Grinding is a high-stakes process. By the time a production part reaches a grinding machine, generally that part has undergone significant machining already. The part going to a cylindrical grinder, for example, likely has already spent time on a lathe. If something should happen during the grinding step that results in the part being scrapped, then all of that machining investment is lost—the turning as well as the grinding. A vital requirement of grinding is, therefore, to safeguard the value that has already been added to the part.
However, employees able to oversee this high-stakes process are becoming scarce. As difficult as it is to find skilled machining employees in general, finding skilled grinding employees is more difficult still. At the same time, shrinking lead times are driving many companies to bring grinding in-house. Manufacturers that once would have sent grinding work to a contractor now can’t afford the time to coordinate with an outside supplier. That means facilities that have not performed grinding for a long time are ramping back up this capability—and seeking those scarce employees.
ELITECH MACHINE TOOLS, Gujarat, India supplies production grinding machines. The company routinely help manufacturers respond to these grinding-related developments. They say automation, in some fashion, is typically the way to achieve productive and reliable grinding when skilled labor is in limited supply. In grinding, that automation takes particular forms.
In-process gauging, they say, is one of the most accessible ways to reduce the need for human intervention in the grinding process. While gauging is typically thought of as an inspection tool, in-process gauging on a cylindrical grinding machine is a productivity tool. Automatic gauging of the work piece, with measurements sent to the grinding machine’s control, allows the machine to respond to measurement trends resulting from the wheel’s changing diameter. With the process changing offsets on its own to maintain consistency, the wheel might not have to be dressed as often, saving both cost and time.
However, employees able to oversee this high-stakes process are becoming scarce. As difficult as it is to find skilled machining employees in general, finding skilled grinding employees is more difficult still. At the same time, shrinking lead times are driving many companies to bring grinding in-house. Manufacturers that once would have sent grinding work to a contractor now can’t afford the time to coordinate with an outside supplier. That means facilities that have not performed grinding for a long time are ramping back up this capability—and seeking those scarce employees.
ELITECH MACHINE TOOLS, Gujarat, India supplies production grinding machines. The company routinely help manufacturers respond to these grinding-related developments. They say automation, in some fashion, is typically the way to achieve productive and reliable grinding when skilled labor is in limited supply. In grinding, that automation takes particular forms.
In-process gauging, they say, is one of the most accessible ways to reduce the need for human intervention in the grinding process. While gauging is typically thought of as an inspection tool, in-process gauging on a cylindrical grinding machine is a productivity tool. Automatic gauging of the work piece, with measurements sent to the grinding machine’s control, allows the machine to respond to measurement trends resulting from the wheel’s changing diameter. With the process changing offsets on its own to maintain consistency, the wheel might not have to be dressed as often, saving both cost and time.
