Centerless grinding has been known to achieve perfect roundness and dimensional tolerance, but it also offers other advantages essential in meeting high production volumes.
For years, centerless grinding has been known to have surpassed the previous norms of metalworking, and demand for centerless grinding has continued to increase in a number of industries. It is clear that this machining solution is effective, as it allows manufacturers to achieve smoother surface polishes, bring out tighter dimensional tolerances, and hold even higher degrees of straightness in their parts.
But those are not the only advantages presented by centerless grinding, and other benefits include the following:
1. No room for deflection
The workpiece is rigidly supported by the regulating wheel, which presses it to the abrasive grains on the grinding wheel. It is well supported under the grinding cut and for the full length of the cut. Thus, there’s no room for deflection to occur in the process. This has also allowed heavier passes other than grinding between centers.
With preventive maintenance (PM) you can optimize production. Ensuring proper maintenance as part of your operation, along with keeping the proper equipment and tools will make a huge difference in the production of materials and the quality of the result. In order to make sure to avoid deflections while meeting daily production volumes without a glitch, a quick fix and regular machine inspection is key!
2. Ability to grind brittle materials and distorted parts
In centerless grinding, there is no axial thrust imposed on the workpiece during grinding which results in the ability to grind different sizes and geometrical figures. It is possible for the centerless grinder to grind long pieces of brittle materials, and even distorted parts, due to the absence of the end pressure.
3. Short loading time
The short loading time allows for a continuous process compared to grinding between centers. As the name implies, there is no need to support the workpiece in the center. The workpiece goes directly into a “through-grinding” process. The work blade simply holds the workpiece in place and at the correct height, which is critical to achieving the desired diameter tolerance and roundness of the bar material.
4. Grind large quantities
Centerless grinding can essentially be used in working any size workpiece. Tools like gravity chutes, hopper feeders and magazines are used to adapt the mechanism to different part sizes.
5. Longer yield/ wheel life
Because there is no need for centering, no external feeding mechanism is needed. A true floating condition occurs during the process, which results in a longer wheel life/yield and less stock needed. A coolant is poured out onto the wheels to control the heat during the process
Advance Grinding has a stock of many grades and sizes of different metals and has the machining capabilities to support high-volume productions. Contact Us and Get A Free Quote so we can assist you with your requirements!
Related article: How Centerless Grinding Improves the Production of Custom Parts