hybrid rotary and stationary dressing tools
Grinding plays an important role in manufacturing’s final production steps. Failures in that process can leave burn marks on parts and result in expensive workpiece scrap. If compromised parts pass quality control, they can fail in life-or-death applications, including aircraft axles, medical implants, pacemakers and e-mobility components. However, even proper implementation of a correctly chosen grinding wheel defines only a small part of the process. In fact, the dresser controls at least 50% of the outcome, which makes the match between dressing technology and grinding wheel all the more essential. The particularity of the process calls for innovative and improved solutions – in which Meister Abrasives offers deep expertise.
Most suppliers produce either grinding wheels or dressers, and treat them as separate processes instead of two halves of one process. As a result, manufacturers may struggle to find the right combination for their unique applications. Meister Abrasives looks at the grinding process and its components from a holistic perspective. Meister began making dressers after realizing that the technology it needed for optimal results on its own grinding wheels did not exist in a market dominated by metallic bonds. Once it developed vitrified and later hybrid diamond dressing, Meister could marry wheels and dressers together into complete solutions that solved most of the problems of consistency and performance. The results – and their impact on optimized grinding – show five ways that this technology increases manufacturers’ productivity and reduces their costs.
1. Consistency
One of the biggest challenges of dressing lies in achieving consistent performance throughout the functional life of each grinding wheel. Some dressers on the market introduce short-term surface changes, which disappear because wheel behavior alters again. A consistent wheel surface before and after dressing enables manufacturers to maintain unchanging productivity.
Dresser configuration forms part of the cause of – and the cure for – these inconsistencies. Ceramic bonds produce too much wear. The structure of metallic bonds does not allow for structural changes to meet individual dressing needs. These bonds also create too much pressure, which produces damaging wheel deflection. Truly consistent results demand the best aspects of both bond types.
Meister Abrasives combined ceramic and metallic technologies to produce hybrid diamond dressing, with very open bond structures that do not require heavy pressure. With hybrid bonds, Meister can tune every dresser to an individual customer’s application need, altering structure and grit size to produce an ideal match between wheel and dresser.
2. Productivity
Frequent dressing interrupts production runs and limits workflow output. Likewise, complex, lengthy dressing procedures eat into production time. Because hybrid diamond dressing technology optimizes wheels for enduring consistency, it also extends production runs and the interval between dressing procedures. Hybrid diamond dressers do not require complicated procedures with hours of setup and dressing. These quicker dressing procedures also enable manufacturers to regain production time. Additionally, self-sharpening hybrid diamond dressers extend productivity further because they eliminate the sharpening process.
3. Longer grinding wheel life
Two potential flaws in the grinding process shorten wheel life dramatically. First, too-frequent dressing causes unnecessary wear. Second, incorrect dressing requires corrective procedures, which essentially doubles the number of dressing procedures. Because hybrid diamond dressers produce correct wheel behavior without the need for constant application, they lengthen wheel life dramatically at the same time that they improve grinding performance.
4. Lower cost per workpiece and reduced total cost of ownership
Hybrid diamond dressing reduces production costs in several ways. Proper preparation extends the life of grinding wheels, which in turn reduces manufacturers’ tool costs – as does the need for fewer dressing steps. Because properly dressed wheels produce better parts, hybrid diamond dressing also eliminates scrapped parts, which increases profitability further. The dresser/wheel combination optimizes the process and lowers overall costs.
5. Customizable to individual customers and their applications
Meister Abrasives serves every customer uniquely based on a thorough understanding of each application and process. Hybrid diamond dressing enables Meister to tune the recipe on each dresser for individual needs in a wide range of industries, such as automotive, bearing production, e-mobility, medical technology and semiconductor, as well as for complex surface treatments.
Most suppliers on the market do not fine tune their processes because of the limits of metallic bond structures, and because they make either the grinding wheel or the dresser, not both. What distinguishes Meister Abrasives is that it can make quick fine-tuning adjustments to the dresser, with better knowledge of how and where to fine tune it and how to marry it with the right grinding wheel. This ability to be both smart and nimble means that Meister can help OEMs achieve quick acceptance of grinding machines from customers who require an integrated solution.
Solving both halves of the problem
Meister Abrasives applies its process expertise and extensive experience to diagnosing and solving customers’ grinding and dressing problems. Matching grinding wheels and dressers to provide ideal functionality, Meister becomes much more than a supplier – it becomes a close partner to its customers. As such, Meister helps manufacturers create the success they need in their grinding processes, reducing costs, increasing productivity and making better parts. For OEMs, Meister solidifies customer acceptance and makes it easy to achieve long-term guaranteed results.
