Cylindrical grinding (2024)

FAQs

What is the cylindrical grinding process? ›

Cylindrical grinding is defined as having four essential actions: The work (object) must be constantly rotating. The grinding wheel must be constantly rotating. The grinding wheel is fed towards and away from the work. Either the work or the grinding wheel is transversed with respect to the other.

Cylindrical grinding and cylindrical polishing require time to attach and detach workpieces and to operate machines in the machining process. Therefore, compared to other processing methods, it has the disadvantage of being unsuitable for mass production.

Surface grinding cuts a flat, cylindrical grinding cuts a round. You can use the same media on both processes. One other note – you typically mount a cylindrical part between centres or in a collet. For surface grinding you need a magnetic chuck or you need to wax the parts.

Commonly used to grind cylindrical surfaces or the shoulders of workpieces, the method is capable of great precision: Tolerances from ±0.0005” (13 μm) to ±0.00005 inches (1.3 μm) for diameter. Tolerances from ±0.0001” (2.5 μm) to ±0.00001 inches (0.25 μm) for roundness.

The main types of cylindrical grinders are plain, universal, automated, and limited-purpose.

The fundamental difference between these two ways of grinding cylindrical shapes is how the workpiece is held. In cylindrical grinding it's held on its axis of rotation, “between centers” while in centerless grinding it's supported along its axial length.

The working of a cylinder grinder is very much similar to lathe. The only difference is that the lathe uses stationary cutting equipment whereas the grinder uses a grinding wheel. The cylinder grinders grind the materials having a central axis of rotation, for example crankshafts.

Milling and turning were the legacy processes used for higher-speed material removal. Grinding was the solution for more accurate work, such as finishing. Crank up the CNC milling machine operation, and if you need a finer finish, you move the part to a grinder.

What are the safety precautions for cylindrical grinding machine? ›

Wheel Glazing

This cylindrical grinding problem could be caused by: Unsuitable wheel specification: Often, glazing happens when a wheel has too hard a grade for the part. Incorrect wheel dressing: If the dressing leaves scale, grinding could dull the wheel grains.

One of the key advantages of cylindrical grinding is its ability to achieve precise shapes and surface finishes on complex components, making it a highly versatile process in various industries. Cylindrical grinding uses a rotating grinding wheel to remove material from the workpiece, resulting in a cylindrical shape.

What Surface Finish and Tolerance can Cylindrical Grinding Achieve? Grinding elevates the surface finish and dimensional accuracy beyond what standard machining can offer, achieving finishes of 8 to 32 microinches (0.2 to 0.8 micrometers) and tolerances up to ±0.0001 inch.

During the cylindrical grinding process, the machinist sets the piece of metal between two centers, called head and tail stocks. When the machinist operates the machine, the cylinder rotates in one direction. Then, the grinding wheel moves in the opposite direction at a different speed to start grinding.

In centerless grinding the grinding wheel turns the workpiece with the regulating wheel controlling rotation speed. This provides the differential motion needed for material removal. In cylindrical grinding the workpiece turns in the opposite direction to the wheel.

They are essentially the grinding machines that are controlled by the CNC system. CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control which refers to an automated unit that controls the machining tools by a computer.

Grinding is an abrasive machining process that uses a grinding wheel or abrasive belt as the cutting tool. It is commonly used to remove material from a workpiece, to produce a smooth finish on the surface of the workpiece, or to remove burrs from the surface.