Grinding: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
AbrasiveFamily
+/-0.005mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
94Parts in finder
Grinding removes small amounts of material with an abrasive wheel to reach the tightest tolerances and best surface finish.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Hardened parts and bearing, sealing and gauge surfaces needing precision and finish.
Watch for
Slow stock removal and higher cost; usually a finishing step, not primary shaping.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Mount
Mount the part to the grinder/datum.
Tooling Fixture Tolerance - Lead -
Rough grind
Remove stock near size.
Tooling Grinder Tolerance - Lead -
Finish grind
Grind to final tolerance and finish.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Clean
Clean and demagnetise.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Check size and Ra.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
(hardened steels)
Ground after heat-treat
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Grinding. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Grinding every surface.Grind only fit/seal faces.
No wheel run-out relief.Add a relief groove.
Cost
What it costs
A finishing op for tight tolerance and fine finish; costed per feature onto the part. Tighter = slower.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$13 to 22per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
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Grinding removes small amounts of material with an abrasive wheel to reach the tightest tolerances and best surface finish. The typical route is: Mount; Rough grind; Finish grind; Clean; Inspect. Hardened parts and bearing, sealing and gauge surfaces needing precision and finish.
What does Grinding cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $13 to 22 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Grinding hold?
Typically about +/-0.005 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Grinding?
Common choices are (hardened steels) (Ground after heat-treat).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
