Tuesday, December 17, 2013
About Honing Machines
Particularly in automotive applications, circular grinding and sanding is necessary to design and maintain engine parts. For example, cylinder barrels of an engine need to be smoothed to just the right shape so the piston and piston rings dont create friction against the barrel walls. For large-production operations, honing machines perform this service on the manufactured parts. The machines come in different capacities and types.
How Honing Machines Work
Honing machines take the concept of hone grinding and automate it. Whereas normally a technician would attach a honing tool to the end of a spinning drill and insert it into the treated part, the honing machine performs this function on a mass scale with computer-driven equipment. The result is a precise internal surface to a circular cavity. The system is run either with pneumatic or hydraulic power sources.
Types
Vertical honing machines allow grinding work to form either an above-down or bottom-up angle. This works well for parts that have a single-directional cavity, such as engine cylinders. Horizontal honing machines, as the name implies, work from the sides with adjustable angles that allow the machine to work in a horizontal fashion. More specialized units can work with other, less common angles and applications.
Machine Management
Modern machines are run by computers and electronic gauges outside the machine. These control units run with computers and predetermined tolerance limits. The user punches in the desired specifications and the machine operates accordingly. When the machine reaches the desired tolerances or measurements, then the honing process stops so the treated part can be removed.
Cooling Systems
Grinding involves friction, which can create significant heat at high speeds or over time. Cooling systems are integrated into honing machines to avoid heat buildup that can damage machine parts. Modern machines will have coolant pumped into the grinding tool to circulate heat buildup away while production is occurring.
Maintenance
Because honing machines involve grinding, quite a bit of dust, residue and metal debris gets kicked up. This leftover material can get all over the machine and work area. Called "swarf," honing machines need to be cleaned of the waste material regularly. Honing machines also come with air filters that need to be changed regularly to rid swarf buildup near air vents. The honing oil that helps lubricate the machine parts and grease points of the machines gearing need to cleaned out and re-lubed as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.