Race Grinding

Race Grinding refers to the precision form grinding of outer and inner ball or roller bearing “Raceways” (usually referred to as the “Ball Track” and the “Roller Path”).

Wheels used for internal grinding of the raceway in the outer ring are normally Type 01 straight wheels with special faces formed to the contour of the raceway. Wheels range from approximately 1/2" to 6" in diameter. Thicknesses are determined by the width of the raceways, and are always specified decimally. One special application, called “Cross-Axis” grinding, involves grinding the inside diameter of large spherical roller bearing “outers.” This employs the use of the rim (outer edge) of a Type 06 Cup Wheel where the axis of the wheel is at 90° to the axis of the workpiece.

External grinding of the matching raceway in the “inners” is usually performed with wheel sizes ranging from 14" to 24" diameter. The wheel face thickness (specified decimally) is again determined by the width of the raceway. Type 01 straight wheels, or wheels with a hub on one side, are used with formed faces to suit the raceway form. Hubbed wheels are used where the required face thickness cannot be manufactured in a straight wheel, and/or where the grinder requires a certain minimum thickness for mounting.

Standard operating speeds are 6500 SFPM and 8500 SFPM, with special high production applications on high performance machines operating as high as 16000 SFPM on external grinders. Where speeds above 8500 SFPM are required, special speed approvals are necessary.

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Typical Machines