The Arter Grinding Method

Pairing a horizontal spindle with a rotary chuck to achieve surface grinder excellence

The Arter surface grinder achieves a finish and precision like no other. Many of our customers are true to the brand of surface grinder and claims that “Nothing grinds like an Arter.” But why does no other grinding machine grind like an Arter?

One of the things that contributes to the unique finish is the combination of the horizontal spindle found on Arter grinders along with the rotary chuck. Let’s talk about it.

Grinder anatomy

The main two parts of the grinder that we will be focusing on are the spindle and the chuck. As any grinder operators has experienced, the spindle and chuck are doing much of the work on surface grinders.

The spindle moves the grinding wheel, which will be be removing material from the workpiece, which is magnetized to the chuck.

On an Arter, the spindle is horizontal and moves back and forth over the chuck. The wheel spins clockwise when facing the spindle, or towards the operator’s controls. This happens as the chuck also moves in a clockwise direction from the top. An example is shown below on an Arter surface grinder.

The movements of what makes an Arter an Arter.

Other basic anatomy of an Arter surface grinder are shown below. The most important two in the combination of the horizontal spindle and rotary chuck are the rotary table, or chuck, and the grinding wheel.

The basic anatomy of an Arter surface grinder. Each model differs slightly based on manufacturing year and features.

Uniqueness

With most machinery, there are multiple ways to design and build machines that will differ in the outcome of what is being produced. In this case, the main alternative to the Arter method grinder design is a vertical spindle with rotary chuck. This is found on many popular brands, such as Mattison, Blanchard, and more.

The horizontal spindle and rotary chuck are great for high-precision surface grinding on small, round parts.

The combination creates a unique finish as well, which also depends on the quality of the rest of the grinder itself.

Example of a finish from an Arter Surface Grinder on gears after a test grind.

One of the biggest advantages of an Arter itself is how solid the machine is built. The cast iron body creates such an advantage to resist chatter when the machine is running, compared to cheaper brands that do not have the cast iron.

When an operator needs precision, any small nuances in chatter could give an inferior finish on your product. Using the combination of the horizontal and rotary chuck with a cast iron base, the customer stating “Nothing grinds like an Arter” is correct. Nothing does grind like an Arter.

Obsidian Manufacturing Industries, Inc. is a Rockford, Ill. manufacturing company and is the OEM for Magna-Lock USA workholding, MagnaLift & Power-Grip lift magnets, and Arter Precision Grinding Machines as well providing surface grinding services. They are located at 5015 28th Ave. in Rockford, Ill. with a phone number of 815-962-8700. Check out more at obsidianmfg.com/brands.