Grinding is a manufacturing process through which a fabricator uses specialized machinery to remove material from the surface of a component. At the same time, the grinding machine shapes and finishes the component. Precision grinding is a method that emphasizes the exactitude of the process, grinding it to an especially high quality finish with low tolerances and specified dimensions. It is a method in which exactness is required if the finished component is to function correctly.
Types of Grinding Machines
Precision machine grinding is precise. In fact, it is up to ten times better than those obtained through milling or turning. The specifications and requirements will dictate the selection of the machinery involved in the process. The two most common types of grinding consist of the following:
1. Surface Grinding: This produces flat or squared surfaces. An example of surface grinding is vertical spindle grinding or Blanchard grinding
2. Cylindrical Grinding: This process is applied to the production of internal and external parts
Yet, no matter what the type of grinding, the basic equipment remains the same. They consist of:
* Powered abrasive wheel
* Stone
* Belt
* Paste
* Sheet
* Compound
* Slurry or other agent
A skilled technician in the shop will determine which is the best applicable technique and machine to produce the desired texture, size and shape for the component. The client’s specifications and requirements will also play a major role in making the decision. The use of the right machine is essential as it ensures the process swiftly and accurately removes a variety of flaws on the metal including burrs, saw marks and cuts. The result is the smooth and flawless finish desired and specified by industrial concerns.
Applications of Precision Grinding
Grinding can produce clearly defined and highly finished small components. The market for these products includes high and lower tech industries. Among the more common applications are:
* Aerospace industry
* Electronics
* Scientific instruments
* Medical equipment
Production of such instrument relies on the skill of the operator and the capability of the machinery to remove any undesirable outcrops and to smooth any coarse surfaces. This is precision machinery at its finest, providing sensitive instrumentation and other equipment for these industries.
Precision Grinding
If you want to produce high or even ultra-precision components for your products, the choices are few. The processes and techniques that accurately and repeatedly produce a high finish product with specified dimensions and low tolerances are rare. In fact, the best known method of achieving such highly specific results is precision grinding.
