed. See the material table.

Is sanding the same as bead blasting?

No. Sanding rubs the abrasive across the part, so the texture follows the path of the abrasive. Bead blasting throws the media at the part, which leaves a more even, more matte surface. See bead blasting.

Does sanding remove material or add it?

It removes it. Sanding is subtractive, so it cuts a thin layer off the surface - which is why edges and threads need protecting and why it adds no corrosion layer of its own. See what it removes.

How do I get a quote?

Send the drawing with the faces to be sanded marked, the finish or grit you need, and the features that must not be touched. Contact the team with the part details and we will come back with a quotation.

Get your sanding quote

Upload a STEP, IGES or PDF drawing. Tell us which faces have to be sanded, how fine the finish has to be, and which features must keep their exact shape - we will come back with the finish and the route together.

Get a quote Machine it first

What to send us

Drawing - 2D and 3D files (STEP, IGES or PDF).
Surfaces to sand - marked on the drawing, with any face that must stay clear.
Finish or grit - a random texture, a grit number, or a stated Ra if one is required.
Edge break - how much rounding an edge may take.
Protected features - threads, sealing faces, corners and pockets that must not be touched.
What happens next - paint, adhesive or assembly, so the grit is chosen for that step.

All uploads are secure and confidential. Engineers review and reply with a quotation and lead time.