Your Premium Surface Grinding Partner

When precision in your surface grinding application is a non-negotiable, turn to Grinding Techniques for all your premium abrasive requirements. Surface grinding is an abrasive grinding process that makes use of various grinding media to grind either metallic or non-metallic workpieces to achieve a perfectly flat, or parallel surface with a specific surface finish. Types of grinding media used for this application, include grinding wheels, cup stones, and segments.

blog_image

With different types of surface grinders available in the market, ranging from horizontal-spindle to vertical-spindle with reciprocating and or rotary table machines, to face grinding machines, it is essential to note that the type of grinding media should carefully be considered in order to provide the best result for each application.

Straight grinding wheels are typically used with horizontal-spindle reciprocating and or rotary table grinding machines where cup or cylinder grinding wheels and segments are more suited to vertical-spindle reciprocating and or rotary table grinding machines. When it comes to using Face grinding machines, cylinder grinding wheels and segments are the grinding media of choice.

Some of the machines are specifically designed for grinding intricate small workpieces, and others are for heavy machining of large workpieces such as forgings, castings, or long flat parts such as guillotine blades.

Most surface grinding machines make use of magnetic chucks to ensure that the workpiece is kept in place while the surface is ground to high precision. Every time a workpiece is ground and removed from the magnetic chuck or table it needs to be cleaned properly to ensure that no debris is left behind to obscure the new workpiece lying flat on the surface grinder’s table. Our Andor combination oil stone is the perfect tool for this application to ensure a perfectly smooth surface without any burrs.

When choosing your grinding media, certain factors need to be considered. Apart from the type of surface grinder, its power, speed, and condition, the workpiece’s properties also contribute to making the right choice e.g.  the material and hardness of the workpiece, the overall dimensions, the amount of stock removal required, and the desired finish are all important elements that play a fundamental role.

Another crucial factor, frequently overlooked, is the grinding fluid and its concentration as it is required to cool the workpiece during the grinding application, making sure the debris is washed away and the wheel is kept clean and open whilst in operation. Coolant that is not used with the correct percentage mixture or pH level can have severe consequences on the performance of the grinding wheel, either causing the wheel to clog up or not rendering the desired surface finish.

Once all the above factors have been considered, a grinding media can be specified.

Grain types are specifically designed for applications on various substrates ranging from mild steel, to abrasive resistant and extremely hard to ground materials. The correct combination of grain type, grain size, hardness, structure, and bond type will ensure that the workpiece is ground to the desired tolerance and finished in the shortest amount of time, saving on operational costs. Grinding media is manufactured from various abrasive grains, including white Aluminum oxide, which is the most pure and friable grain perfectly suited to hard metals where a cool grind is required with minimal burn. Ceramic grain is known for high stock removal rates on hardened materials and will produce an even cooler grind than Aluminum oxide. Producing class leading Andor surface grinding media, needs class leading bonding systems. These bonding systems, whether vitrified or resin, are extremely important as it is the glue that keeps everything in place. Even the best grinding wheel with the best possible grain on the market, needs a high-quality bonding system. Our proven Andor bonding systems coupled with ceramic grain works optimally to ensure the grain is kept in place long enough and is released by the bonding system just in time before it becomes too blunt, thereby producing the next sharp grain to continue with the grinding application. Not only does this ensure high stock removal rates, but it also ensures increased longevity throughout our Andor range. 

Our Andor premium surface grinding range is suited to all these applications and more. We are able to produce surface grinding wheels in sizes ranging from 150mm up to 750mm in outside diameter. All our grinding wheels are manufactured to OSA, ISO 9001, and EN quality standards, which ensure both safe and quality products.

Our Andor grinding media is finished with the latest finishing methods,  specifically designed to machine grinding wheels to the desired dimensions and international tolerances.

As a specialised abrasive manufacturer, we are able to assist with a custom precision grinding solution to any application. For more information, or assistance, contact our Business Development Team.

For more information contact us: 011 271 6400 | info@grindtech.com | www.grindtech.com.

Your partner in abrasive solutions for the Construction Industry

The South African construction industry is multi-faceted and complex. With projects ranging from large scale green energy installations, to smaller at home DIY and general maintenance projects, it can be further classified into buildings, infrastructure and industrial construction. With the advancement of science and technology, we are seeing improved materials being utilised, as well as new composite and hybrid materials. According to various sources, the construction industry is projected to grow by 4% to 6% in the short term and by only 1% to 2% over the next 3 to 5 years.

gt_blog_image

The construction industry has come a long way from the Stone Age, where buildings were first built from wood, mud or rocks that were simply packed on top of each other. While these materials are still very popular in a much-updated guise (granted, that they have improved significantly in quality and usage), newer, more advanced techniques and materials are becoming much more prevalent. Hybrid materials are now being used in electronics, mechanics, energy conversion and storage as well as self-healing coatings for corrosion control paints. Hybrid construction methods also involve utilising multiple material types (such as wood, steel, glass) in new and unique ways. Composite materials provide several benefits (depending on the project requirement), such as a higher strength to weight ratio. Ceramic, carbon, and polymer composites are becoming very popular in the green energy generation, aircraft and aerospace, civil and general construction, as well as automotive industries.

Considering that the construction industry employs in the region of 8% of the South African workforce, the need for products offering “Value for Money” has become more important than ever before. The focus on occupational health and safety is now more than ever in the spotlight, which highlights the need for correct product selection to ensure a safe working environment.
The general lack of infrastructure projects, long process of contracts being approved and awarded, and pandemic induced factors means that more value is now required out of previously over-looked costs – consumables such as abrasives being an example. It is easy to find an abrasive product, but the question to ask is what kind of result is required.

Grinding Techniques, as a local manufacturer and supplier of premium abrasive solutions, is at the forefront of product development suited to these changing conditions. Constant testing and development are required to ensure that these new age materials are processed within the required tolerances and at an economical rate. Ceramic grains and super abrasives (diamond and CBN) are becoming the popular choice, but proper training and education is required to ensure that operators understand the differences, and correct, safe usages of these products. The loss of skilled workers over the years has seen a higher percentage of unskilled workers operating on construction projects. Grinding Techniques attempts to mitigate some of this risk by also offering training programs at retail and informal market levels.

Grinding Techniques manufactures true “Value for Money” abrasives that are tailored to optimise any construction project. The Superflex Professional range of cutting and grinding discs will help to reduce material wastage, reduce overall working time, and provide a better finished product. Superflex and Andor diamond saw blades are optimised for construction material applications. Ceramic coated abrasive products (such as sanding discs and belts) for Stainless Steels and other difficult to work materials, provide superior results.

The introduction of cordless Power tools on construction sites have brought about new dynamic in cutting and grinding, in that we now see a much higher percentage of cordless tools being used on construction sites, abrasive products also need to be optimised to retain the best possible balance of performance for these machines and this is where Grinding Techniques can assist you in selecting the correct abrasive product for your application.

We have, of late, seen a big shift towards renewable energy and energy saving projects in South Africa and across the world. Using abrasive products that reduce operating time, speed up processes and reduce waste will go a long way to assistin the greening process of the construction industry. It may only be a small part to play, but the sum of all small changes can and will add up to a major shift in the right direction.

Grinding Techniques is equipped to assist in every phase of a construction project to ensure that product selection is optimised to meet these goals.

Contact our Business Development team today for a premium solution to your construction application.

For more information contact us: 011 271 6400 | info@grindtech.com | www.grindtech.com.