Keeping employees safe is a key initiative of manufacturing facilities. From minor slips and falls to more serious injuries, centerless grinding machine operators must be taught and reminded daily that machine tool safety is of prime importance. Read the safety guidelines below related to grinding wheels and share them with veteran and rookie centerless grinding machine users.
Always make sure to thoroughly read and understand your entire machine manual before operating your machine.
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- Immediately upon receipt of grinding wheels:
- Closely inspect to be sure they have not been damaged in transit.
- Test vitrified wheels for cracks by suspending the wheel and tapping the periphery of the wheel lightly with a non-metallic implement.
- An undamaged wheel will emit a clear metallic ring.
- Resinoid and other organic bonded wheels will not “ring” and must be given a careful visual inspection before use.
- Wheels must be dry and free from sawdust when applying this test.
- Note that organic bonded wheels do not emit the same clear metallic ring as do vitrified and silicate wheels.
- Do not use wheels of a larger diameter or a greater thickness than specified for this machine.
- Do not force a wheel onto the mount, or alter the size of the mounting hole.
- Be sure the wheel guard cover is properly placed and securely fastened before starting the grinding wheel spindle.
- Do not lean over the top of a grinding wheel whenever the spindle is started.
- New wheels should be run at full operating speed for at least one minute before applying the work.
- During this time, the operator should stand to one side away from the wheel’s plane of rotation.
- Do not invite trouble by feeling the face of either the regulating or grinding wheel with the finger in an effort to determine the smoothness of the wheel.
- Always use a short length of dowel stick or a strip of wood to push the parts between the wheels, rather than the finger. Never use a metallic object for this purpose.
- Never exceed the maximum operating speed of a grinding wheel.
- Grinding wheels are clearly marked with a maximum operating speed. This marking appears on the side of the wheel, or on the blotter attached to the wheel. This marking tells, in revolutions per minute, the maximum speed at which the grinding wheel may operate at its maximum diameter.
