Quality By Every Measure
Lash adjuster quality and manufacturing performance dramatically improved using advanced grinding and dressing technologies.
A tier one automotive components supplier needed to improve its internal grinding process for manufacturing valve lash adjusters (aka hydraulic lifters). A major problem was that the bore of this long cylindrical part was a blind hole, which made it very difficult to deliver a significant amount of coolant into the cavity.
- Component: Lash Adjuster Body
- Material: steel
- Hardness: 58-60 HRc
- Grinding Operation: bore grind
- Wheel: Ø10mm shank mounted
- Dresser: Ø15mm cup
The customer replaced its standard vitrified CBN wheel with Meister Abrasivesʼ highly porous and free-cutting HPB (High Performance Bond)product. Cycle times were reduced from 18 to 14 seconds and bore straightness was from < 5μm to < 2.5 μm. Dressing intervals were extended from 35 to 50 cycles and wheel life increased from nearly 8,000 to more than 11,000 parts.
Those were substantial results; however, there was even more that Meister technology could bring to the table. Productivity was also being lost because the metal bonded dressing cup had to be sent to the tool room for reconditioning every week. So the metal bond dresser was replaced by an advanced Meister Abrasives hDD (hybrid Diamond Dresser) cup. This technology, as advertised, is self-sharpening, so it never required reconditioning. However, that was not the only improvement to the process.
Cycle time was reduced by another 1.5 seconds, bore straightness improved by an additional 40%, and the company was able to manufacture an additional 1600 parts before a wheel change was required. The latter result was because the hDD cup removed 12.5% less material with every dressing cycle. Whatʼs more, the life of the dressing tool was nearly double.
Bottom line: If you have a difficult grinding operation and you are looking to improve performance and/or part quality— lets talk
