Newbie w/ Workpiece issue

I am extremely new to machining of any kind.

I am running a part now that regularly comes out messed up. It has to then be sent to "manual grind" to be finished. Both the immediate super. and office guy have no issues with this. I believe they are wrong and that the grinder should be doing it's own job.

The piece comes out in tolerance but with guage variations at the top end, middle, and bottom end. The messed up pieces have some material that was not removed.

The regulating wheel looks horrible. At least to me, and in my limited knowledge I suggested that it be resurfaced (trued), or whatever that may be. The regulating wheel has some grooves in the middle, and also the outer facing edge looks like little stairs.

I am working on a Cincinnati Milacron Centerless Grinder. (Photo of Serial number for identification is attached)



Up close problem area



Regular size photo



The middle is higher than the ends. They are still within tolerance, but...

I need to know if I am crazy or not.

Both of my immediate supervisors believe that "this is just the way it is". One told me that during the forge process "underswell" is created and that's why this is happening. I would have thought that by using the centerless grinder that this would even everything out. Plus, how can it be consistently in the same area, it's not completely around the diameter of the piece.

My co-worker who is manually fixing them has said that it's normal and not my fault.

So my question is this...

Should I just leave this alone and proceed as instructed, or figure it out myself? (or with some help from people here)

I am generally interested in keeping this job and hope to learn as much as I can about OD Grinding.

Thank you in advance for any replies.

Edit: The workblade is chipped in places on the edge. Not sure if this matters or not.

Krash, To summarize the issue, you have been tasked to run a grinder for which you have no experience nor training. The bosses seem deaf to your concerns, and the other employee's seem to just go with the flow, in other words deaf and brain dead.

Two choices I see, begin with getting your resume together, you will need a new job at some point, as a company like this can not likely grow with atitudes like these.
1. look at you-tube vid's showing operations of centerless grinders. Look at papers written on the subject. You may have peer issues if you share what you plan to learn, suggest silence, just do as you learn. Someone will notice at some point, share carefully.

2. Just continue doing as told, poor work is its own reward. Find a new job

Good Luck

Toms Wheels said:

Krash, To summarize the issue, you have been tasked to run a grinder for which you have no experience nor training. The bosses seem deaf to your concerns, and the other employee's seem to just go with the flow, in other words deaf and brain dead.

Two choices I see, begin with getting your resume together, you will need a new job at some point, as a company like this can not likely grow with atitudes like these.
1. look at you-tube vid's showing operations of centerless grinders. Look at papers written on the subject. You may have peer issues if you share what you plan to learn, suggest silence, just do as you learn. Someone will notice at some point, share carefully.

2. Just continue doing as told, poor work is its own reward. Find a new job

Good Luck

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply. Your summary is correct. This is an entry level position. I do enjoy the idea of learning as much as possible. I would like to say that I could go somewhere else, but... that's not possible yet.

I get the idea that a lot of people use this company as a stepping stone. As it is only a four minute drive from home for me, I would like to advance and stay here.

I've been reading everything that I can find on Google about Centerless Grinding and have considered enrolling in ToolingU. The thought now seems absurd considering that I have been running a Centerless Grinder for only three days.

On the plus side I did work today, by myself, so I was able to dress/true the regulating wheel that I thought was a problem. I was working a different part and machine so there was no downtime. We will see Monday if that has indeed corrected the issue.

Maybe I am wrong and the issue truly does lie in another process before OD Grind. Time will tell. I am already getting the idea that I cannot "think for myself"... yet.

Dave (krash86.7)

It looks like the parts are bent when you get them. They look like a banana shape. The centerless grinder will try to straighten the part and that is why it looks like that on the end. Take a part and put it between some V-blocks and see if it is bent. How much will they let you do to the machine to get the part working right? Let me know the part size, grinding,reg wheel diameter and I and tell you what to set the center height of the part to. Also since you are plunging the part make sure the reg wheel is set to zero and the dresser is set to zero also. Good luck

Donovan

Donovan said:

It looks like the parts are bent when you get them. They look like a banana shape. The centerless grinder will try to straighten the part and that is why it looks like that on the end. Take a part and put it between some V-blocks and see if it is bent. How much will they let you do to the machine to get the part working right? Let me know the part size, grinding,reg wheel diameter and I and tell you what to set the center height of the part to. Also since you are plunging the part make sure the reg wheel is set to zero and the dresser is set to zero also. Good luck

Donovan

Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply.

I will do my best to get this information. So far I work alone on Tuesday and Saturday, so tomorrow seems like the best day to figure this out.

I am not sure how much of a task it will be to set center. I pretty much have unrestricted access to the front of the machine, but opening it, or going behind to do anything will raise flags. I am not worried about it too much, but in theory I could not possibly know what I am doing to need to change anything.

I did dress the regulating wheel on Saturday. It turns out that the angle was not set and the machine regulating wheel had to be adjusted today as I could not hold tolerance throughout the piece.

Since being put on the plunge I have been reading everything possible about plunge grinding and how to do it right.

Thank you,

Dave

Sounds like you are working in the wrong place.They are just looking for buton pushers.Seek out a higher class shop with an apprentice program.