If you’re in the business of polishing, grinding down, or flattening materials out, you know the importance of a perfect finished product. You need the equipment that can provide stellar work each time, every time. Whether you’re producing lenses for optical wear or you’re an industrial engineer, you’re counting on your materials to be up to par with their customers’ needs. Perfectly polished metal or optical glass has to come out right each time it’s made. So how do you get great results 100% of the time? The answer is of course, technology. Thanks to specific machines, called lapping machines, you can get the perfect results each time you use them, whether you’re making lenses for optical use or creating polished metal for buildings.
What Are Lapping Machines?
Lapping itself is a type of machining process. An abrasive gets sandwiched between two surfaces (glass, metal, etc.,) that are then rubbed together, either by hand or a machine. If you use a machine, it’s known as a lapping machine. They often use diamonds as a way to grind down materials, since diamonds are one of the hardest materials available. The lapping machine is designed to have high down-pressure or down-force (this means 5 psi or above) and a strong drive system that can handle the high-down pressure. It also has a variable speed drive that is capable of top-end RPM. This lets the lapping machine have the full benefit of the diamond’s hardness.
What Kind of Lapping Machines Are Available For Use?
Lapping machines can have a range of sizes — anything from a lapping table unit to having 72 inch plate configurations. They can be either a single side lapping machine or a double side lapping machine. A double side lapping machine can often create a thinner product, due to its increased abrasive quality. Double side lapping machines that are easy to use and controlled by hand can be purchased in sizes that process materials as thin as .002” or up to 20” in diameter.
Why Use Lapping Machines?
To get the best finish or ultimate flatness, diamond lapping has proved invaluable. Reports state that diamond lapping is the best for ceramic machining or for undertaking finishing projects that need edge-to-edge flatness. It’s a more successful solution than using regular abrasives — it can even go so far as to get rid of the hand-polishing step and saves time and money by cutting down on waste and cleaning. Lapping machines can also use lapping jigs to work with very small parts (from a few millimeters to 3”). The jig holds the material in place while its being worked on and gives the user exact control of how the piece is positioned under the lapping plate. With a lapping machine, users can get exact flatness and better results for their materials and even save on time, energy, and waste.
For superior results and increased success in your business, you should consider investing in lapping machines. You’re sure to see results that amaze you and that you didn’t even know you could produce! Try it today!
