Cylindrical grinding machine

                    Cylindrical grinding machine

This machine tool is used for precision grinding cylindrical mould parts.

Metal is removed by the action of a rotating abrasive grinding wheel which

is brought into contact with a contra-rotating workpiece. The axes of both

the grinding wheel and the workpiece are parallel for normal operation.

An important feature of the grinding machine is that it can cut hardened

metal. This characteristic, together with the close tolerances and the high

surface finish obtainable, makes this machine tool an essential piece of

toolroom equipment.

A simplified drawing of a cylindrical grinding machine 

 The workpiece is mounted at one end in a chuck and is

supported at the other end by a center fitted in the tailstock. The chuck is mounted on the headstock spindle and driven by an electric motor,

attached to the headstock.

 Both the headstock and the tailstock are

mounted on a table; the tailstock is adjustable to accommodate various

lengths of work. The table, fitted on slideways of the machine bed, is a

driven reciprocating member. The length of the stroke is adjustable. The

workpiece, therefore, has a rotary motion and a longitudinal motion with

respect to the grinding wheel. The grinding wheel spindle (not visible) is

driven via a belt transmission by an electric motor mounted on top of the

wheel-slide. The latter member is fitted on the slideways of the machine

bed. These slideways are at right angles to the axis of the workpiece, and

therefore the movement of the wheel-slide moves the grinding wheel towards

or away from the workpiece.

In normal grinding of cylindrical parts, the wheel-slide is adjusted

forward until the rotating grinding wheel just contacts the contra-rotating

workpiece. Further forward movement of the wheel-slide sets the depth of

cut. The table is then caused to reciprocate, thereby grinding the outside

and the depth of cut progressively increased until the required diameter on

the workpiece is obtained.