Kemet's System for Bore Finishing Provides a Highly Polished Result

Kemet International Ltd is a world leader in precision finishing and has developed a system that guarantees extreme accuracy in production bore finishing. Their system consists of an extensive range of Helilaps and accessories combined with their ISO 9001 quality diamond compound.

The Kemet Helilaps (1) are manufactured from lapping quality, close-grained, grey cast iron, and feature a unique helical slot and tapered bore. When slipped over a high-tensile, hardened, ground steel arbor (2) and tapped gently with a lap expander (3), the Helilaps diametrically expand along the entire length of the lap. The resulting uniform points of contact around the circumference along the length of the whole lap ensure concentricity and parallelism to be maintained to extremely fine tolerances.

The Helilaps are an important tool for achieving a highly polished finish, particularly when used in combination with Kemet diamond compounds. These compounds are made with closely graded, virgin diamond powder and high purity chemicals, ensuring consistent performance and quality.

The external circumferential grooves in the Helilaps make it easier to apply the diamond compound and remove stock. This leads to a fast lapping action, which is ideal for correcting any dimensional or surface defects. When used with Kemet lubricating fluid and 14 micron diamond compound, Helilaps can provide a silky matt finish of around 0.08 μm Ra on steel.

For an even more polished finish, a second stage using 3 micron diamond compound can be applied using the Helilap. This can achieve a finish exceeding 0.03 μm Ra, which is highly desirable in precision bore finishing applications.

Overall, the combination of the Helilaps and Kemet diamond compounds provides a powerful solution for achieving high-quality finishes. For those seeking more information or advice on precision bore finishing, Kemet is available as a helpful resource.