Re: How do we get away from buffing!
It really depends on what the print callouts are for finish, chamfers and edge breaks. We find that vibratory finishing does a great job for our aluminum and stainless steel parts. You wouldn't need a vibratory at each station, just dump a batch of parts into a large tub and run until you're happy with the result. A tumbler might work for you also. You may still have to hand finish the large parts, but the 8 inch parts would finish well in a 3 or so foot machine. We run a small amount of water flow to keep things clean, maybe a gallon or two an hour. Normal run time is 2 or 3 hours per batch, sometimes longer.
It is common to run a chamfer routine on the program also.
Jim Dawson
Sandy, Oregon, USA