Lapping & Polishing Steel - Case Study
Test Requirements:To recommend the shortest process needed to lap and polish a steel sample.
Component/Material: 1 x steel sample.
Process for polishing Steel components
The Kemet Iron lapping stage is a fast method to produce a flat and evenly graded surface; and by following this with an ASFL-AW silk polishing stage, no other lapping plate is needed. The cloths are simply fixed using a self adhesive backing to the Kemet Iron plate once parts are ready for polishing.
Results: After polishing our sample showed an Ra 0.003
| Process Breakdown | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage | Plate/cloth type | Abrasive type/grade | Process time |
| 1 Lap | Kemet Iron | Type K Standard Diamond slurry | 15 minutes |
| 2 Polish | ASFL-AW silk polishing pad | Type K Standard Diamond slurry | 10 minutes |
Before Lapping Steel
After Lapping Steel
After Polishing Steel
Test Requirements: To produce a mirror polish on Steel components.
Component/Material: 6 off 80mm x 115mm Steel Plates.
Process for producing mirror finish to Steel
We used a combination of conventional lapping for stage 1, followed by diamond polishing for stage 2. Both processes could be performed on a single Kemet 24 Diamond Lapping machine.
| Process Breakdown | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage | Plate/cloth type | Abrasive type/grade | Process time |
| 1 Lap | Cast Iron | Kemox O-800S | 15 minutes |
| 2 Polish | ASFL polishing pad | Type K Standard Diamond slurry | 12 minutes |
Steel plate before lapping
Steel plate after lapping
Steel plate after Polishing
Test Requirements:To lap steel Flow Volume Disc and Ceramic Air Flow Disc to Drg. Both Ra 0.5-1µinch, Flatness 1-5µinch.
Component/Material: 10 x Zirconia Ceramic discs Air flow discs and 10 x 303sst steel flow volume discs.
Process for polishing Steel & Zirconia Ceramic
Machine Type: Kemet 15” diamond lapping/polishing machine
Lap Plate: Kemet Copper
Abrasive Type/Grade: Kemet Diamond Slurry Type K 6 micron Standard
Additional Pressure: 1 x 4Kg hand weight for steel parts. 2 x 4 Kg hand weights for Zirconia parts.
| Process Breakdown | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Component | Plate/cloth type | Abrasive type/grade | Process time |
| Zirconia | Kemet Copper | Type K Standard Diamond slurry | 12 minutes |
| SS303 | Kemet Copper | Type K Standard Diamond slurry | 10-25 minutes |
Comments: Both types of parts were processed using a Kemet Copper plate and Kemet Liquid diamond Type K 6 Micron standard. We have produced a process to suit both parts with no need to change the machine set-up when changing from 1 part to another.
Results: Both parts were lapped to generate the surface finish Ra target values. The recommended process successfully meets the Ra requirements. The flatness results show the Kemet process has improved the flatness of the Zirconia pieces, and generated the same finished value on the Steel parts.
| Part | Flatness before | Flatness after | Ra produced by Kemet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Flow Disc Ceramic | 52µinch | 11.6µinch | 0.275µinch |
| Flow Volume Disc 303sst | Machined | 11.6µinch | 0.525µinch |
Flow Volume Disc after polishing
Air Flow Disc before polishing
Air Flow Disc after polishing
Test Requirements: To remove 0.25mm from steel rail part and then mirror polish
Component/Material: 6 off 80mm x 115mm Steel Plates.
Comments: It took 90 mins to remove 0.25mm material
| Process Breakdown | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage | Plate/cloth type | Abrasive type/grade | Process time |
| 1 Lap | Kemet Iron | Type K Standard Diamond slurry | 90 minutes |
| 2 Polish | ASFL polishing pad | Type K Standard Diamond slurry | 20 minutes |
Before lapping Steel part
After lapping Steel part
