Additive manufacturing offers many production advantages by allowing parts to be created with more complicated geometries, limited assembly, and fewer components. But when it comes to achieving quality surface finish, the printed parts will require some kind of finishing work to attain the desired result for a functional purpose.
Surface grinding is the most common finishing process, that can help smoothen the surface of metallic and non-metallic materials and give them a more refined look, by removing the impurities and oxide layers on the surface of the work pieces. It uses a rotating abrasive wheel to achieve the desired result.
The equipment
A surface grinding machine consists of a table that traverses longitudinally across the face of a wheel that is powered by hydraulics. They are semi-automated and adjustable for height and depth of cut. Once the machine is preset for the number of passes, it requires very little operator intervention.
Based on the workpiece material, an electromagnetic chuck or a manually operated chuck is used to hold the material. The machine also has provision for application of coolant and extraction of metal dust such as metal and grinding particles.
Types of Surface grinders
A grinding wheel of a surface grinder has a doughnut-like design with hole in the middle that slides down over the top of a metal rod. These machines are manufactured by different companies and so there are different models to choose from.
They use one of the following types of structures:
Vertical spindle grinders
Also known as Wheel-face grinders, this variant has a spindle that points straight up and down. The grinding wheel lays flat on its face at the bottom of this spindle.This allows the wheel’s full width to be utilized while grinding the object. Typically, this type of design is used while working on larger panels or sheets of materials or when there are a lot of materials to be quickly ground.
Horizontal spindle grinders
Also known as Peripheral grinders, the horizontal spindle design has a wheel that is suspended over the table. The wheel’s flat, outside edge will come in contact with the object that is being secured by the chuck. The smaller grinding surface enables the machine to have great precision while making a cut, which is why they are typically used whenever small features like angles and profiles are needed.
There are 2 more types of surface grinding machines, which only grind flat surfaces. These include:
Planer grinders– They keep the grinding wheel in one place, while moving the worktable around it. This creates a reciprocating back-and-forth motion that can be controlled either manually or using a mechanic or hydraulic drive mechanism. The spindle that is used to rotate the grinding wheel can be placed vertically or horizontally.
Rotary-type grinders– This type of grinding machines have circular shaped worktables that revolve along with the grinding wheel. They can be either vertical or horizontal.
Surface grinders are widely used in mechanical engineering, tool making, and in the car industry. To begin with, you can buy surface grinder from a branded Used machine supplier, whether CNC or conventional one, but make sure that they are in a usable condition.