CNC Machining Services – CNC Centerless Grinding
Saturn Industries Inc. is the leading manufacturer of Centerless ground metal and plastic products since 1959. Saturn specializes in thru-feed grinding applications. We are pleased to offer industry standard tolerances and quick job turnarounds. Polished finishes are available of +/- .0002 and routinely hold ultra precision tolerances of +/- .0001. Saturn Industries also offers, CNC Milling and CNC Turning machining services
CNC Centerless Grinding at Saturn Industries
Centerless grinding is a technique that holds the workpiece in the center between two grinding wheels, which rotate in the same direction. The left side grinding wheel is held in position as it rotates. The direction of force applied to the workpiece by the left side grinding wheel is downwards towards the platform that holds the workpiece in place.
The secondary grinding wheel to the right is called the regulating wheel. It has the flexibility to move in response to the pressures applied to the workpiece between the two grinding wheels. The regulating wheel keeps the workpiece in place and turns it for grinding by the grinding wheel. This allows the grinding wheel to remove any excess material that remains after grinding in the first pass.
Forms of CNC Centerless Grinding
The three forms of centerless grinding are through-feed, end-feed, and in-feed. Here is an explanation of the differences:
- Through-Feed Centerless Grinding – In this process, the workpiece is fed through the center of the two grinding wheels. This technique is best used for parts that are cylindrical in shape. The regulating wheel can be set at such an angle that it pulls the material through the grinding process, without the need for any separate feeding mechanism.
- End-Feed Centerless Grinding – In this process, the workpiece is fed into the grinding system until it hits an end stop. After that, the grinding process happens and then the workpiece goes back out in the opposite direction it was fed. This process works well for workpieces that are tapered.
- In-Feed Centerless Grinding – The process is most useful for workpieces that have an unusual shape, such as an hour-glass shape. To start the process the workpiece is put into the grinding apparatus by hand. Then careful attention is paid to the contours required for grinding to make sure the piece stays in place and the complex grinding is a success.
Benefits of CNC Centerless Grinding
Centerless grinding saves a great deal of time through the process. Since parts can be loaded automatically, it is quicker and easier to load parts into a centerless grinder compared to traditional OD grinding machines. Work that is smaller in size can be loaded into a centerless grinder in large quantities.
Materials for CNC Centerless Grinding
This machining process can handle most rigid materials including most metals: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper, Steel, Brass, Titanium, Sterling Silver, Bronze, and graphite. See our complete list of materials below.
Let Saturn Industries Quote Your Project
We can quote your job using conventional CAD files, fill out our simple form and we will contact you with a competitive quote.
Saturn Industries, is constantly striving to improve and optimize our processes and maximize customer convenience. Our customers range from inventors to businesses to government agencies. We are focused on quality and customer service.
Materials
Alumel
Brass
Copper
Carbide
Steel
Molybdenum
Tool Steel
Tungsten
Tungsten Carbide
Copper Tungsten
Silver Tungsten
Graphite
Copper Graphite
Plastics
Equipment
Machinery
CNC Centerless Grinders
Conventional Centerless Grinders
Capabilities
Computer Controlled Centerless Grinders
Auto-feed Machining
CAD/CAM/SolidWorks/Esprit Programming/Designing Services
3D Part Reverse Imagining/ Engineering
Coolant Systems
High Speed Machining
Part Diameter Max:
Plastics 1” Dia.
Graphite 1” Dia.
Copper Graphite 1” Dia.
Copper Tungsten 1” Dia.
Copper ¾” Dia.
Brass ¾” Dia.
Tungsten Carbide ¾” Dia.
Carbide ¾” Dia.
Molybdenum ½” Dia.
Alumel ½” Dia.
Tungsten ½” Dia.
Silver Tungsten ½” Dia.
Part Length Max:
Graphite 36” Length
Copper Graphite 36” Length
Copper 36” Length
Brass 36” Length
Tool Steel 36” Length
Molybdenum 36” Length
Alumel 36” Length
Tungsten 12” Length
Silver Tungsten 12” Length
Carbide 12” Length
Tungsten Carbide 12” Length
Plastics 12” Length
Copper Tungsten 12” Length
Tolerances up to:
Alumel +/-.0002
Brass +/-.0002
Copper +/-.0002
Carbide +/-.0002
Steel +/-.0002
Molybdenum +/-.0002
Tool Steels +/-.0002
Precision Tungsten +/-.0001
Ultra Precision Tungsten +/-.00002
Super Precision Tungsten +/-.00005
Tungsten Carbide +/-.0002
Copper Tungsten +/-.0002
Silver Tungsten +/-.0002
Graphite +/-.0002
Copper Graphite +/-.0002
Plastics +/-.0002
Applications
Machined Components
Pins
EDM Electrodes
Electrodes
Valves
Shafts
Bars
Tubes
Needles
Raw Stock
Industries
Automotive
Aerospace
Military/Defense
Construction
EDM
Mining
Marine
Industrial
Medical
Production Capabilities:
Prototyping
1 Part Minimum
Low Quantity Runs
Large Quantity Runs
High Production Volume
Large Scale Production
Additional Capabilities
Polishing
Rod and Tube straightening up to .125” Dia. In Brass and Copper
Quoting/Delivery:
Quotes based on each job request
Quick Quoting/Turnarounds
Rush Service Available upon request
Certifications:
ISO 9001:2015