Basics of Grinding
Grinding is an important process for producing metal pieces of various shapes and sizes. The process begins with raw materials — pieces of metal — and creates a finished product that is ready for designers and engineers to go to work with.
Grinding is complicated, which might suggest that there is a specific set of rules one must follow in order to achieve the desired result. However, the process can be broken down into several basic steps. The goal of any grinding process is the same. That is, to remove material while preserving the surface finish of a pieces original shape.
To begin the process, the piece of metal will be loaded into the grinding machine and it will be identified as the “workpiece.” This is the starting point for every grinding process.
The next step is to apply an abrasive to the surface of the workpiece. Abrasives come in many different forms including stone, diamond, and aluminum oxide. Depending on the type of grinding process and the type of metal being worked on, one or more abrasive may be used to create the desired surface finish.
The specific type of abrasive will depend on the workpiece and the desired outcome. Aluminum oxide is suitable for many types of general grinding, while diamond is often used for more specialized grinding processes.
Once the abrasive has been selected, it will be applied to the workpiece using a grinding wheel. The grinding wheel is a disc that contains abrasives to buff and shape the surface of the workpiece as it is rotated. The type of grinding wheel will also depend on the desired finish and the type of metal being worked on.
Next, the grinding machine will turn the wheel in order to grind the metal against the abrasive. This process is known as cutting action. Once the metal has been cut to the desired shape, the grinding wheel is stopped and the workpiece is removed.
Finally, the workpiece must be finished in order to give it the desired shine and smoothness. This process is called polishing. Many grinding and polishing processes are done by hand. For example, polishers can use a variety of cloths and oils as well as different grades of sandpaper and brushes to achieve the desired finish.
To summarize, grinding is a complicated process which begins with the loading of a piece of metal (the workpiece) into a grinding machine. After the workpiece is identified, the abrasive is applied to it using a grinding wheel and the wheel is then rotated to achieve the desired cutting action.
Finally, the workpiece is removed from the machine and finished by hand to achieve the desired shine and smoothness. Following these steps will ensure that the desired surface finish is acheived for the piece.
