There are various reasons why the surface of stainless steel workpieces is ground. Today we want to look not only at why this is done, but also at how stainless steel can be ground. Here, of course, you again have the choice of taking on this work step yourself or commissioning a professional.
You will learn later what advantages having stainless steel ground offers you. Either way, for any project in which you use stainless steel, you should observe a few basic points - otherwise the high-quality and actually rustproof material can still be attacked by corrosion. That is why a distinction is always made between work areas and tools for rusting metals and for non-rusting stainless steel.
For what purpose does stainless steel need grinding?
Because more and more customers have stainless steel ground by us, we asked why it is necessary. Here are the most common answers for this form of surface treatment:
- A particular grinding pattern is desired for visual reasons.
- Weld seams and weld spots are to be smoothed.
- A particularly fine grind is to polish the surface.
- Removing the passive layer creates a new, uniform oxidation layer.
- Tarnish colours are to be removed.
The reason for grinding stainless steel can be purely visual or a preparatory step for further processing. One example: a workpiece is to be painted and is first cleaned thoroughly by grinding.
How can stainless steel be ground?
Various factors influence the result - and the choice of process naturally plays a role. Angle grinders, with which stainless steel surfaces can be ground, are widespread.
Polishing machines are also frequently used when it comes to grinding stainless steel efficiently. With both tools, it comes down to how you use them: contact pressure matters just as much as the angle at which the abrasive is applied. You achieve the best result by applying the stainless steel abrasive at an angle of 10 to 15 degrees to the surface and exerting even pressure throughout the entire treatment.
Which abrasives are suitable?
Depending on which tool you want to use for grinding, you must obtain suitable stainless steel abrasives for it. In practice, abrasive fleece in various grit sizes has proven itself. It hugs the tool closely, which distinguishes it from sandpaper.
If you want to grind stainless steel yourself without using an angle grinder or polishing machine, you should still use abrasive fleece and work by hand.
Which grit size is needed?
This question cannot be answered with a blanket statement, because which stainless steel abrasive you must use depends on the desired result. The finer the grind is to be, the finer the grit of the abrasive must be.
A distinction is made between coarse fleece with 120 grit; medium fleece has 220 grit, while fine fleece has 280 grit. Very fine fleece works with 400 grit.
You must be aware that you have to work your way towards the result. That means starting with a coarse abrasive fleece first - you cannot begin immediately with a fine grit. If your sheet is to be polished, you will have to change the grinding medium several times during the process.
Which speed is needed for grinding?
Since speed also influences the end result, you should if possible use a device that allows speed regulation. It is optimal if you can work in a speed range between 700 and 1,000 revolutions per minute.
As a rule: the finer the grit, the higher the speed you use should be. That is why most polishing machines also have the corresponding power that makes polishing stainless steel possible.
Have stainless steel professionally ground at ESC Burg
Now we have revealed how grinding stainless steel works. But do you actually have the right tools for it? Do you have experience in handling them, and are you confident of achieving a perfect result? Do you also have a working environment in which you can process rustproof steel without contact with rust particles from ordinary steel? If you can answer all these questions with yes, then take on the challenge of grinding stainless steel.
If you had to answer one of the questions with no, or you are unsure, our offer could be of interest to you: with us, you can have stainless steel ground to your specifications. Let us tell you how it works.
Experts in stainless steel
We are fully dedicated to processing high-quality stainless steel and have built our production so that we work exclusively to customer order. It makes no difference whether you want to place just a single order with us or a corporate customer orders several hundred identical parts - we are set up for both.
In the first step, we cut a sheet to your specifications. We work with various processes, some of them computer-aided, which also make complex shapes possible. On request, we can also form sheets and thus offer you made-to-measure profile sheets and angles.
Our offer for having stainless steel ground
For you, however, the surface treatment department is the most interesting. Here too, we have professional machines that guarantee a uniform result to your specifications. In dry grinding, we can work with grit sizes between 60 and 240.
Let us advise you
So that we can sell you individual products of the highest quality, personal advice is essential. You receive it from us completely without obligation and free of charge when you contact our sales team.
In a short consultation, we can determine your needs and select the right alloy for your project - there are considerable differences between stainless steel 1.4571 and stainless steel 1.4539, for example.
You are quoted a price immediately and can decide to order straight away. Once we have received your order, it goes directly into our production and is dispatched to you within two days.
That makes it not only easier to have stainless steel ground by us - it is probably even faster than if you first had to obtain the right sheet and the right tools yourself.
+49 3921 72-0