Spherical grinding represents the highest level of precision when machining spherical surfaces. Whether complete spheres, lenses, bearings, or calotte – this type of machining is indispensable across numerous industries, from optics and mechanical engineering to medical technology. Wherever perfect shape and function are required, spherical grinding is essential.

Application in Optics: Perfect Sharpness and Focus

Precision is crucial in optics. Lenses in cameras, telescopes, and eyeglasses must be precisely ground to optimally refract light and deliver razor-sharp images. This is where spherical grinding comes into play, ensuring the required optical quality through its accuracy and surface finish. Only in this way can lenses be produced that meet the highest standards.

Mechanical and Plant Engineering: Spherical Joints with Minimal Friction

Spherical joints used in a wide range of machinery must be manufactured with extreme precision to ensure minimal friction and long service life. Thanks to spherical grinding, these spherical components are ground with precise shape accuracy and dimensional stability, allowing them to function reliably even under high loads and continuous stress.

Valves and Seals: Precision for Tight Connections

Whether ball valves or other spherical sealing surfaces – a tight yet movable connection is crucial. Spherical grinding provides the necessary precision to machine valves and seals so that they remain reliable even under extreme conditions.

Medical Technology: Perfect Fit for Artificial Joints

Spherical grinding is indispensable in medical technology. Artificial joint balls and callotes made of cobalt-chromium, titanium, or ceramic must be manufactured with extreme precision to ensure low-friction mobility in the joint and a long lifespan. The high surface quality and exact fit are essential to prevent inflammation and excessive wear. This is where the full potential of spherical grinding becomes evident, as only the smallest tolerances are permissible.

Multigrind®: The Solution for Various Challenges

The machines from the Multigrind® series by Adelbert Haas GmbH are the first choice for spherical machining. These high-tech grinding machines represent advanced grinding technology that meets the highest demands. Thanks to their kinematics, flexible process control, and automated monitoring systems, they provide the perfect foundation for the precise and efficient grinding of spherical geometries.

Whether in medical technology, optics, or mechanical engineering – the perfect interplay of hardware and software ensures outstanding surface quality and allows the machining of various materials. Ensuring everything runs smoothly – in every respect.

Process Design: Perfect Coordination for Optimal Results

In spherical machining, process design is crucial. From selecting the grinding medium and adjusting the cutting speed of the wheel to setting the feed rate – all parameters must be precisely coordinated to achieve the desired surface quality and shape accuracy. The machines from the Multigrind® series excel in this area due to their kinematics and control technology.

Adjustment of Grinding Parameters: Expertise and Know-How

Adapting these parameters to the specific workpiece and its inherent material properties is a key aspect. Depending on the material being processed, different grinding wheels are used. The Multigrind® machines offer a grinding wheel exchange system that allows for quick changes of various grinding tools and enables precise, software-controlled adjustments of technology parameters. Thus, everything from rough pre-grinding to precision grinding and polishing of the spherical geometry can be completed in a single clamping setup.

Temperature Management and Cooling

Temperature management plays a crucial role in the grinding process, especially with sensitive materials. The heat generated during grinding can lead to thermal stresses and deformations, compromising surface geometry quality. The Multigrind® series machines are equipped with an advanced cooling system that effectively reduces heat development and maintains a consistently low process temperature.

Automated Process Monitoring and Control

Multigrind® high-tech grinding machines provide comprehensive process monitoring. Automatic real-time corrections of deviations and continuous workpiece geometry inspection are standard features. An integrated measurement system analyzes machining parameters and adjusts grinding settings as needed. This automation ensures maximum material removal rates and consistently high-quality components.

By continuously recording real-time data, such as process forces across three axes and their transverse forces, constant force control during grinding is ensured. This "sensing" machine achieves unprecedented precision levels.

Through the seamless integration of hardware, software, and automation solutions from Adelbert Haas, incorporating a measurement solution into the automation process becomes a natural step.

Maximum Precision, Efficiency, and Perfect Surfaces – Key Advantages at a Glance

The production of spherical geometries presents different challenges depending on the industry. The high-tech grinding machines from the Multigrind® series meet these diverse requirements and offer advantages that are essential in modern manufacturing:

• Perfect Shape Accuracy: With a tailored process design, even ultra-hard materials such as ceramics, sapphires, and hardened steels are machined with minimal shape deviations. The result is components that meet the highest tolerance demands.
   
• Excellent Surface Quality: Process control, developed by Adelbert Haas, ensures flawless surfaces and enables the production of polished finishes. Friction and wear are minimized, which is particularly crucial for ball joints and medical components requiring long service life and reliable functionality.
   
• High Process Reliability: Automated process monitoring, precise machining parameter control, and state-of-the-art measuring technology guarantee that manufactured parts always meet the highest quality standards. Potential errors can be detected and corrected early, allowing customers to achieve fully autonomous production across multiple unmanned shifts, producing precision parts without operator influence.
   
• Efficient Manufacturing: The ability to perform multiple machining steps in a single setup reduces setup times and increases productivity. This saves time and costs, making the production of complex geometries highly economical. Particularly with decreasing batch sizes, component throughput times in manufacturing can be drastically reduced.
   
• Automated Clamping Systems: With decades of expertise in clamping complex geometries, Adelbert Haas provides fully automated solutions with minimal setup effort, ensuring highly accurate results.
   
• Flexibility in Application: Whether ball bearings, valves, medical components, or optical parts – Multigrind® machines offer maximum versatility and enable precise machining of a wide range of materials and geometries.

Contact us to learn more about the innovative solutions of the Multigrind® series and discover how we can elevate your manufacturing to the next level.