Supfina at Grindtec 2023: Efficient double face grinding

At Grindtec 2023, the focus of the Wolfach-based machine manufacturer Supfina will be on double side grinding. The focus will be on advice on all challenges relating to the process and the newly developed SDC system. With the latest generation of Supfina's Planet V machine series, the manufacturer aims to take double face grinding, also known as discus grinding, to a new level. In addition to the patented tilt navigation and visualization of the grinding process, the main focus is on SDC (Smart Dressing Cycle), with cost savings of up to 40 percent compared to conventional systems, according to the company. The extremely rigid machine bed enables grinding of steel, sintered metal, non-ferrous metal, plastic, ceramics and glass. Two powerful motors, depending on the tool configuration and material, achieve stock removal rates of over 1 mm with cycle times well below one second. In just one pass, the workpiece is machined with an average tolerance of plus/minus 0.003 mm.

In addition to classic throughfeed grinding, Supfina's Planet V machine series offers other process options. Pendulum grinding provides maximum uniform thickness by oscillating in the grinding gap and can eliminate the need for another fine grinding process in some applications. Another process option is multiple pass grinding, in which the components are passed through the grinding gap multiple times. This process helps to realize stock removal without additional handling in case of high stock removal. As a solution provider, Supfina does not start with machine development and production, but advises interested parties and customers on their individual challenges, validates quality parameters, and even conducts its own studies to develop the appropriate machining solution. Subsequent integration into existing production structures is taken into account, as is the incorporation of future-proof automation and IT infrastructure. In particular, the automation of loading and unloading through to robot-assisted process automation is currently a strong focus of demand. "Our customers are increasingly demanding sophisticated systems for their production processes," explains Dominik Maier, Business Unit Manager, "whether complex automation or upstream and downstream processing, we deliver the solution."