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Lapping is a machining process performed on a metal, ceramic or glass surface, to minimize its roughness. The exact definition given by dictionaries: ” Lapping is a machining process, in which two surfaces are rubbed together with an abrasive between them, by hand movement or by way of a machine. “.

In precision mechanics, lapping is performed on steel after the hardening treatment. This process is commonly carried out for molds for plastic materials, obtaining very shiny and transparent products. Lapping is also used for molds for the production of household items.

How does lapping work:

The first type of lapping,  usually called grinding, involves rubbing a brittle material such as glass against a surface such as iron or glass itself, known as the grinding tool, with an abrasive such as aluminum oxide, jeweller’s rouge, optician’s rouge, emery, silicon carbide, diamond, etc., between them. This produces microscopic conchoidal fractures as the abrasive rolls about between the two surfaces and removes material from both.

The other form of lapping involves a softer material such as pitch or a ceramic for the lap, which is “charged” with the abrasive. The lap is then used to cut a harder material—the workpiece. The abrasive embeds within the softer material, which holds it and permits it to score across and cut the harder material. Taken to a finer limit, this will produce a polished surface such as with a polishing cloth on an automobile, or a polishing cloth or polishing pitch upon glass or steel.

What is a lapping machine

The lapping machine is an industrial machine available in different shapes and sizes depending on the needs of use. The compact and portable lapping machines are used for lapping particularly small pieces, such as precision mechanisms and jewelery. Medium and large-sized lapping machines process pieces and surfaces of larger dimensions. The lapping machines can also be horizontal or vertical.

The operation of the lapping machine is based on a shaft placed inside the machine in which brushes are housed to work the surfaces of the pieces. The shaft acts by rotating around its own axis, exerting pressure on the workpiece so as to smooth out any irregularities and obtain the desired results.

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As a company we deal with the machining of mechanical parts that require a high standard of precision both in the design and construction phases. Contact us for more information.

commerciale@cpgrinding.eu

+39 035 940042

Metrology is the science that deals with measurement and its applications and includes all aspects, both theoretical and practical, of measurement, whatever the measurement uncertainty and field of application.

By “measurement” we mean the process of experimentally obtaining one or more values ​​that can reasonably be attributed to a quantity. In turn, a “quantity” is the property of a phenomenon, body or substance, which can be expressed quantitatively by means of a number and a reference.

What is a Metrology Lab

A Matrology Lab is an air-conditioned metrological room (https://www.cpgrinding.com/metrology-lab/) is an environment in which the predetermined thermal and hygrometric conditions are kept constant. In short, inside a metrological room the temperature and humidity cannot undergo any kind of variations.

The most common activities taking place inside a metrology lab are:

• Carrying out precision dimensional measurements
• Calibration of measuring instruments

this is because the measurement of products must take place in an environment with stable temperature and humidity in order to avoid that they undergo size and dimension variations.

Metrology Lab: features

In order to be able to guarantee the correct measurement and calibration of products, a metrology lab must meet specific characteristics.

The ISO / IEC 17025 standard, entitled “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”, expresses the need for the work areas of the laboratories to comply with the technical requirements established for the equipment and the performance of the activities. The UNI EN ISO 1: 2003 standard establishes that the reference temperature for the geometric specifications of the products must be 20 ° C.

A metrology lab must ensure that the thermal gradients, i.e. the spatial and temporal thermo-hygrometric variations, are reduced to a minimum, in order to prevent that the temperature deviates too much from 20 ° C.

Metrology Lab Equipment at CpGrinding

Our metrology lab (https://www.cpgrinding.com/metrology-lab/) is controlled at constant temperature and humidity for the control of very high precision measurements and it is equipped as follows:

• ZEISS three dimensional precision measuring centre, model UPMC 850 Carat
• TSK-C.ZEISS roundness measuring machine, model RONDCOM 60°
• TAYLOR HOBSON form and surface finish measuring machine, model Form Talysurf series 2
• ZEISS universal precision measuring centre, model ULM 600 Opal
• MAHR universal length measuring machine, model 828 Cim
• JOINT microscope, MIL 201
• TESA height gauge, type MICRO-HITE
• ISOSCAN microhardness testing system
• Officine Galileo hardness tester unit

For more information please contact us at commerciale@cpgrinding.eu or by phone al +39 035 940042.

CP GRINDING Srl was founded at the end of 2009 thanks to the acquisition of the business branch of the company Ghilardi Ghezzi Srl, which has been part of the mechanical precision tooling sector since 1967. Thanks to this acquisition, today CP Grinding Srl is a company specialized in high-precision grinding operations, in particular shafts and spindle components, tool holders and conical attachments for operating machines.