What is Surface Grinding?
Surface grinding is a precision machining process where a rotating abrasive wheel removes small amounts of material from a flat surface to achieve a smooth, accurate finish.
It’s commonly used for finishing metal parts after other machining processes.
How it works
Setup
The workpiece is mounted on a table, either with a magnetic chuck (for ferrous metals) or mechanical clamps.
Wheel Selection
An abrasive grinding wheel is chosen based on material type and finish requirements.
Grinding
The grinding wheel spins at high speed while the table moves the workpiece back and forth beneath it.
Material Removal
The abrasive action slowly removes small layers (often microns per pass).
Finishing
Multiple passes produce the final flatness, smoothness, and dimensional accuracy.
Why it’s used
High precision
Achieves tolerances within ±0.002 mm.
Excellent surface finish
Can produce mirror-like smoothness.
Versatile
Works on a wide range of metals and some non-metals.
Tool sharpening
Perfect for keeping cutting tools sharp.
Common uses in manufacturing
4 axle CNC machining shows up in nearly every sector:
Tool & die making
Flat surfaces for molds and dies.
Automotive
Cylinder head resurfacing, gear finishing.
Aerospace
High-precision component finishing.
Machine building
Creating accurate flat mating surfaces.
Why it matters
Surface grinding is the go-to finishing process when flatness and smoothness are critical. It’s often the final step before assembly, ensuring parts fit and function perfectly.