Why is it important for a grinding wheel to be in balance?

An out of balance grinding wheel will result in inferior quality parts. A balanced grinding wheel will produce high quality parts with smooth, true surfaces. With the trend toward increased rotational speed of grinder spindles, it is essential that grinding wheels are in balance. A grinding wheel that is out of balance will have greater vibration and instability and result in uneven surfaces on the parts.

What are some of the problems caused by an imbalanced grinding wheel?

  • Rough and out of round parts
  • Inferior quality parts
  • Defective parts
  • Excessive vibration and chatter
  • Machine instability
  • Uneven wear on grinding wheels
  • Grinding wheels wearing out too fast
  • Higher cost of grinding machine maintenance
  • Grinder spindle wearing out too quickly
  • More vibration with increased speed of rotation

What are the benefits of a properly balanced grinding wheel?

  • High quality parts
  • Smooth, true surfaces
  • Fewer defective parts
  • Improved customer satisfaction
  • Lower machine maintenance costs
  • Grinding wheels and spindles last longer
  • Improved stability of grinder
  • Less vibration even at higher speeds