Centerless Grinding: How to Reduce Operation Costs

Industrial & Manufacturing Blog

Centerless grinding is an industrial machining process that uses abrasive cutting in manufacturing high-precision components. When using centerless grinding machines, a spindle or fixture is not required to secure the workpiece at the center for grinding. Rather, the workpiece is supported by the two grinding wheels. Centerless grinders are cost-efficient and time-saving in their operations. However, the following measures can be taken to improve their efficiency and reduce production costs.

Choose quality components

Centerless grinders consist of a work blade, a regulating wheel, and a grinding wheel as the main components. During operation, the workpiece is supported by the work blade and the regulating wheel. It is then rotated between a high-speed grinding wheel and a lower speed regulating wheel. The precision and quality of workpieces are dependent on the quality of these components. If they keep on breaking down, you will incur high costs of replacing them. Low-quality parts will reduce efficiency and lead time, lowering production. When buying a grinder or replacing its parts, go for high-quality components. 

Switch to automation

Automation reduces the extent of involvement of labor in operations. The result is increased efficiency and uniformity in production. Centerless grinding requires an operator to load the grinder and the conveyor. You can introduce a fully integrated robot with post-process gauging to perform these operations. Once the operator is relieved of the duties of loading the grinder and conveyor, they will be able to manage multiple grinding machines. Operational speed is increased, the cost of hiring operators for different grinders reduced, and the production costs are cut down substantially.

Place coolant in the right places

Lubrication and cooling are essential for the efficiency of centerless grinders. However, getting a good coolant for these functions and getting it in the right places are different things. Apply the coolant on the grinding and regulating wheels. If these parts are not properly lubricated and cooled, they can wear out prematurely.

Do preventative maintenance

Just like other mechanical machines, centerless grinders are prone to mechanical failure and breakdown. Frequent breakdowns can affect production and increase operation costs substantially. Prevention is better than having to replace grinder components frequently. Hire maintenance services for regular cleaning, checkup, and troubleshooting. Chances are they will find minor faults and handle them before they become major repairs and cost you more. They will also give valuable advice on how to prevent common causes of centerless grinder failure.

When high volume production runs characterize your centerless grinding applications, you have to find all ways to minimize operating costs without compromising on efficiency and quality of workpieces. By observing these measures, you are guaranteed of high-precision and quality products without incurring more than you should in their production.

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23 June 2016

Source Of Life: Charity Work And Water Pumps

Greetings to all who come here. My name is Brad Hansen and I am an accountant who happens to know an awful lot about wells. My church began charity work in Cambodia over a decade ago and it has installed dozens of wells in villages across the country. Before I started helping in Cambodia, I had no idea about different types of water pumps. Over the years, I have learnt that different pumps are needed depending on terrain and usage. Of course, making sure that pumps are cost effective and easily maintained is important for charity projects. These days, I use my accountancy skills to purchase water pumps and other equipment at the best possible prices. Initially, I honed my understandings through research and talking to experts, so I feel that I have some knowledge to share. I hope readers of this blog find it helpful. Peace to you all.