Rebaba

Rebaba, in manufacturing terminology, refers to a rough edge or protrusion left on a workpiece after cutting, punching, drilling, milling, casting, or molding. It is commonly observed on metal and plastic parts and is the equivalent of the English term burr. Rebabas can vary in size from microscopic flanges to larger filaments and can occur on external surfaces or inside holes, slots, or along parting lines.

Causes include plastic deformation of the workpiece material during cutting, tool geometry and wear, process parameters (cutting speed, feed, and clearance), and material ductility. External burrs are often curled or feathered edges that extend beyond the nominal contour; internal burrs may be sharp ridges or thin projections inside holes.

Rebaba can affect fit and function, cause premature wear, impede assembly, and create safety or quality issues. It can also harbor contaminants or impede coatings. Therefore deburring or removal is routinely required in many industries such as automotive, electronics, machinery, and consumer products.

Detection methods range from visual inspection to tactile feel and dimensional gauging, sometimes aided by magnification or lighting.

Removal methods include manual filing, deburring knives, sanding, and grinding, as well as mechanical methods such as brushing, tumbling, or vibratory finishing. Specialized techniques include electrochemical deburring, thermal deburring, plasma deburring, or chemical deburring for difficult features. In plastics, trimming and flame polishing may be used.

Prevention focuses on design and process control: using sharp tooling, appropriate clearances, optimized cutting parameters, and, when possible, integrating deburring into the manufacturing step or selecting burr-free processes.