O.D. centerless grinding machine
View Patent ↗In one aspect of the present invention, an outer diameter (O.D.) centerless grinding machine for use in grinding a diamond workpiece has a grinding wheel positioned parallel to a regulating wheel which is adapted to press a cylindrical workpiece into the grinding wheel as the regulating wheel rotates. Electronic equipment may be adapted to adjust a pressure of the regulating wheel against the grinding wheel. Also, a carrier may be adapted to house the workpiece, the carrier being attached to a translation mechanism adapted to move the carrier between the wheels such that the workpiece is in contact with both wheels.
1. A method for grinding an outer diameter of a diamond workpiece, comprising the steps of:
providing a grinding wheel adapted to support a workpiece and being parallel to a regulating wheel;
moving a workpiece supported by a carrier between the wheels while the wheels are rotating;
applying a force to the workpiece from the regulating wheel such that the workpiece is in contact with both wheels, sensing an operating condition;
loading the sensed condition into an input field of a closed loop system;
adjusting a parameter in response to the sensed condition; and
wherein moving the workpiece is accomplished by a translation mechanism.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensed condition is a material hardness, wheel torque, heat, pressure, time of operation, vibration, workpiece dimensions or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter is pressure, wheel speed, or a combination thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the workpiece is accomplished by a translation mechanism.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the translation mechanism is bi-directional.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is attached to the translation mechanism by an arm.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the translation mechanism is driven by a motor.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the translation mechanism is driven by a chain.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the translation mechanism is driven by a hydraulic circuit.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grinding wheel comprises a larger diameter than the regulating wheel.
11. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the machine comprises a sensor adapted to measure a dimension of the workpiece.
12. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the carrier houses a plurality of workpieces.
13. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the grinding wheel is adapted to rotate faster than the regulating wheel.
14. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the grinding machine comprises a loader apparatus adapted to load a plurality of carrier.
15. The machine of claim 14 , wherein the loader apparatus comprises a plurality of carriers.
16. The machine of claim 14 , wherein the loader apparatus is adapted to unload and sort the carriers.