Sample assessment
The bismuth-bead trial concerns protruding tails rather than powder fineness. The source explicitly attributes tail removal to the planetary stage. The laboratory test record documents this preparation only; applying the method to another batch requires a matched trial.
Recorded objective
Remove the protruding tails from the beads.
Equipment and selection
The recorded planetary machine is XQM (planetary stage explicitly named in the procedure). The corresponding TENCAN family is the Vertical Planetary Ball Mill. The jar volume identifies the test container and does not establish an exact machine variant or production capacity. Equipment association follows the recorded machine designation.
Test setup
| Recorded planetary machine | XQM (planetary stage explicitly named in the procedure) |
|---|---|
| Documented setup | Initial QM-5 drum stage: 1 L alumina container, no balls, 2306 g bismuth beads, dry operation, speed setting 570. Subsequent machine explicitly identified as XQM; its jar, media, charge and speed are not independently restated. |
| Recorded operating cycle | Not stated; field is not independently assigned to the later planetary stage |
Speed values are reproduced as recorded settings. A rotational unit and planetary-disc versus jar-speed basis are not stated, so these numbers are not labelled rpm.
Recorded procedure and results
The initial drum treatment had no visible effect after 5 minutes. The material was then transferred to an XQM planetary mill. After 5 minutes in the planetary stage, the record states that the bead tails had been polished away. No image, dimensional inspection or surface-roughness value is provided.
Interpretation
The favorable surface observation is explicitly attributed to the planetary stage after an ineffective drum stage. It answers the qualitative tail-removal objective, without proving overall bead roundness or a numerical finish. The drum setup must not be copied into the planetary setup as though all settings were confirmed unchanged.
Practical precautions
Recover the actual planetary jar, media, sample load and speed settings before repeating. Inspect for excessive deformation and material loss, and define a measurable tail-removal or dimensional criterion if this exploratory observation will become a process specification.
TENCAN alternatives to evaluate
For follow-up comparison, consider the TENCAN Omnidirectional Planetary Ball Mill. For bismuth beads, a matched QXQM trial can test whether changing orientation affects bismuth tail removal while checking deformation and material loss. Keep sample mass, media and sampling times controlled. This is a proposed comparison; the test record does not demonstrate a superior result for that alternative. Confirm jar compatibility and the permitted complete loaded mass before selecting a configuration.
Procedure records XQM (planetary stage explicitly named in the procedure); related product is the corresponding tested machine family. Exact variant is not inferred from jar size.
About this trial
TENCAN laboratory trial, 2024. Observations above come from this experimental record; selection considerations and proposed comparisons are engineering interpretation. Results apply to this sample and recorded conditions.