Photo courtesy United Grinding


Grinding


Minnesota Grinding is holding 50 millionths concentricity between nine diameters on this 16" shaft, using the Studer S33.


FROM ODD SHAPES TO SUPERHARD MATERIALS:


ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY


Precision grinding processes match tooling, parts requirements


Jim Lorincz Senior Editor


“I


f it uses grit and takes off material, we’re probably in it,” says Harlen Gibbs, operations manager, Minnesota Grind- ing (Crystal, MN), and he means that quite literally. If you add the word “true” to Gibbs’ characterization, you would be describing the precision machining possible with the lat- est advances in grinding technology. Minnesota Grinding’s


evolution from a small tool-grinding shop in 1959 to becoming a 42,000 ft² (3902-m²) precision-grinding job shop with high bays and overhead cranes for handling large workpieces, employing 35 across three shifts, isn’t an uncommon tale.


Minnesota Grinding’s customers cover nearly every industry from food pro- cessing to roofing manufacturers to medical, automotive, and aerospace. Typi-


May 2012 | www.sme.org/manufacturingengineering 59


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