Postgrinding

Postgrinding refers to finishing operations that are performed after an initial grinding pass in order to improve surface quality, dimensional accuracy, or remove defects left by the primary grinding process. The goal is to achieve tighter tolerances, lower surface roughness, and reduced subsurface damage, enabling parts to meet specification without extensive rework.

Applications and scope

Postgrinding is used across metal, ceramic, glass, and composite manufacturing. It is common when the initial grinding leaves micro-cracking, burrs, waviness, or edge-relief that must be eliminated for functional or cosmetic reasons. In precision components such as gears, cutters, molds, optical elements, and medical implants, postgrinding often follows rough grinding to achieve final surface finish and geometry.

Process characteristics

Postgrinding typically employs finer abrasives, lighter cutting action, and slower feed rates than primary grinding. It may be combined with lapping, honing, polishing, or diamond slurry polishing to reach very low surface roughness and tight tolerances. The process is usually planned with measurement steps, using surface profilometry, roughness meters, or coordinate measuring machines to verify Ra, flatness, roundness, and contour.

Equipment and materials

Common equipment includes fine-grinding machines, lapping and honing units, polishing stations, and slurry or paste-based finishing systems. Materials processed include steels, alloys, ceramics, and glass, with diamond or CBN abrasives frequently used for the final finishing stages.

Quality and considerations

Key considerations are achieving target surface finish, controlling subsurface damage, maintaining dimensional accuracy, and managing process time and cost. Safety and environmental controls address dust, coolant use, and appropriate protective equipment.

See also

Grinding, finishing, lapping, polishing, superfinishing.