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Introducing automation to grinding, deburring and polishing is the way to meet increased demand for consistency and solving the problem of finding skilled personnel, says a finishing systems firm.

Many companies involved in grinding, deburring and polishing face the twin dilemmas of increased demand for consistency with a lack of suitably skilled personnel.

When these problems are compounded further by the high cost of employing large numbers of manual operators, automation has to be seen as the only obvious means of survival.

Backed up by a combination of thirty years experience and some of the worlds leading manufacturers, Surtech offers possibly the largest available range of automatic grinding, deburring and polishing equipment in Europe, ranging from simple traditional designs for small batch production to large programmable CNC machines for multi shift work and mass production.

For companies considering a switch to automation from conventional methods there is naturally going to be a fundamental cultural change but Surtech are confident that in most cases it can come up with a package that is both technically and financially acceptable.

As well as offering a full range of automated systems, Surtech can also supply robot cells for linishing, deburring and polishing, including all ancillary handling systems.

Given the various cost and logistical implications of switching to an automated process, Surtech believes that companies currently employing more than five people in a manual capacity are best positioned to take advantage of the savings to be had.

With those types of company in mind, a free survey and consultancy is available to discuss the best and most sensible course of action.

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High production internal grinders finish precision bearings used in components for NASA’s Mars Rovers - the ‘Sprint’ and ‘Oppurtunity’.

Internal grinding machines, manufactured by Service Network (SNI), have been used to produce precision bearings for NASA’s Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.

The Timken Company recently announced that super precision bearings, manufactured by their Keene, NH facility, were used on numerous Rover designs including the deployment and operational gearboxes on wheel transmissions, solar array panel drives, rock abrasion tool drives, and all four actuators that deploy, rotate and maneuver the pan cameras, or camera mast.

Timken utilizes a number of Service Network’s machines in the manufacture of precision bearings used in applications around the world.

The SNI machines are high production internal grinders designed for a variety of precision applications.

Bearing race outers and inners, universal cup joints, bushings, rollers, and a variety of other thin-walled components are just a few.

Service Network recently introduced two new lines of precision grinding machines, the SN400-I Internal and the SN200-E External, both are targeted to manufacturers of bearings, automotive, aerospace, industrial, and heavy equipment components.

SNI is proud to have played a roll in this extraordinary mission and to be a valued supplier to The Timken Company.

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Ideal for grinding relatively small components such as fuel injector and electronic parts, a 320mm swing grinder has a 3-axis NC gantry loader system as a standard item.

Representing Toyoda Mitsui’s extensive cylindrical grinding machine portfolio, which includes universal models, will be the GW3A-12, an angle-approach grinder with a 320mm swing and 125mm maximum centre distance.

Available also with a straight approach wheel, the machine is ideal for grinding relatively small components such as fuel injector and electronic parts.

The grinder is the first from Toyoda Mitsui to be equipped with a 3-axis NC gantry loader as standard equipment, allowing long periods of unattended running.

Integration with other production cells is achieved using pallets or conveyors.

Ideal for use with either aluminium oxide or CBN wheels, the machine has a compact footprint measuring only 950mm wide without the loader.

It is also the first Toyoda Mitsui grinder to be fitted with a Fanuc control - the 21i CNC - rather than the manufacturer’s own.

This provides control of six axes, three for the machine and three for the loader.

A notable feature on this and all other the company’s other grinders is the Stat hydrostatic/hydrodynamic wheel spindle bearing.

Absence of metal-to-metal contact and good vibration damping characteristics assure high accuracy and long service life.

Grinding speed is 45m/s, although 60 or 80m/s is available for CBN.

Other specifications include 219mm wheelhead infeed and 20m/min rapid traverse rate; 32 - 1,000 rpm workhead spindle speed; and 25mm tailstock quill stroke.

A single point, diamond wheel dresser is standard.

MACH 2004 - April 19-23 - NEC Birmingham, UK.

Hall: 5, Stand 5318.

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Surface grinders offer unrivalled ease-of-use coupled to high productivity, thanks to touch screen CNC and advanced software that enables inexperienced operators produce immediately.

Visitors to the Jones and Shipman stand at MACH 2004 will see further major advances in the simplifying of the Art of Grinding with the first UK showing of two new Jones and Shipman surface grinders.

The ProGrind 745 ‘Easy ‘ with a 750 x 500mm table capacity and the TechMaster ‘Easy’ to be shown with a 600 x 300mm table capacity, both models having the smallest grinding capacities in their respective ranges.

Jones and Shipman’s highly successful flagship model the 524 ‘Easy’, 500 x 200mm table capacity, surface grinder will also be on display as will an ‘Easy’ version of the popular Ultramat cylindrical grinder shown this time with optional ‘B’ axis universal wheelhead.

Following on from Jones and Shipman’s highly successful 540X/1400X and Format 5 surface grinders, the all new 524, TechMaster and ProGrind ‘Easy’ models now offer an extended grinding capacity range from 500 x 200mm up to 1000 x 500mm.

And all ‘Easy’ models have been specifically designed to offer unrivalled ease-of-use coupled to the highest levels of productivity.

When a high quality GE-Fanuc touchscreen and AC servo motors and control, with years of fault free operation, are combined with Jones and Shipman’s own software suite, the result of 10 man years of input, you have features which enable inexperienced and experienced operators alike to be immediately productive.

With functionality comparable to CNC but at lower cost all ‘Easy’ models are faster to setup via the GE-Fanuc touchscreen and easy-to-use Jones and Shipman icon-based software.

This control provides ‘Easy’ models with the capabilities to interpolate two or more axes simultaneously to provide precision grinding of complex shapes, angles, radii and surfaces.

The touchscreen control panel is a ’self-teach’ intelligent interface allowing the operator to be taken through simple graphical menu driven set-up routines for wheel forming, dress procedures and grinding cycles.

Cycles can be executed individually, or selected in any combination as linked cycles.

Wheel dressing can be initiated In or Out of cycle and Dress-On-Demand for plain or complex wheelforms is standard.

“Dress-On-Demand basically means that the operator can press the Dress button at any time and the machine will stop wherever it is, dress the wheel with full compensation and return to continue from where it left off.” On start-up, the ‘Easy’ control offers the operator three simple options: Manual mode, Dress mode or Grind Cycle mode.

In Manual mode the ‘Easy’ operates as a simple hand operated machine with manual wheel dress and no set-up procedures.

Work speeds and feeds are simply adjustable via the touchscreen.

Dress mode offers five standard wheel shape options, Flat, Slot, Facing, Vee form and Full ISO with one or two diamonds as needed.

Dressing increments, speeds and frequency allow for roughing and finishing to optimise wheel performance.

Grind mode allows from One to 20 grind cycles, as the complexity of the component dictates from the following cycles, Plunge, Multi Plunge, Area (Intermittent or Continuous), Face grind, Plunge and Face and Multi Plunge and Face.

Quick to use, simple operator friendly features, rigid machine structures, major units manufactured in high-grade cast iron generously dimensioned with the highest levels of build quality to ensure accuracy and productivity combine to make all ‘Easy’ models dream machines for operators both old and new.

Jones and Shipman are also major manufacturers of both CNC and ‘Easy’ controlled cylindrical grinders and will be exhibiting at MACH a new version of their well established Ultramat ‘Easy’ ’self-teach’ cylindrical grinder.

Using the same electro mechanical platform as the CNC version the Ultramat ‘Easy’ on demonstration incorporates a ‘B’ axis, powered, universal wheelhead which features both left and right hand mounted external grinding wheels plus an internal grinding spindle.

The fully programmed powered ‘B’ axis is essentially a full servo axis for the rapid positioning between external and/or internal modes.

This enables quick, highly accurate set-up of straight and taper grinding operations of multi external and internal diameters with infinitely variable angular positioning.

Utilising a Holroyd ultra high precision, backlash free, worm and gear assembly, for high reliability and smooth motion, it incorporates a Heidenhain positional encoder, with programmable steps of 0,0001deg.

Engineered for precision, the live and dead single spindle workhead of the Ultramat houses robust, high precision taper roller bearings for superior stiffness while a variable speed GE-Fanuc AC servo drive ensures fast and accurate spindle orientation.

A ‘C’ axis control option for interpolation of non round components and thread grinding, both external and internal, is available and for the grinding of tapers a rotary encoder can be incorporated in the swivel base giving digital display of angular position.

Developed by Jones and Shipman to offer the operator the advantages of CNC control without the complexity of Traditional CNC systems the Ultramat ‘ Easy’ has the same easy to use GE-Fanuc touchscreen control and Jones Shipman software suites as its Surface grinder siblings.

A final and extremely useful addition to all Jones and Shipman ‘Easy’ Surface and Cylindrical grinders is the capability for programs produced on these models to be saved to a networked PC or even to a PDA for future retrieval.

The models on show are just four machines within a comprehensive range of precision grinding machine solutions manufactured by Jones and Shipman to meet the rigorous demands of industry worldwide.

Hand-in-hand with its leading-edge product development, Jones and Shipman is also able to exploit its unique capability to supply ‘OEM Remanufactured Quality’ precision grinders through its worldwide network of distributors and a comprehensive customer service organisation., MACH 2004 - April 19-23 - Birmingham, UK.

Hall 5, Stand 5255.

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A 40kW automatic billet grinder has been designed to surface grind for optimum cleanliness super alloy bar material, as used in manufacturing high technology investment castings.

Rema’s 40kW automatic billet grinder has been designed to surface grind for optimum cleanliness super alloy bar material, as used in manufacturing high technology investment castings, ie turbine blades,surgical implants, turbochargers,etc The billet grinder automatically loads, grinds and unloads diameters from 75mm to 205mm and from 250mm to 1550mm long.

Parts from 100mm to 250mm long can also be ground but will have to be loaded manually.

After the OD grinding the machine will automatically grind the end face.

Constant grinding pressure is controlled via proportional valves and a current controller.

The machine has a Y and an X axis.

The operator can control the grinding sequence via a joystick that allows forward and reverse rotation and left-right or right -left roll grinding head feed.

Alternatively the grinding sequence can be set to fully automated operation with programs recalled from the Siemens S7 PLC.

A 40kW motor drives the 400mm diameter x 50mm wide grinding wheel for OD grinding and a 25kW motor grinds the end face.

These powerful motors are necessary to guarantee a minimum metal removal rate of 10kg per hour.

?? ?? ?? SURTECH SURFACE TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS LTD TEL(0044) 0121 359 4322 244 HENEAGE ST BIRMINGHAM B7 4LY FAX(0044) 0121 359 1817 Email sales@surtech.co.uk website www.surtech.co.uk.

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Accuracy, reliability and cost-effectiveness are the core attributes that influenced a machine tool supplier in choosing a supplier of wheel balancers for its re-manufactured grinding machines.

Accuracy, reliability and cost-effectiveness are the core attributes that originally led Centreless Tooling Group to select Schmitt as the preferred supplier of wheel balancers for its company’s range of re-manufactured grinding machines.

Today, ten years later, Schmitt’s SBS automatic balancing systems are still at the heart of the relationship between the vibration control specialist and the Tamworth, UK-based grinding machine supplier.

“Grinding is a precision process, and our machines have a hard earned reputation for top quality engineering and performance,” says Richard Aukland, Group Sales Manager for Centreless Tooling.

“We recognise that an effective wheel balancing system enables our customers to achieve the maximum return on their investment - by extending wheel life, increasing productivity and providing substantial savings in machine downtime and maintenance”.

” Like most people, when we saw the capabilities Schmitt’s system in action for ourselves, we were impressed by its speed and accuracy”.

“Over the years, the SBS equipment has also proved to be extremely rugged”.

“It certainly matches the high standards of performance and reliability of our own machines, so we have no qualms about recommending its use with our grinders.” Centreless customers vary from small subcontractors to major multinationals.

So, to meet requirements across the widest range of applications, Centreless offers Schmitt’s automatic balancer system in both contact and non-contact operational forms.

Utilising the principle of mass compensation to correct unbalance, each type features a balance head containing two movable eccentric weights, which are positioned accurately by high precision gear trains.

During the balance cycle, the grinding machine is run at normal operating speed.

Out of balance forces are detected by the system’s vibration sensor and fed back to the controller, which automatically adjusts the position of the weights in order to minimise the input signal.

Typically achieving results of less than 0.02 microns (peak to peak) at speeds ranging from 300 to 10,000 rev/min, Schmitt’s SBS system is designed as an inexpensive, permanent attachment for grinding machines with wheels from 6 to 48in diameter”.

“”Not only does the system eliminate the need for time-consuming manual wheel balancing operations, but it also provides improved component finish and dimensional accuracy and a dramatic reduction in wheel dressing frequency,” notes Aukland.

With around 30% of centreless grinding machines destined for export customers, reliability and customer support are also important factors in the company’s recommendation of Schmitt as its preferred balancing system supplier”.

“”Overall, Schmitt perfectly complements our own skills resources and products,” says Aukland”.

“”We therefore look forward to extending our companies’ close working relationship over the next ten years, and beyond.” * About Schmitt Europe - based in England at the University of Warwick Science Park, Schmitt Europe offers balancing, vibration control and laser measurement solutions that harness precision as the key to productivity.

The company’s automatic grinding wheel balancing systems dramatically improve surface finish and wheel life, while its Acoustic Emission Monitoring equipment provides precise control of grinding, wheel dressing and other metal cutting operations.

Schmitt also offers high accuracy, vertical or horizontal axis component balancing machines, as well as in-process gauging, laser distance measuring, alignment, and surface texture inspection systems.

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A robotic grinding and polishing cell is finishing a wide variety of alloyed stainless steel steam turbine blades - ranging from 4in to 20in long - after CNC machining.

A major US manufacturer has taken delivery of a robot cell for grinding and finishing large steam turbine blades for power generation.

1- The blades are new.

2- They range from 4in up to 20in in length and are straight.

3 The blades are machined out of stainless steel on Swiss made CNC machines.

4 With the off-line programming system, after the CAD model is imported into the Robot Studio software with the Robo Foil module, it takes 15 to 20 minutes to generate a grinding program.

The exact time depends on the size of the blade.

The following sequence of operation is generated: a) The robotic cell is equipped with two linear transducers for gauging or measuring the blade and checking the orientation of the blade on the gripper.

First the robot takes the blade to the first linear transducer and checks the orientation of the blade on the gripper and compares it to the CAD model.

If the orientation does match well the CAD model the software will calculate an offset and change the position of the blade accordingly.

The robot then goes to the second linear transducer and runs a gauging program to check the dimensions of the blade.

From this information the software determines how many passes it has to make on each belt to remove the correct amount of material.

b) After grinding it checks the dimensions of the blade again to make sure it is within tolerance.

c) The robot first grinds the inside radius with a small A 20 durometer contact wheel 1.5in in diameter by 2ins long.

The first belt is a grit 80 ceramic aluminum oxide belt 2in wide by 132in long.

It moves to the bottom unit and grinds the outside radius using a 350mm dia x 90mm wide Vulkolan VLS contact wheel with a Ceramic aluminum oxide belt, 80 grit, and 90 mm wide by 132in long.

d) The finishing operation uses the same size belts and contact wheels.

The belts used for finishing are structured abrasive belts, grade X30.

e) After finishing, the robot checks the dimension of the blade.

If it is not in tolerance it will go back and grind the part again.

f) If the blade is in tolerance it will place it back on the magazine.

g) The robot uses belts only.

h) The most important dimension is the trailing edge thickness of the blade where the tolerance is +0.127mm or 0.0005in.

On the remaining surface of the blade the tolerance is +0.010in or 0.254mm.

After grinding the bottom of the blade is cut off and the blade is welded into a ring,the first stage of the steam compressor Because this Company uses all different size stock to machine the blade from we used a pallet or adapter that is attached on the blade.

This adapter is adjustable for different widths and is picked up by the gripper on the robot.

We have also tested refurbished or repaired blades that have a metal coating.

The blades are for aircraft.

The problem with the repaired blade is the thickness of the coating varies considerably from one blade to another.

What we did was to start with the program barely touching the blade.

Every pass the robot would increment the program in 0.5mm.

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Competitively-priced cylindrical grinding machine is easy to use, fast to set up, versatile, and change-over times are minimised by simple but sophisticated software.

Jones and Shipman is launching its new Suprema cylindrical grinding machine at EMO this year.

Designed and produced at the company’s site in Leicestershire, UK, the all-new range is easy to use, fast to set up, versatile, and very competitively-priced.

Accuracy and repeatability are assured.

Change-over times are minimised.

This is because much of the operator intervention normally necessary has been removed by simple but sophisticated software.

Offering productivity advantages in areas such as aerospace, mould and die, automotive, medical, etc, the Suprema has particular benefits for medium/short batch work or even ‘one-offs’ because of the ease and speed of change-over.

The range replaces traditional CNC, microprocessor and hydraulically controlled machines as it retains a conventional layout and operating style.

Advantage of the new Suprema range is that it combines the benefits of CNC with traditionally-styled operation, so is easy to use even for operators unfamiliar with CNC grinding.

Its GE FanucR Touchscreen control system uses Jones and Shipman easy-to-use proprietary self-teach software.

This powerful but simple multi-axis control system enables an inexperienced operator to quickly progress from manual single diameter application to linked cycle/multi diameter single or batch operations.

The Suprema range is offered in three software versions.

Most basic is the entry level 2-axis control machine, provided with a comprehensive starter pack software suite for single or multiple diameter and face grinding work.

Second level is an advanced software suite option which includes left or right hand facing wheel, easy form dressing of profiles and vee forms without additional form dressing attachments, plus additional features such as taper traverse grind, contour grind and easy down/up load to and from PDA, PC, or Network.

HeidenhainR ‘absolute’ nano scales for both axes are also included in this option.

The third level of optional software provides solutions, through a grinding-specific PC-based CAD CAM software suite which also accepts DXF files, and converts them into grinding or dressing programs incorporating features such as rapid wheel profiling, on screen simulations, collision detection etc Up-grades between software levels is easy and enables users to respond to changes in their work-profile and to develop their own expertise at their own pace.

The range is offered with plain/straight approach wheelhead or 3-wheel universal swivelling wheelhead options.

Grinding capacity is 300mm x 650mm or 300mm x 1000mm.

Centre height and grinding diameter is 160mm (300mm).

Weight between centres is 100kg.

Table traverse speed is 0.0001mm-12m/min.

Wheelslide infeed rate is 0.0001mm - 6m/min.

The Suprema is a robustly constructed, one piece Tee bed design.

High geometrical accuracy is ensured by the direct coupled digital AC servo motors and rotary encoders from GE FanucR.

Hand-scraped Vee and Flat slideways are provided for the cast machine table underslide.

A twin Vee configuration is used for the wheelhead backslide.

The air purged combined live and dead centre swivel base workhead contains high precision tapered roller bearings for stiffness.

It incorporates a synchronous belt variable speed drive that allows direct programmed speed (rpm) or constant surface speed (CSS m/sec) of the workpiece.

A robust lever operated plain bearing tailstock is provided as standard with a high accuracy taper correction tailstock available as an option.

Philosophy and architecture of the new range is complementary to other Touchscreen controlled machines in the Jones and Shipman portfolio, ensuring operators can switch between machines easily and without additional training.

Alan Spears, MD of Jones and Shipman, said: “This is an important step forward for Jones and Shipman, and reflects our lively and innovative approach to grinding.

We have over 100 years of experience in grinding technology, and we are bringing that to bear on developing machines which suit the current manufacturing environment.” Spears added: “The new range has been designed by grinders for grinders and a careful review of the market needs and trends and has been developed accordingly.

Customer feedback to date and our growing order book seem to confirm we are on the right track.”.

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Competitively priced, new twin column surface grinding machine that has been designed for high-precision work in manufacturingand will be launched at EMO 2005.

Matrix Machine Tools is taking advantage of EMO, the first major machine tool show it will attend since its resurgence twelve months ago as a major machine tool manufacturer, to launch its new range of surface grinding machines and the up-dated Matrix 6960 internal thread grinding machine.

The new development - the first time Matrix has designed a surface grinding machine - is built upon the success and technical expertise it has generated with its thread grinding machines, known and used throughout the world.

Vice president of the company, David Giles, said: “This is a significant step forward for us.

Attending EMO is a statement that we are back, with all colours flying, and intend to regain the enviable market position we held for so long.

We have had a presence at other trade shows throughout the world, perhaps most notably in China which has been a strong market for us for many years, but this is the first time we have had a sizeable stand of our own.” It is the first in a planned schedule of shows which will also include Shanghai, Bangalore and IMTS in Chicago.

“The launch of our new surface grinding machine demonstrates our determination to develop our range of machines to meet the latest market demands and to ensure that our machines are at the forefront.

Our philosophy is to develop modern, high accuracy, innovative grinding machines supported by second-to-none service, ” said Giles “One of our first steps towards this was to create a substantial design and development department, and both the up-dated internal thread grinding machine and the new surface grinder are the first fruits of that.” The competitively priced, new twin column surface grinding machine has been designed for high-precision surface grinding in all areas of manufacturing.

A 3-axis full CNC machine, control is by the popular Siemens 840D.

The horizontal spindle provides 666mm travel in Y, vertical travel (Z) is 154mm.

Table working surface is 648mm x 1000mm, with travel in the X axis of 1076mm on the smaller machine or 1111mm on the larger version.

The Matrix 6960 5-axis CNC internal thread grinder has been designed to produce high quality components in large volumes with the minimum of floor to floor time.

The machines are typically used in the manufacture of high precision components for automotive, aerospace and high precision industrial applications.

Moving elements are mounted on linear guide ways and movement is by precision ballscrew and nut assemblies.

Positional accuracies of the wheelhead is continually monitored and data fed back into the controller by linear scales.

The control system, which is entirely developed and created by Matrix’s own engineers, is probably the most technically advanced control system available.

The Siemens 840D control is supplied as standard with the Matrix Advanced Programming System (MAPS), a flexible and easy to use front end operating environment enabling quick and easy set up and operation.

The workholding characteristics allow 200kg of fixture and component weight to be carried on the spindle without extra support.

Feed back from the spindle is by rotary encoder which also facilitates programmable automatic indexing for multi-start components as standard.

The hollow spindle allows coolant to be pumped to the rear of the component for additional cooling.

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Able to grind to a flatness and parallelism tolerance of less than one micron, a rotary table grinding machine will be demonstrated for the first time in Europe at EMO 2005.

Able to grind to a flatness and parallelism tolerance of less than one micron, the Okamoto UPR-3NC rotary table grinding machine will be demonstrated for the first time in Europe at EMO 2005.

The machine, now available through 600 Centre of Shepshed, Loughborough combines variable hydrostatic slideway and air bearing technologies and is able to be programmed to grind for instance, the faces of inner and outer bearing races as a pair maintaining sub-micron tolerances to different width sizes in the same cycle.

The UPR-3NC employs the Okamoto developed flexible hydrostatic system and air bearing technologies with hydrostatic slideways on the cross-feed X-axis and vertical Z-axis and a high precision air bearing on the rotary table.

This table configuration eliminates any tendency for the table to lift due to thermal expansion, a factor important with the main users of this level of precision grinding especially in the precision bearing, optical and aerospace sectors.

Controlled through Fanuc 30i Model MA CNC unit giving simultaneous X and Z-axis movement, the machine has a minimum increment of 0.01 micron achieved through linear glass scale positioning on the vertical axis.

The longitudinal Z-axis has a minimum increment of 0.1 micron.

The machine has a 300mm micro-pitch electro-permanent chuck with up to 230mm clearance with the 250mm by 25mm by 76.2mm grinding wheel.

The magnetic chuck is able to accommodate loads up to 180kg and is programmable for rotational speed between 10 and 300 rev/min though a 0.75kW drive.

The machine is available with temperature controlled coolant, automatic wheel balancing and two-point, in-process gauge control.

It is totally guarded in a futuristic stainless steel enclosure giving easy access for setting.

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