The Benefits Of A Pencil Grinder Wheel For Precision Machining

If you’re in the machining industry, you have likely heard of the benefits of a pencil grinder wheel. A pencil grinder is a highly versatile tool that can be used in both Electrochemical grinding and Centerless grinding. These grinding machines are handy because they allow for quick and easy work on complex materials. However, you must ensure you buy a pencil grinder that will suit your application.

Centerless Grinding

Centerless grinding is a versatile manufacturing technique. It can produce cylindrical parts with precise dimensions and roundness. The process involves a workpiece that is fed between two wheels. One wheel rotates at high speed and the other at a slow pace. This allows the grinding wheel to grind off material in a single motion. The result is a perfectly finished workpiece.

While centerless grinding has been around for almost a century, the technique is still used in today’s manufacturing processes. Despite its popularity, many people need clarification on the basics of the process. First, the process begins with the workpiece being placed in the machine. It’s best to start by putting the part at half an inch above the grinding wheel’s centerline. That’s a good starting point for most centerless grinding setups. Once the workpiece is in place, the operator can adjust the speed of the regulating wheel. They should set the regulating wheel to at least 30 rpm.

Next, the work blade is used to support the workpiece as the workpiece moves through the machine, and the work blade angles towards the regulating wheel. This angle keeps the part in contact with the slower regulating wheel and holds the part’s centerline in the correct position.

Finally, the regulating wheel helps to control the material removal. When the pencil grinder wheel comes into contact with the part, it is forced by the force of the workpiece’s movement to pull it through the grinding process. The regulating wheel’s speed depends on the stock removal rate and the size of the workpiece. For example, a workpiece one inch in diameter must be placed at least half an inch above the centerline of the grinding wheel.

Although the centerless grinding process sounds simple, keeping the wheel at its full rotational speed can be challenging. Luckily, the newer machines compensate by dynamically adjusting the wheel’s speed.

Another essential aspect to consider is the diameter of the regulating wheel. It’s usually a few inches smaller than the diameter of the part it’s grinding. The regulating wheel can be made of silicon-nitride or cubic boron nitride, depending on the processed materials. These materials provide good durability while being more affordable per unit volume.

Surface Grinding

Grinding is a process that can be used to produce smooth surfaces on metallic and non-metallic materials. A grinding process is a form of machining, one of the most complicated types. Initially, grinding was performed on lathes and shapers. Today, however, most surface grinding operations use a surface grinder machine. It uses a wheel spinning at high speeds to grind metal. These machines come in various shapes and sizes and can be automated or manual.

There are several different grinding grits available for the surface grinder. These grits can be made of ceramic alumina, cubic boron nitride, silicon carbide, diamond, and zirconia alumina. They are all designed to remove material in a relatively small area. However, the smaller the grit size, the slower the removal rate. This can lead to thermal damage to the workpiece. To achieve a good finish, it is necessary to control the dressing conditions of the abrasive wheel.

Depending on the type of material being ground, the wheels can be designed to create a specific pattern on the surface. Surface grinding can be done on various metals, including aluminum, cast iron, and copper. Other materials, like plastics, can clog the wheel. Therefore, it is essential to keep the wheel free of rust.

Abrasives can be used for the surface grinder. Many abrasives are available, and technicians can match them with the proper wheel and material. Some abrasives are more effective on certain types of materials than others. For example, silicon carbide is excellent for cutting aluminum, while silicon carbide is less effective for steel.

Electrochemical Grinding

Electrochemical grinding on pencil grinder wheels for precision machining is a process capable of hard machining materials. This is an advanced technique that is more accurate than conventional methods. The method involves dressing the wheel with an electrolyte fluid. It also eliminates the need for secondary operations. However, the technique requires an adjustable voltage DC power supply, nozzles, and tubes.

In this procedure, the workpiece becomes an anode, and the wheel becomes a cathode. A current is applied between the anode and the wheel, and the electrolyte fluid is supplied between the two. When the insulating film is removed, the electrical resistance of the wheel decreases. The metal removal rate is directly related to the current flow across the contact surface.

As a result, the workpiece can be cut with less stress. ELID can be used on a variety of materials. It can provide high-quality mirror surfaces that are highly accurate. Besides, it does not choke a wheel with refined grains.

ELID grinding can be used to produce mirror surfaces, and it does not require continuous dressing. However, the process does require a high output press and compression molding pressure. Also, it tends to lose its shape over time.

ELID grinding does not use burrs. Instead, it uses the mechano-chemical effect. This effect occurs when metal oxides are exposed to an electrochemical reaction. Typical metal oxides that are used in the procedure include zirconium oxide (ZrO2), cerium oxide (CeO2), and chromium oxide (Cr2 O3). Other forms of mechano-chemical action occur with silicon oxide (SiO2) and combinations of metals.

One benefit of using the electrochemical process is that it does not produce heat damage. However, it should be noted that the process could be more suitable for use on workpieces with cavities.

Because of its advantages, electrochemical grinding has gained widespread popularity. Moreover, the process is faster and more accurate than its predecessors. Therefore, it is more productive than ever.