Understanding your project’s production requirements is the most critical consideration when operating a centerless grinder. For example, everything depends on angles. The angle of each wheel determines the required roundness and tolerance of your material. Working with the correct angles also ensures the whole surface area of the grinding wheel is used. When it comes to the regulating wheel and rest blade, they too are critical for precise cylindrical finishing.
Other aspects to think about include:
- What’s the grindability of the material you’re working with?
- Are you keeping an eye on the machine’s coolant levels?
- How are you dressing the grinding wheel?
Coolant is an essential fluid to maintain the system’s temperature while also preventing distortion and other damage. The fluid is also beneficial in the following ways:
- Reduces friction between the wheels and material
- Washes away abrasive chips of metal
- Cleans blades and blade guides
- Lubricates system
Again, the grinding wheel is one of the most important considerations. The key factor is the grinding wheel because it must be suited to the metal parts and their surface finishes. You will want to determine how abrasive the wheel needs to be, including its grit size, grain type and width. Another consideration is the wheel dressing. Rotary and stationary dressing tools are available to help make the wheel round with a flat surface. You also want to create the proper shape into the feed to help pull the material through.
While automated cylindrical finishing is a simple process, it requires precision to produce accurate parts. Avoid working with used and worn machines as they are less precise and require more maintenance.
