Sharp tools do not begin with a sharp wheel. As an abrasive wheel wears, glazes over or takes a slightly incorrect profile, the contact between the wheel and…
Diamond grinding swarf is rarely a simple pile of abrasive dust. It can contain crushed diamond grains, carbide or high-speed-steel fragments, oxidised metal,…
Plastic components are increasingly used in Australian medical devices, vehicle interiors, irrigation equipment and consumer products. Their light weight,…
Circular knife sharpening depends on more than a sharp abrasive wheel. The wheel must also have the correct radius, bevel and edge profile so it can generate…
A grinding burn on high-speed steel inserts is thermal damage caused when a grinding wheel generates more heat than the insert can dissipate. The problem…
Closed-loop feedback changes the way a CNC chamfering machine responds to load, wear and changing part geometry. Instead of assuming the slide reached the…
A tool tracking system connects the cutter, wheel, fixture and work order in a single production record. Instead of relying on a whiteboard, memory or a…
Precision grinding depends on more than a capable spindle and a precise software screen. The abrasive wheel carries the cutting action, and its condition…
Technical ceramics are hard, but they are also brittle. Alumina, zirconia and silicon nitride can hold a fine edge beautifully, yet an overly aggressive wheel…
A cycle on a circular knife sharpening machine includes much more than the time spent grinding the edge. The operator must load the knife, align it against a…