Comparison of honing and grinding, Part 3

Grinding process

Grinding is used to achieve very flat and smooth surfaces and to complete circular work such as precision plug gauges to achieve very tight tolerances. Flat lapping corrects surface irregularities caused by sawing or lapping, while dome lapping produces slender, uniform shapes for lenses and other surfaces.

The grinding process is gentler than the honing process and removes much less surface material. Therefore, the workpiece should be as close to the final size as possible (for example, by double-disc grinding), since grinding typically removes only 0.0005" to 0.005" (0.0127 mm to 0.127 mm) of material.

Unlike honing, grinding uses fine, loose abrasive particles suspended in a viscous or liquid base, rather than bonded abrasive rods or stones. The grinding process involves passing the workpiece along with the abrasive suspension between one or two large, very flat lap plates.

Through grinding, close attention is paid to controlling every detail. This includes the plate speed, the pressure on the workpiece, the size and type of abrasive used, the feeding method, and the plate temperature.

What are the advantages of grinding and honing?

Grinding can be used on any external flat surface of a part made from any material. Any size, diameter, and thickness can be milled, from a few parts per thousand to the maximum thickness limit of a particular grinder.

The grinding process itself does not produce burrs and can be used to remove even minor burrs from flat surfaces. Since the parts do not need to be clamped in place and generate little heat, grinding does not warp the parts.

With its relatively slow speed, the heat and pressure generated by honing is very low, allowing for good control of hole size and part geometry. In addition to producing properties such as fine surface finish and improved cylindricity, honing can also be used to adjust the alignment of holes or features such as holes.

In addition, the rotation and reciprocating movement of honing combine to create a cross shadowing pattern, perfect for maintaining lubrication.

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