Precision grinding is a finishing process used in manufacturing to remove small amounts of material from a workpiece. An abrasive grinding tool, usually a rotating wheel or belt, contacts the workpiece and facilitates material removal. Grinding is typically used as a finishing process and is a cost-effective and reliable way to obtain precise tolerances and beautiful surface finishes on a manufactured part. Precision grinding is often used to satisfy highly precise tolerances as low as +0.00025”. Additionally, the process is often used to obtain polished surface finishes on parts. Precision grinding can be used as a final finishing process or can be used to prepare parts for other finishing processes like honing, lapping, and superfinishing.
Precise dimensions and desirable surface finishes are made possible in precision grinding processes by the use of abrasives such as: aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and diamond. The type of abrasive used depends on the workpiece material. For example, aluminum oxide abrasives are best for grinding steel and other ferrous metals, while silicon carbide abrasives are better for non-ferrous metals. While grinding can be completed manually using equipment like belt grinders and angle grinders, CNC automated grinding produces superior results in terms of efficiency and surface quality.
