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Before we explore the benefits of using modern grinders, let’s first explore: What are grinders?
Grinders use an abrasive wheel that rotates at high speeds to remove small amounts of material. Machinists use them to flatten, shape and smooth surfaces for various tasks. Modern grinders have come a long way since the early days of manual grinding. They are versatile, efficient and designed to meet the diverse needs of different industries. Machine shops, in particular, use various types of grinders to shape and polish metals and other materials for both rough and finish operations.
Most grinders have the following key components. Different models and types may have more or less, such as a handheld angle grinder, which will not have a machine bed, table or coolant system.
There are many different grinders available today. From portable, handheld grinders to CNC grinding machines, each type of grinder is designed for a specific purpose and can be used to achieve different results. These versatile and efficient tools are a must for your machine shop.
These are the most popular types of grinders and their specific uses for metalworking:
A portable grinder is a small and powerful tool for grinding and cutting materials. It has a spinning wheel with rough edges and can be powered by electricity or air. Different types of portable grinders exist, such as angle grinders, straight grinders and vertical grinders, each useful for different tasks.
Belt grinders use a continuous loop of abrasive material to shape and finish workpieces. They are great for tasks that require the rapid removal of a lot of material, like the initial shaping or smoothing of metal or other materials.
Bench grinders are mounted on a workbench with two grinding wheels of different grains for roughing and finishing operations. Bench grinders are ideal for small-scale grinding, sharpening tools and other minor material shaping.
Surface grinders create a smooth finish on flat surfaces. They are crucial in producing high-quality, precise, flat surfaces for tool and die making.
A tool and cutter grinder is used for sharpening and shaping cutting tools like end mills, drills, and other cutting tools. It is most useful for precision grinding of cutting tools in tool-making and metalworking shops.
A jig grinder is a precision machine used for creating complex shapes and holes with the highest degrees of accuracy and smoothness. It is critical in precision machining and finishing holes for dies and molds.
Gear grinders are machines that precisely shape gears to make them fit perfectly with other gears. These machines use different methods to grind gears, like “profile grinding” and “generating grinding.” Two types of gear grinders, called “form grinders” and “generating grinders,” are used for different gear grinders.
A bore grinder is a machine used to grind the inside of cylindrical objects accurately. It works by spinning a grinding wheel inside the object’s hollow space, which helps achieve precise grinding.
Different types of bore grinders are available, including those that can be programmed for high accuracy and those that can be used with objects of various sizes.
Vertical spindle surface grinders create smooth, flat surfaces with great accuracy. They hold the grinding wheel on a spindle, which moves across the workpiece in a controlled way. These machines are commonly used in toolmaking to achieve precise finishes that look good and meet strict standards.
A plunge grinder is a precision grinding tool that rotates a wheel and then plunges it into the workpiece without moving it sideways. This type of grinder is mainly used for grinding specific sections of cylindrical parts, creating grooves in metal parts as well as finishing operations in complex manufacturing processes.
Modern grinders have revolutionized the manufacturing industry. Not only are they versatile and more efficient, but modern grinders meet the diverse needs of today’s machine shops and manufacturing centers. Advanced CNC technology increases grinders’ efficiency and versatility, making them an essential tool for any manufacturing or machining process.
Accurate Machine Tool Services can help you acquire the latest and best CNC grinders and other equipment for your machine shop and service your mechanical and electrical machinery. Contact us today to learn more.