Source: DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURABILITY HANDBOOK

CHAPTER 4.13

PARTS CYLINDRICALLY GROUND ON CENTER-TYPE MACHINES

Wes Mowry
Norton Company Worcester, Massachusetts

THE PROCESSES
Two basic processes are used for grinding external cylindrical surfaces: center-type grinding, in which the workpiece is clamped to the machine spindle, and centerless grinding, in which the workpiece rotates freely between two opposing grinding wheels. In center-type grinding, the workpiece normally is held between pointed centers as in a lathe. However, it also may be held by a chuck or be mounted on a faceplate. The grinding wheel (except for tapered surfaces) rotates on an axis parallel to that of the work; it is fed perpendicularly to and from the work. When necessary, transverse motion between the wheel and the work also is provided by movement of the headstock-tailstock table or, on some large machines, by movement of the wheel. The headstock-tailstock table also can swivel to provide grinding of tapered surfaces. The work and the wheel are driven by separate motors so that they move in opposite directions at the point of contact. When necessary, steady rests are used to support the work during grinding.

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
Shafts and pins are commonly ground on center-type grinding machines. Parts with steps (multiple diameters), tapers, and ground forms are suitable for the process. Diameters as large as 1.8 m (72 in) can be ground on commercially available equipment. Workpiece deflection limits the minimum diameter that is practical to process. (Centerless grinding is more suitable for thin and long pins.) A practical minimum diameter for short cylindrical elements is perhaps 3 mm (18 in).Cast and forged work4.157 Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.

PARTS CYLINDRICALLY GROUND ON CENTER-TYPE MACHINES 4.158 MACHINED COMPONENTS

pieces with cylindrical projections and other bulky and irregular parts not grindable on centerless equipment are ground on center-type equipment. Typical parts ground on center-type machines are crankshaft bearings; bearing rings; machine arbors, spindles, and pins, particularly those with tapers; shafts; bushings; axles; rolls; and parts with interrupted cylindrical surfaces, e.g., splined and slotted shafts or components with holes. (See Fig. 4.13.1.) Plunge cylindrical grinding is limited to ground surfaces shorter than the width of the grinding wheel.

FIGURE 4.13.1 Thread grinding, performed on the parts shown, is typical of the kind of operations that can be performed on center-type grinding machines. (Courtesy Jones & Lamson, Waterbury Farrel Division of Textron, Inc.)

COSTS AND ECONOMIC PRODUCTION QUANTITIES

Center-type cylindrical grinding is most economical for short and moderate production runs. Setup times for center-type machines are shorter than for centerless grinders, but process time is significantly longer, especially when the time for machining centers in workpieces is considered. Center-type machines have the advantage for toolroom, experimental, and lowquantity job-shop production. When quantities exceed about 100 pieces, however, if centerless equipment can be used, it is usually advantageous from a cost standpoint. Most operations for center-type grinding can be set up in 30 min or less, especially if the operation is manual and the workpiece-holding method remains the same for successive jobs. More time is required for form grinding or automatic operation. Typical output rates range from 10 to 130 pieces per hour, with about 60 pieces per hour being a fair average for operations involving a single surface or a single cut.

SUITABLE MATERIALS
Materials suitability for center-type cylindrical grinding parallels that for other grinding processes. See Chap. 4.15, Flat-Ground Surfaces, for a discussion of grindable materials.

Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.

PARTS CYLINDRICALLY GROUND ON CENTER-TYPE MACHINES CENTER-TYPE MACHINES 4.159

DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS
When designing components for center-type grinding, observe the following suggestions: 1. Keep the parts as well balanced as possible for better finish and accuracy. 2. Avoid long small-diameter parts because their tendency to deflect from the pressure of the grinding wheel hampers control of the finished-diameter dimension, straightness, roundness, and finish. The use of steady-rest supports (which must be adjusted as the diameter is reduced by the grinding) is helpful but not fully satisfactory. Parts with a length more than 20 times their diameter are particularly troublesome. Parts shorter than 8 times their diameter are best. 3. Profile shapes can be plunge-ground and sometimes can be made quite intricate. However, profiles are better kept as simple as possible. The following workpiece features cause difficulties in or increase the complexity of trueing the grinding wheel and should be avoided if possible: (a) Tangents to radii. Nontangent radii or angular reliefs (wheel chamfers) are preferable. (See Fig. 4.13.2a.) (b) Grooves in parts. These should be eliminated or made as shallow and wide as possible. (See Fig. 4.13.2b.) (c) Angular shapes and tapers. (See Fig. 4.13.2c.) (d) Component radii. (See Fig. 4.13.2d.) 4. Interrupted surfaces present grinding problems and should be avoided or specified with an expectation of somewhat less accurate and more costly grinding. The surface adjacent to interruptions tends to be ground more deeply than nearby continuous surfaces. (See Fig. 4.13.3.) 5. Undercuts on facing surfaces are not normally possible on regular cylindrical grinding machines except to a shallow degree when the wheel is turned at an angle and specially trued or with small wheels normally used for internal grinding. If possible, undercuts are best avoided in either case. (See Fig. 4.13.4.) 6. If fillets are used, make them as large as possible. As in the case of other grinding processes, however, the most preferable procedure is to machine or cast a relief in the workpiece at the junction of two ground surfaces. (See Fig. 4.13.5.) 7. Center holes on workpieces held between centers should have an exact 60 angle and uniformity of shape for accurate cylindrical grinding. If precision of the grinding is critical, lapping the center holes may be required after heat-treating the workpiece. 8. Tubular parts, especially if thin-walled, can be deformed slightly when held in a threejaw chuck. If the exterior cylindrically ground surface must be held to precise limits, it may be necessary to specify a heavier wall or to use a center-mounting method. 9. In cylindrical center-type grinding, as with other grinding processes, it is advisable to minimize the stock removed by grinding. Pregrinding machining should be as accurate as possible.

DIMENSIONAL FACTORS
Center-type cylindrical grinding is a process of high precision. As in other machining processes, the accuracy of final dimensions reflects the condition of the equipment and the skill of the operator. Worn bearings, centers, or machine ways, poor coolant action, incorrect grinding wheels, and deflection of the workpiece all can adversely affect the

Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.

PARTS CYLINDRICALLY GROUND ON CENTER-TYPE MACHINES

4.160 Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.

FIGURE 4.13.2 Plunge-ground shapes that make wheel dressing more difficult are (a) tangent radii and straight surfaces; (b) grooves, especially if deep and narrow; (c) tapers and angular surfaces; and (d) special flowing curves and large radii.

PARTS CYLINDRICALLY GROUND ON CENTER-TYPE MACHINES CENTER-TYPE MACHINES 4.161

FIGURE 4.13.3 ground parts.

Interrupted surfaces reduce the accuracy of cylindrically

FIGURE 4.13.4 Ground undercuts on facing surfaces are costly and should be avoided.

Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.

PARTS CYLINDRICALLY GROUND ON CENTER-TYPE MACHINES 4.162 MACHINED COMPONENTS

precision of the finished surface and dimensions. Maintenance of the correct position of steady-rest supports for long work is particularly important. Another vital factor is the accuracy, especially the roundness, of center holes in workpieces. Use of the correct grinding wheel and correct feed and speed also are important. Table 4.13.1 provides recommended dimensional tolerances for cylindrically ground parts under normal production conditions.

FIGURE 4.13.5 The best practice is to machine or cast a relief at the junction of two surfaces before grinding.

TABLE 4.13.1

Recommended Dimensional Tolerances for Center-Ground Parts Recommended tolerance

Dimension Diameter Paralellism Roundness Surface finish

Normal 0.0125 mm (0.0005 in) 0.0125 mm (0.0005 in) 0.0125 mm (0.0005 in) 0.2 m (8 in)

Tight 0.0025 mm (0.0001 in) 0.0050 mm (0.0002 in) 0.0025 mm (0.0001 in) 0.05m (2 in)

Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.