Surface Grinding

Surface grinding is a machine technique used to produce flat surfaces. It can also produce angular or irregular surfaces. In this way the result is similar in some ways to that achieved by a milling machine. However, a surface grinder is a precision engineering machine that will result in much higher accuracy than any other machine tool.

There are four different types of surface grinders commonly in use.

  1. vertical spindle and rotary table
  2. horizontal spindle and reciprocating table
  3. vertical spindle and reciprocating table
  4. horizontal spindle and reciprocating table

The vertical spindle and rotary table type can make heavy cuts and can remove metal at a higher rate than with other types of surface grinder. These types are ideal for making initial rough cuts. This type can have a range of wheels set up to go from first rough cut to final fine cut.

The horizontal spindle and reciprocating table type is the most common type of surface grinder found in industry. The grinding wheel is generally stationary while the work piece is moved back and forth for successive cuts underneath the wheel.

The vertical spindle and reciprocating table type works well with long castings. The work moves under the grinding wheel, which removes metal using the face of the wheel. The depth of cut is controlled vertically.

The horizontal spindle and rotary table type has a rotary table that can rotate the work piece 360 degree beneath the horizontally-mounted grinding wheel. The wheel moves across the work piece to make the necessary cuts.

With any setup where the peripheral edge of the wheel is cutting into a work piece fixed on a reciprocating table, it is important that the rotation of the wheel does not encourage it to perform a “climbing” action on to the work piece. This can also happen with a milling machine and is known as “climb milling”. It can cause considerable damage if the cut being attempted is a deep one. It is always safest to ensure that the direction of the work piece on the table and the rotational direction of the wheel do not combine to cause the wheel to try and roll up over the work piece.

West Midlands Grinding offers a unique surface grinding service to businesses, large and small, who require precision engineering custom grinding. We can grind all types of mettalic, plastic, glass and even wood materials, if required, to make a whole ranges of products.