Grinding Machine Usage and Maintenance Guide

I. Use and Maintenance of General Purpose Grinding Machines

The following points must be noted when using general purpose grinding machines:

1) Ensure sufficient and normal lubrication of all parts, especially the grinding wheel spindle bearings. After starting the machine, check through the oil window. The viscosity of the lubricating oil should strictly follow the specifications in the lubrication chart.

2) When starting the grinding wheel spindle, it should be turned on and off several times to prevent solid friction due to lack of oil film formation at initial startup, which would increase bearing wear.

3) For quick advancement and retraction of the wheel head during internal grinding, the handle 1 can be locked in the forward position by tightening screw 2 underneath, preventing the handle from moving back and forth, as shown in Figure 1.

1—Handle
2—Screw

4) Before starting the oil pump, to avoid violent impact due to lack of oil in the wheel head hydraulic cylinder, manually push the wheel head to the furthest end and place the quick advance and retract handle in the retract position before starting the pump.

5) When retracting the grinding wheel to measure the workpiece during grinding, after the wheel head is retracted, the crossfeed handwheel should be rotated half a turn in the opposite direction to prevent malfunction when restarting the grinding wheel.

6) Do not arbitrarily change the oil pressure of the hydraulic system.

7) Before shutting down at the end of the shift, run the grinding wheel idle (without coolant supply) for a period of time to spin off absorbed coolant and avoid wheel imbalance.

8) Before using the machine, first read the instruction manual to understand the machine structure, then proceed with actual operation. The main maintenance tasks for the machine include:

• Clean the coolant tank at least once a month before adding new coolant.
• Clean the hydraulic system oil tank every 3-6 months.
• After work, wipe clean all parts of the machine to prevent rusting.
• Replace the lubricating oil in the wheel head housing or its lubricating oil tank monthly.
• Each shift should operate the worktable start/stop handle several times to ensure full lubrication of the worktable guide by the hydraulic lubrication pump (no less than 4-6 full strokes each time).
• Thoroughly clean all parts of the machine at the end of the week, and apply rust preventive oil or lubricating oil to machined surfaces.
• Unplug the machine’s power cord at the end of the week.

9) When starting a new machine for the first time or restarting after a long period of inactivity, repeatedly move the worktable reversing handle to prevent it from breaking due to rapid impact of the worktable.

II. Use and Maintenance of CNC Grinding Machines

1. Precautions

1) Operators must be familiar with the machine’s performance, functions of various handles and knobs, precautions, usage methods, and maintenance before starting the machine.

2) In case of an accident, immediately press the red emergency stop button or the red grinding wheel retract button.

3) When starting the grinding wheel spindle, observe the surroundings to ensure there is no possibility of collision.

4) When installing the grinding wheel, ensure that the balancing block screws, wheel locking screws on the spindle, wheel guard, drive belt cover, and motor plate screws are all tightened.

5) When fuses blow, they must be replaced with new fuses of the same rated current. Never arbitrarily increase the amperage.

6) Before stopping the machine, first close the gate valve, then stop the water pump, and after a while, stop the grinding wheel rotation.

2. Cleaning the Machine

1) With careful maintenance, the machine’s precision can be preserved for a long time.

2) The machine’s exterior should be carefully wiped daily, especially polished or buffed areas, to prevent corrosion from coolant.

3) Wax the painted surfaces once a week and apply oil to machined surfaces.

4) Before installing any device on the worktable (such as mounting a center on the headstock, inserting a center into the tailstock sleeve, or mounting a wheel on the spindle), carefully clean the contact surfaces.

5) Clean the settling tank on the coolant tank at least once a week, and change the water in the coolant tank monthly, wiping it clean.

3. Checking the Lubrication of the Worktable and Saddle During Use

Move the worktable or wheel head to one end, open the protective plates or covers to expose the guide ways, and check for the presence of an oil film on the machine’s guide surfaces. In case of malfunction, clean the entire lubrication pipeline from the oil tank.

4. Regular Maintenance of CNC Ball Screws

Monthly, when changing to a new grinding wheel, after removing the wheel, manually operate each CNC servo axis for 10 full strokes to ensure regular lubrication of the ball screws and extend their service life.

For users operating single shifts daily (251 working days/year), replenish lithium-based grease to the ball screw nuts annually. For those operating double shifts daily (251 working days/year), replenish every six months.

For users operating single shifts daily (360 working days/year), replenish lithium-based grease to the ball screw nuts every 3 quarters. For those operating three shifts daily (360 working days/year), replenish quarterly.