Automated system for precision grinding of feedstock

1. A grinding system comprising:

a collet assembly that selectively grips and releases feedstock to be ground;

a motor assembly that transports the collet assembly;

a grinding apparatus that grinds the feedstock;

a support assembly having a horizontal surface for supporting the feedstock during grinding and a vertical surface with elongate grooves formed therein; and

a controller operatively coupled to at least the collet assembly and the motor assembly, the controller including a microprocessor and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program of computer-readable instructions for controlling at least the collet assembly and the motor assembly,

wherein, when the program of computer-readable instructions is executed by the microprocessor, the controller electronically controls grip and release operations of the collet assembly and a transport operation of the motor assembly without monitoring a trailing endpoint of the feedstock, and

wherein the controller determines and controls a grinding position of the feedstock by controlling a sequence of grip and release operations of the collet assembly in coordination with a series of transport operations of the motor assembly.

2. A grinding system according to claim 1 , wherein the collet assembly includes first and second collet units.

3. A grinding system according to claim 2 , wherein the transport operation controlled by the controller includes first and second transport routines corresponding to the first and second collet units, respectively.

4. A grinding system according to claim 3 , wherein the controller electronically controls the transport operation of the motor assembly to move the first collet unit independently of the second collet unit.

5. A grinding system according to claim 4 , wherein the controller electronically controls the motor assembly to move the first collet unit and the second collet unit in a forward direction or in a backward direction independently of each other.

6. A grinding system according to claim 1 , wherein the collet assembly rotates the feedstock along an axis thereof.

7. A grinding system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller electronically controls a feed rate of the feedstock during grinding thereof.

8. A grinding system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller electronically controls a grinding operation of the grinding apparatus.

9. A grinding system according to claim 8 , wherein the controller electronically controls the grip and release operations of the collet assembly, the transport operation of the motor assembly, and the grinding operation of the grinding apparatus to continuously grind the feedstock into a chain that includes a plurality of ground articles.

10. A grinding system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller electronically controls the motor assembly to transport the collet assembly in a forward direction or in a backward direction.

11. A grinding system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller electronically controls a diameter to which the feedstock is ground.

12. A grinding system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller electronically controls a longitudinal profile to which the feedstock is ground, such that the feedstock has a diameter that varies along the longitudinal profile.

13. A grinding system comprising:

grinding means for grinding feedstock;

support means for supporting the feedstock during grinding;

gripping means for selectively gripping and releasing the feedstock;

transport means for transporting the gripping means; and

a controller operatively coupled to at least the gripping means and the transport means, the controller including a microprocessor and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program of computer-readable instructions for controlling at least the gripping means and the transport assembly,

wherein, when the program of computer-readable instructions is executed by the microprocessor, the controller electronically controls grip and release operations of the gripping means and a transport operation of the transport means without monitoring a trailing endpoint of the feedstock, and

wherein the controller determines and controls a grinding position of the feedstock by controlling a sequence of grip and release operations of the gripping means in coordination with a series of transport operations of the transport means.

14. A grinding system according to claim 13 , wherein the gripping means includes first and second grippers.

15. A grinding system according to claim 14 , wherein the controller electronically controls the transport operation of the transport means to move the first gripper independently of the second gripper.

16. A grinding system according to claim 14 , wherein the controller electronically controls the transport means to move the first gripper and the second gripper in a forward direction or in a backward direction independently of each other.

17. A grinding system according to claim 13 , wherein the gripping means rotates the feedstock along an axis thereof.

18. A grinding system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller electronically controls a feed rate of the feedstock during grinding thereof.

19. A grinding system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller electronically controls a grinding operation of the grinding means without monitoring a trailing endpoint of the feedstock.

20. A grinding system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller electronically controls a diameter to which the feedstock is ground.

21. A grinding system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller electronically controls a longitudinal profile to which the feedstock is ground, such that the feedstock has a diameter that varies along the longitudinal profile.