Surface grinders for the fine machining of hardened materials
- Tool machine for chipping away at surface layers and creating a smooth finish
- Features a variety of grinding wheels covered in abrasive particles
- Used in tool manufacture and processing hardened materials
What makes a surface grinder so important?
What Makes a Surface Grinder So Important? 10/13/2015 07/08/2020 Chris Fox automation, grinder, PSG 612, Surface Grinder, Tormach. Surface grinding has an important role in the metalworking shop. Whether you’re looking to keep tight tolerances or improve appearance, a surface grinder is an essential tool for part finishing.
Do I need a surface grinder?
• Given several standard , common grinding jobs, recommend the appropriate abrasive, approximate grit size, grade, and bond. The Surface Grinder is mainly used in the finishing process. It is a very precise tool which uses a stationary, abrasive, rotating wheel to shave or finish a metallic surface which is held in place by a vise.
How does a surface grinder work?
How does a surface grinder work? Surface grinders can smooth the metal surface to a completely flat and level state. This is an abrasive process that uses a high-speed rotation of the grinding wheel to grind the difference in height. Grinding wheels are usually made of composite materials.
What's a grinder and what are they used for?
A grinding machine, often shortened to grinder, is one of the power tools or machine tools used for grinding, it is a type of machining using an abrasive wheel as the cutting tool. Each grain of abrasive on the wheel's surface cuts a small chip from the workpiece via shear deformation.

How do surface grinders work?
How do Surface Grinders work? A Surface Grinder grinds down metal surfaces to be perfectly flat and level. It's an abrasive machining process, which uses a grinding wheel which is spinning at high speed to grind away differences in height. Grinding wheels are usually made of a composite material.
What are the types of surface grinders?
There are three basic types of surface grinders: horizontal-spindle, vertical-spindle, single disc grinders and double-disc grinders. Each machine is best suited to certain items. The essential difference is in how the grinding wheel makes contact with the workpiece.
What types of operation would Surface Grinding be most suitable?
Surface grinding Horizontal spindle/reciprocating table. This surface grinder is the most commonly used type in machining operations. It is available in various sizes to accommodate large or small workpieces. With this type of surface grinder, the work moves back and forth under the grinding wheel.
How accurate is a surface grinder?
A surface grinder is a machine tool used to provide precision ground surfaces, either to a critical size or for the surface finish. The typical precision of a surface grinder depends on the type and usage, however ±0.002 mm (±0.0001 in) should be achievable on most surface grinders.
What are the applications of grinding?
Other applications of grindingSlitting & parting.Surface finishing.Deburring & descaling.Abrasive milling.Finishing cylindrical and flat surface.Grinding of various tools and cutters.
What type of material is commonly used in grinding?
The manufactured abrasives most commonly used in grinding wheels are aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, cubic boron nitride, and diamond.
What are the possible dangers that may occur in using grinding machine?
There are several types of accidents caused by angle grinders:Contact with the wheel. Angle grinders can cut through stone, concrete, metal and other hard materials, so they have no trouble cutting through human flesh and bones. ... Wheel breaks. ... Contact with projectiles. ... Kickback. ... Entanglement. ... Fire. ... Electric shock.
What are the types of grinding?
Various grinding methodsSurface grinding. ... Cylindrical grinding. ... Internal grinding. ... Centerless grinding. ... Contour grinding. ... Gear grinding. ... Thread grinding.
What are the different types of grinding wheels?
There are three main types of grinding wheels, where various numbers differentiate between wheels with specific properties and uses — type 1 snagging wheels, type 27 grinding wheels and type 28 grinding wheels.
What is surface grinding process?
Surface grinding is used to produce a smooth finish on flat surfaces. It is a widely used abrasive machining process in which a spinning wheel covered in rough particles (grinding wheel) cuts chips of metallic or nonmetallic substance from a work-piece, making a face of it flat or smooth.
What are the two types of table movements used for surface grinders?
What are the two types of table movements used for surface grinders? The longitudinal-feed hand wheel and the cross-feed hand wheel.
What is surface grinding?
Surface grinding is an abrasive process. It involves securing the object to a device that will hold it in place (a chuck) before slowly moving the object’s surface across a grinding wheel that’s spinning really fast. This will generate a flat plane wherever the machine comes into contact with the object. It also gives the object an even finish.
What are the two types of abrasive materials used in a surface grinder?
Materials Used In a Surface Grinder. There are 2 types of abrasive materials that are used within the grinding wheel: 1. Aluminum oxide is used whenever the materials that are being ground have a high ductility or the ability to permanently become deformed. 2. Silicon oxide is used whenever the materials that are being ground have a low ductility.
How does a planer grinder work?
Planer grinders keep the grinding wheel in one place while the worktable around it is being moved, creating a reciprocating back-and-forth motion that can be controlled either manually or via a mechanic or hydraulic drive mechanism.
What is a horizontal spindle?
2. A horizontal spindle design has a wheel that’s suspended over the table. Only the wheel’s flat, outside edge will come into contact with the object that’s being secured by the chuck. Thanks to the smaller grinding surface it’s possible to have great precision whenever you’re making a cut, which is why they’re typically used whenever small features (i.e. angles, profiles) are needed.
What is a grinding wheel?
You can actually compare it to milling cutter that has multiple teeth but the surface grinding machine has a grinding wheel, which makes it an abrasive cutting tool. The wheel is used to remove really small pieces of metal (known as swarf). It works because the wheel is made up of thousands of cutting edges.
Why do surface grinding tables work?
It works because the wheel is made up of thousands of cutting edges. These surface grinding tables are used for several different purposes including removing excess material. They work really well on very hard materials (i.e. steel, diamonds) to produce a very high quality finished surface.
What is silicon oxide used for?
Silicon oxide is used whenever the materials that are being ground have a low ductility. Regardless of what type of material you’re grinding (i.e. steel, aluminum, glass) the machine’s abrasive grains will allow for a smooth finish. Usually these abrasive grains are coated with diamonds.
What is surface grinding?
It is a widely used abrasive machining process in which a spinning wheel covered in rough particles ( grinding wheel) cuts chips of metallic or nonmetallic substance from a workpiece, making a face of it flat or smooth.
How much precision do surface grinders have?
The typical precision of a surface grinder depends on the type and usage, however ±0.002 mm (±0.0001 in) should be achievable on most surface grinders.
What are grinding wheels made of?
Aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, diamond, and cubic boron nitride (CBN) are four commonly used abrasive materials for the surface of the grinding wheels. Of these materials, aluminum oxide is the most common. Because of cost, diamond and CBN grinding wheels are generally made with a core of less expensive material surrounded by a layer of diamond or CBN. Diamond and CBN wheels are very hard and are capable of economically grinding materials, such as ceramics and carbides, that cannot be ground by aluminum oxide or silicon carbide wheels.
What is the purpose of lubricant in grinding?
Lubricants are sometimes used to cool the workpiece and wheel, lubricate the interface, and remove swarf (chips). It must be applied directly to the cutting area to ensure that the fluid is not carried away by the grinding wheel.
What is grinding dresser?
Grinding dressers are used to maintain the condition of the wheel, these may be table mounted or mounted in the wheel head where they can be readily applied.
What materials are used to grind metal?
Typical workpiece materials include cast iron and mild steel. These two materials don't tend to clog the grinding wheel while being processed. Other materials are aluminum, stainless steel, brass and some plastics. When grinding at high temperatures, the material tends to become weakened and is more inclined to corrode.
What is a vertical spindle grinder?
Vertical-spindle (wheel-face) grinders. The face of a wheel (cup, cylinder, disc, or segmental wheel) is used on the flat surface. Wheel-face grinding is often used for fast material removal, but some machines can accomplish high-precision work.
What is surface grinding machine?
The surface grinding machine is used for grinding flat surfaces. The workpiece is supported on a rectangular table which moves back and forth and reciprocates beneath the grinding wheel. Reciprocating surface grinding machines generally have horizontal wheel spindles and mount straight or cylinder-type grinding abrasive wheels.
What is a reciprocating surface grinding machine?
The reciprocating surface grinding machine is a horizontal- automatic application and recirculation of a coolant to the type surface grinding machine. Workpieces are fastened to table and can be moved beneath the grinding abrasive wheel by hand or power feed. A magnetic chuck may be used for fastening the workpiece to the table. This grinding machine has an internal pump and piping network for automatic application and recirculation of a coolant to the workpiece and wheel. The grinding abrasive wheel, mounted to the horizontal spindle is straight and cuts on its circumferential surface only. Grinding wheel speeds are adjustable.
Why do grinding wheels wear?
Grinding wheels wear unevenly under most general grinding operations due to uneven pressure applied to the face of the wheel when it cuts. Also, when the proper wheel has not been used for certain operations, the wheel may become charged with metal particles, or the abrasive grain may become dull before it is broken loose from the wheel bond. [n these cases, it is necessary that the wheel be dressed or trued to restore its efficiency and accuracy.
What is polishing a wheel?
Polishing is an abrading process in which small amounts of metal are removed to produce a smooth or glossy surface by application of cushion wheels impregnated or coated with abrasives. Polishing may be used for reduction or smoothing of the surface to a common level for high finish where accuracy is not important, or it may be employed for removing relatively large amounts of material from parts of irregular contour. Rough polishing is performed on a dry wheel using abrasives of No. 60 grain (60 grains per linear inch) or coarser. Dry finish polishing is a similar process where No 70. grain to No. 120 grain abrasives are used. Oiling is the term applied to polishing with abrasive finer than No. 120 grain. In this process, the abrasive is usually greased with tallow or a similar substance.
What are the different types of grinding machines?
TYPES OF GRINDING MACHINES. From the simplest grinding machine to the most complex, grinding machines can be classified as utility grinding machines, cylindri cal grinding machines. and surface grinding machines.
How many inches are in a floor mounted utility grinding machine?
The floormounted utility grinding machine shown in Figure 5-1 mounts two 12-inch-diameter by 2-inch- wide grinding abrasive wheels. The two wheel arrangement permits installing a coarse grain wheel for roughing purposes on one end of the shaft and a fine grain wheel for finishing purposes on the other end this saves the time that would be otherwise consumed in changing wheels.
What is cylindrical grinding?
Cylindrical Grinding: Cylindrical grinding denotes the grinding of a cylindrical surface. Usually, �Cylindrical grinding� refers to external cylindrical grinding and the term �internal grinding� is used for internal cylindrical grinding.
What is a surface grinder?
It is a very precise tool which uses a stationary, abrasive, rotating wheel to shave or finish a metallic surface which is held in place by a vise. This vise, which is part of a table, or carriage is moved back and forth under the abrasive wheel.
What is the first step in using a surface grinder?
Procedure for Use. • The first step in using the surface grinder, is to make sure that the material you wish to shape can be used in the grinder. Soft materials such as aluminum or brass will clop up the abrasive wheel and stop it from performing effectively, and it will then have to be cleaned.
What is coarse grift?
A coarse grift is required when the contact area is relatively large, as in surface grinding with cup wheels, cylinders or segments, to provide adequate chip clearance between the abrasive grains.
What is a grinding wheel?
Keep in mind that a grinding wheel is a form of cutting tool, and except in the case of wheel for general purpose grinding, the abrasive, grit size, grade and structure, bond type should be selected to fit the particular job on which the wheel is to be used, just as a cutter, drill or tap is selected for its specific job.
How big can a surface grinder cut?
The surface grinder can cut steel in pieces no bigger than 18” long by 6” high by 8” wide. The table of the grinder is also magnetic, which aids in holding the material still. These magnets can be toggled by means of a lever located on the front side of the grinder.
What is the difference between a soft grade and a hard grade?
As to the grade or hardness, on large area of contact a soft grade will provide normal breakdown of the wheel, insuring continuous, free-cutting action. A harder grade, on the other hand, is needed to stand up under the increasingly higher unit pressure as the area of contact becomes smaller. 4.
What is surface grinding machine?
Surface Grinding Machine is a machine in which a grinding wheel is used as a cutting tool for removing the material from the surface of the workpiece. It is also called an abrasive machining process where abrasives are placed on the surface and corners of the grinding wheel so as to do the finishing process with much more accuracy.
What is the purpose of coolant in surface grinding?
The Coolant used in Surface Grinding Process is used to cool the work region so that heat cannot be dissipated into the workpiece and grinding wheel.
What is Grinding Process?
Grinding Process is the conventional finish machining Process used for producing a good surface finish on the components.
What is the purpose of a rotating abrasive wheel?
It uses a rotating abrasive wheel to remove the material from the surface of the workpiece to create a flat surface with a high surface finish.
Why does the grinding wheel have to be moved up and down?
It is the compartment which has to be moved up and down so that the grinding wheel can touch the workpiece.
What shape is used to make a grinding wheel?
The cubical or rectangular shape of the abrasive particles used in the grinding wheel will produce an approximate cross-section of the chip as triangular.
What is the size of a chip in grinding process?
Grinding Process is one of the widely accepted finishing operations because of its material removal capacity in a very small size of chips ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 mm.
What is the success of surface grinding?
The success of your Surface Grinding process depends on grinding wheel speed, work or traverse feed, in-feed, coolant, balancing, and dressing of grinding wheel.
What is a Grinding Wheel?
A grinding wheel contains abrasive grains of a selected size held together by a bonding agent. However, the complete volume of the grinding wheel is not filled with abrasive grains and bonding element and this result in gaps between the abrasive grains and bonding element and they are called pores.
What does the structure of a grinding wheel indicate?
The structure of your grinding wheel indicates the amount of space or air pockets between the bonding material and the abrasive grains.
What does the grade of a grinding wheel mean?
The grade of your grinding wheel indicates the strength of the bonding material with the abrasive grains and also how firmly the bond holds the abrasive grains. The grade of your grinding wheel is also referred to as the hardness of the wheel.
What is the abrasive grain in a grinding wheel called?
The abrasive grain in your grinding wheel has a unique quality called ‘ friability ’; friability is the capability of the abrasive grain to get fractured under heavy cutting forces to improve its ability to cut.
What is the tolerance of a grinding wheel?
Your objective of using a grinding wheel as a tool is to get a high-quality surface finish, precision geometric accuracy (up to within 0.0025 mm tolerance), and its ability to grind hardened surfaces, carbide, and ceramic. The performance of your grinding wheel in terms of material removal rate and surface finish depends on the type and size of abrasive grains, type of bonding material, and pores or empty space between the abrasive and the bonding material. Come, let us consider each of the following factors.
What grinding wheels can be used for aluminum?
You can use the grinding wheels of aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, cubic boron nitride, and diamond as under: Aluminum oxide. Ductile materials like steel and other high alloy materials. Can be used for cast-iron also. Silicon carbide. Cast-iron, aluminum, copper, and brass. Cubic boron nitride.
Buying a used surface grinder
I am thinking of buying a used surface grinder to be be used for grinding tools, small parts and graphite electrodes. I have my eye on a Mitsui 6" X 12". Mod 200MH. Walker electromagnetic chuck, fine feeds on the cross and the vertical, over the wheel dresser. Digital on the cross. New 1984.
my experience
I was very pleased with new Mitsui grinders I used 25 years ago. Excellent value and just as good as compatible brands at twice the price. But would VERY apprehensive of any sold by a dealer. As mentioned, if the table was not removed for shipment, the balls will Brinell the rails.
What Is an Angle Grinder?
Simply put, an angle grinder is a handheld power tool with a rotating disc that’s mainly used for grinding and polishing. The name originates from the design of these tools, as they feature a cutting head that’s positioned at an angle relative to the drive shaft.
What is the best power source for an angle grinder?
An angle grinder can be powered by one of three power sources: electricity, petrol, and compressed air, and it can be either corded or cordless. Angle grinders come in different shapes and sizes, but the most commonly used ones are 4 and 4.5-inch grinders.
What tool do you use to cut rebar?
Get a thin abrasive cutting wheel and you can cut sheet metal and rebars with this tool. Construction workers often use metal cutting chop saws and angle grinders to cut rebars that are used for reinforcing concrete.
How dangerous are angle grinders?
Are angle grinders dangerous? Angle grinders are powerful machines, and as you know, with great power comes a great risk of injury, especially that grinder discs spin at high speeds that can reach 10,000 to 11,000 RPM. One slip of a hand and you may lose a finger, arm, or leg. Scary, huh?
What brushes can be used to clean rust off metal?
On the one hand, wire cup brushes are suitable for rust and paint removal off flat areas. Wire discs, on the other hand, can be used to clean hard-to-reach spots, such as corners and crevices. 9. Metal Polishing. You can use a buffing wheel with an angle grinder to polish metals like aluminum and steel.
What to wear when grinding an angle grinder?
Here are some precautions that you can take: Angle grinders toss a helluva lot of dust into the air, so make sure to wear your dust mask, safety goggles, and gloves. If you’re not working alone, make sure everyone in the room is wearing a dust mask.
What is the best tool to cut tile in a straight line?
Keep in mind that a professional tile saw is a better option for cutting in a straight line. Hence they are the preferred choice for construction work. But when you want to replace the old tiles, an angle grinder is what you need.

Introducing The Surface Grinder
- The surface grinding machine is the most common type of grinding machine found in any shop. You can actually compare it to milling cutter that has multiple teeth but the surface grindingmachine has a grinding wheel, which makes it an abrasive cutting tool. The wheel is used to remove really small pieces of metal (known as swarf). It works because t...
How A Surface Grinding Machine Works
- The surface grinding machine’s chuck moves back and forth once the table has raised the object so that it’s slightly deeper within the wheel. There are intervals that can be set (i.e. 0.001 inches / 0.0254 mm) with each pass. As the grinding wheel rotates with its abrasive particles small amounts of the object’s material will be removed each time in order to create a flat surface. For t…
Evolution of The Surface Grinder
- Over the course of time, the surface grinding machine has evolved. Today there are even some machines that are ergonomic, as well as those that are portable. Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) grinders are also available. Regardless of the type of machine you choose to use, it will be controlled by a computer interface today.
Materials Used in A Surface Grinder
- There are 2 types of abrasive materials that are used within the grinding wheel: 1. Aluminum oxide is used whenever the materials that are being ground have a high ductility or the ability to permanently become deformed. 2. Silicon oxide is used whenever the materials that are being ground have a low ductility. Regardless of what type of material you’re grinding (i.e. steel, alumin…
Types of Surface Grinders
- A grinding wheel has a doughnut-like design. The hole in the middle slides down over the top of a metal rod (spindle). Today these machines are being made by lots of different manufacturers and so there are a lot of different models available to choose from. Nevertheless, they still use one of the following types of structure: 1. A vertical spindle design has a spindle that’s pointing straigh…
Overview
Surface grinding is done on flat surfaces to produce a smooth finish.
It is a widely used abrasive machining process in which a spinning wheel covered in rough particles (grinding wheel) cuts chips of metallic or nonmetallic substance from a workpiece, making a face of it flat or smooth.
Equipment
A surface grinder is a machine tool used to provide precision ground surfaces, either to a critical size or for the surface finish.
The typical precision of a surface grinder depends on the type and usage, however ±0.002 mm (±0.0001 in) should be achievable on most surface grinders.
Process
Surface grinding is a finishing process that uses a rotating abrasive wheel to smooth the flat surface of metallic or nonmetallic materials to give them a more refined look by removing the oxide layer and impurities on work piece surfaces. This will also attain a desired surface for a functional purpose.
The components of a surface grinding machine are an abrasive wheel, a workholding device kno…
Lubrication
Lubricants are sometimes used to cool the workpiece and wheel, lubricate the interface, and remove swarf (chips). It must be applied directly to the cutting area to ensure that the fluid is not carried away by the grinding wheel. Common lubricants include water-soluble chemical fluids, water-soluble oils, synthetic oils, and petroleum-based oils. The type of lubrication used depends on the workpiece material and is outlined in the table below.
Effects on work material properties
The high temperatures encountered at the ground surface create residual stresses and a thin martensitic layer may form on the part surface; this decreases the IIIfatigue strength. In ferromagnetic materials, if the temperature of the surface is raised beyond the Curie temperature then it may lose some magnetic properties. Finally, the surface may be more susceptible to corrosion.
See also
• Angle grinder
• Bench grinder
• Centerless grinding
• Cylindrical grinder
• Flick grinder
Further reading
• Study Guide
• The effect of surface grinding
• Deltaschleifer Test (in German)
• Cylindrical and surface grinding