A new lapping machine has been introduced by Japanese grinding machine manufacturer, Okamoto, in which it is possible to achieve a mirror finish on any surface, including uneven profiles, in a three to five minute cycle. Sole UK agent is NCMT.

The system works best on hard materials, such as carbide tools. Form punches, dies, cutting punches and moulds, which until now had to be worked by hand, can now be lapped automatically. Improvement in the life of mills, drills and other cutting tools is reported and the process is suitable for polishing PVD (physical vapour deposition) and CVD (chemical vapour deposition) coatings.

Comparable in appearance to a sand blasting machine and used in a similar way, the Aero Lap is entirely different in its operation. It requires the component to have a good surface finish at the outset so that a mirror polish can be achieved.

The media are nothing like sand either. Instead, a high speed flow of what are essentially rubber balls, in a variety of sizes from 0.5mm to 2mm diameter, is directed at the workpiece. Coating the surface of the balls with the help of a liquid additive, is a diamond powder – 3-5µm in diameter or of an even smaller mesh size, according to application.

At the end of the process, a consistent finish is achieved on all surfaces, without altering their geometry. The equipment is convenient to use, as it operates using a normal compressed air supply, and there is only limited creation of dust and noise.

Model YT100 is for components up to 200mm by 200mm, while YT300 can accommodate 300mm by 300mm components.

NCMT
www.ncmt.co.uk