Honing / Lapping / Polishing: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
AbrasiveFamily
+/-0.001mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
41Parts in finder
Lapping and polishing rub the part against a tool with fine abrasive slurry to reach mirror finishes and sub-micron flatness.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Optical, sealing and metrology surfaces needing the finest finish and flatness.
Watch for
Very slow, finishing only, and removes very little stock.
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
Fixture the part flat.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Lap/hone
Slowly remove material to flatness/finish.
Tooling Lap Tolerance - Lead -
Clean
Clean thoroughly.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Measure
Measure flatness/Ra.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Final check.
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/precision parts)
n/a
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Honing / Lapping / Polishing. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Over-specifying finish.Set Ra to function.
Large area to lap.Minimise the lapped zone.
Cost
What it costs
Honing/lapping/polishing for the finest finish and flatness; slow and costly, use only where function needs it.
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.
$21 to 58per 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
A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
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How is a part made by Honing / Lapping / Polishing?
Lapping and polishing rub the part against a tool with fine abrasive slurry to reach mirror finishes and sub-micron flatness. The typical route is: Mount; Lap/hone; Clean; Measure; Inspect. Optical, sealing and metrology surfaces needing the finest finish and flatness.
What does Honing / Lapping / Polishing cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $21 to 58 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 Honing / Lapping / Polishing hold?
Typically about +/-0.001 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Honing / Lapping / Polishing?
Common choices are (hardened/precision parts) (n/a).
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.
