Centerless Grinder Uses Single-Disk CVD Roller with CNC Dressing

Glebar’s GT 610 CNC centerless grinder is designed to improve the development process of fuel injector nozzle valves, said to reduce tooling costs, lower inventory levels and increase integration of prototyping technology for new components. According to the company, the centerless grinding process for manufacturing a fuel injector nozzle valve can sometimes incorporate as many as 20 critical dimensions, all of which need to be centerless ground. The company says Glebar’s process increases efficiency by using a single disk CVD dress roller as part of its grinding system with the full CNC work wheel dressing.

The system runs on the company’s GT 610 CNC machine platform for sub-micron positional accuracy, enabling intricate forms to be dressed into the work wheel to generate critical dimensions required of the fuel injector nozzle. By utilizing a single disk roller, multiple profiles can be generated using one roller, eliminating the need for a reverse-plated roller for each profile. According to the company, lead times for fuel injector nozzle valves can take upwards of 16 weeks to complete due to lead times of a reverse-plated dressing wheel that can be an accurate but expensive tooling cost. While utilizing a reverse-plated wheel is often ideal, the company says, using a single disk CVD roller with CNC dressing is said to expedite a proof of concept and reduce development costs.

Features also include the company’s P4K non-contact measurement system for essential setup and tool inspection. Adjustments are made by feeding back radii, steps, diameters and angle measurement to automatically adjust the wheel shape via the CNC dressing system. The utilization of the off-line gage is said to eliminate trace-measurement systems as well as optical comparators. According to the company, all of the interface software is custom-made internally, providing feedback to the machine for infinite wheel shapes.