Fine grinding in materialograpy – definition and basics

The materialographic grinding process consists of two distinct phases: plane grinding and fine grinding. Coarse-grained grinding paper with high removal rates is used for the plane grinding step in which deformations and irregularities from the cutting process are removed. When samples of different quality and condition are processed, plane grinding provides the uniform condition required for fine grinding. During fine grinding as well as plane grinding, material is chipped away from the sample while during fine grinding less material is removed than during plane grinding. Fine grinding serves to prepare the samples for the subsequent polishing step. The better the result of the fine grinding process, the less effort is required for polishing. Minor damages which remain after fine grinding can easily be removed by polishing. As opposed to polishing and lapping, no loose abrasives are used during fine grinding.

Optimal materialographic fine grinding with SCAN-DIA

The materialographic grinding process should be an economical process which provides best possible results. The pre-grinding and fine grinding processes build on one another. Therefore, materials and machines used for this steps should be matched. The SCAN-DIA range of Grinding and Polishing Machines, Abrasives and Consumables allows for efficient and economical pre-grinding and fine grinding. The final polishing step can be performed automatically using the same devices. The different designs of the SCANDIMATIC Series 33 and 37 satisfy various requirements. Small sample throughputs can be handled as economically as large sample throughputs with samples of different sizes. Moreover, the range of abrasives is particularly wide. SCAN-DIA SiC Wet Grinding Paper (silicon carbide) is perfectly suited for economic fine grinding for materialographic applications. The grinding paper is available in finely graduated grains and can thus be precisely adapted to the respective material and the desired removal rate. The self-adhesive grinding paper as well as the non-adhesive type for fine grinding are available in three different dimensions (Ø 200 mm, Ø 250 mm, Ø 300 mm).