When you need to quickly remove material from a part, Blanchard grinding is one of the most effective methods to use. The name “Blanchard” is taken from the Blanchard Machine Company and has become synonymous with this method of grinding. It has specific uses in industry today and comes with numerous advantages. Here is more about the method and its importance to businesses today.
How Does Blanchard Grinding Work?
With many blanks used in industry today, it is possible to use a method known as double disk grinding. This is an effective way to remove a lot of material from the blank, two surfaces at the same time. This can cut the time it takes to grind down parts in half, creating a much more efficient operation.
Double disk grinding works very well, but these machines can only handle blanks or parts so large, so what happens when businesses have very large parts to grind? They turn to Blanchard grinding. In fact, this method can be used for parts are large as 4 feet by 7 feet and 5 feet by 6 feet. In addition, some machines are capable of grinding to tolerances as high as one thousandth of an inch.
Size Matters
When it comes to Blanchard grinding, size matters a great deal. For example, in order to handle very large grinding tasks, it takes a great deal more horsepower than normal grinding operations are equipped for. The grinding machine for this operation has the ability to grind equal amounts of material from two surfaces at once. This produces a part without a great deal of internal stress placed upon it, although the piece may need to be sent through the machine more than one time. Blanchard grinding is often used to create vacuum chambers, mold plates, rings, washers and rotary tables.
Benefits of Blanchard Grinding
• More efficient than flycutting (single point grinding)
• Fast turnaround time
• Can grind more than one part at one time
• High tolerance grinding
• Uniformity from part to part
Material Used in Blanchard Grinding
For some grinding, basic metals like iron and steel are the main materials. However, this method can be used on a wide range of materials. For example:
• Aluminum
• Copper
• Brass
• Stainless steel
• Titanium
• Plastics
Sheet, plate, bar and extrusions can also be ground, as well as castings, stampings and mold sets. This makes Blanchard grinding not only versatile, but a cost effective choice also.
