CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel is a core capability at VT machining. We combine controlled grinding with material-aware setup for Spring Steel — an alloy that is high yield strength and elastic recovery — to produce parts that meet your specification first time.
Process Data for CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel
| Wheel (supply condition) | Aluminium oxide |
|---|---|
| Wheel (hardened to ~50 HRC) | CBN |
| Depth per pass (rough / finish) | 0.005-0.015 / 0.002-0.005 mm |
| Achievable finish | Ra 0.1-0.2 µm |
| Typical size tolerance | Ø ±0.002 mm, roundness 0.001-0.002 mm |
| Diameter growth, Ø50 mm, +3 °C | 1.8 µm |
| Work speed | 15-30 m/min (between centres) |
Shown for Spring Steel (65Mn / SK5 / 1075), the most common Spring Steel grade we see for CNC Cylindrical Grinding. Typical values for Spring Steel (65Mn / SK5 / 1075), Annealed or hardened & tempered strip; confirmed on the first part.
CNC Cylindrical Grinding Capability for Spring Steel
- Roundness within 0.002 mm
- OD tolerance ±0.002 mm
- Ra to 0.2 µm
- Between-centers work
Spring Steel material properties, finishing options and grade notes are on our CNC Surface Grinding Spring Steel page.
How CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel Works
An abrasive wheel removes a fine, controlled layer from the Spring Steel part. Wheel specification, dressing interval, infeed and coolant are matched to the alloy's hardness so the surface is not burned or left with residual stress.
Every job begins from your CAD model or 2D drawing. Fixturing and tool paths are planned so the most critical dimensions are produced in the most rigid, repeatable setup. Critical dimensions are checked on the first part and monitored through the run.
Achievable Tolerances for CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel
| Feature | Standard | Precision |
|---|---|---|
| Size (OD, ID, thickness) | ±0.005 mm | ±0.002 mm |
| Flatness over 100 mm | 0.010 mm | 0.003 mm |
| Parallelism | 0.010 mm | 0.003 mm |
| Roundness | 0.005 mm | 0.002 mm |
| Squareness | 0.010 mm | 0.005 mm |
| Surface finish | Ra 0.4 µm | Ra 0.1 µm |
| Workpiece hardness | up to 62 HRC | up to 65 HRC |
Standard is what a normal quotation assumes. Precision is available on nominated features and is priced separately, because it needs extra setups, in-process gauging and CMM verification. Call out only the features that need it — blanket-tightening a drawing is the single most common reason a quote comes back expensive.
CNC Cylindrical Grinding Tolerances & Surface Finish
Ground Spring Steel reaches single-micron tolerances on size, flatness and parallelism, with surface finishes down to Ra 0.1–0.4 µm — and a near-mirror finish on suitable alloys.
Final tolerances are governed by the material's behaviour, wall thickness and overall stiffness. We give honest DFM feedback if a callout would be costly or better achieved another way.
Design Tips for CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel
A few design choices make a real difference to cost and quality. Allowing adequate grind stock, specifying realistic flatness over the true datum, and relieving corners help us hit tight tolerances on Spring Steel efficiently. If you send your model early, we will return practical DFM feedback before you commit to production.
Applications of CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel
CNC Cylindrical Grinding of Spring Steel supports parts across aerospace, medical, automotive, electronics, semiconductor, energy and general industrial sectors. We scale from one-off prototypes to ongoing production while holding the same quality.
Typical Spring Steel Parts for CNC Cylindrical Grinding
Illustrative examples of CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel parts and the callouts that usually drive the process plan. They show the kind of work that fits this process; they are not specific customer orders.
Slitter blade
- Material
- Spring Steel
- Size
- Ø150 × 1.5 mm
- Key callouts
- Thickness ±0.005 mm, edge concentricity 0.005 mm
- Batch
- 400 pcs
Ground in a stack so all blades in a set share the same thickness.
Gauge block set
- Material
- Spring Steel
- Size
- 50 × 30 × 10 mm
- Key callouts
- Thickness ±0.002 mm, flatness 0.002 mm, parallelism 0.002 mm
- Batch
- 200 pcs
Ground wet in one chucking, then left to normalise before final inspection at 20 °C.
Punch tool
- Material
- Spring Steel
- Size
- Ø10 × 60 mm
- Key callouts
- OD ±0.002 mm, roundness 0.002 mm, Ra 0.1 µm
- Batch
- 300 pcs
Cylindrical ground after hardening to 60 HRC — machining soft would not hold the size.
No drawing yet? Build one in the browser.
Set the metal, dimensions and features, watch the 3D model update as you type, then switch to the 2D sheet to add dimensions and tolerances. Download it or send it straight to us with your RFQ.
What We Need to Quote CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel
- GeometrySTEP or IGES for the 3D model, plus a PDF drawing if you have tolerance callouts. A dimensioned sketch is enough to start.
- MaterialThe exact Spring Steel grade and condition — temper, heat-treat state or hardness. If you are not sure, tell us the function and we will suggest one.
- QuantityPrototype count and the expected annual volume. Both change how the part is made and therefore what it costs.
- TolerancesWhich features are critical. Everything else runs to our standard tolerance, which is what keeps the price sensible.
- FinishSurface treatment, cosmetic requirements, and any faces that must be masked.
- DocumentsWhether you need a material certificate, dimensional report, FAIR or PPAP with the shipment.
Missing something from the list is not a problem — send what you have. We will come back with the specific questions rather than a generic form.
Other Metals for CNC Cylindrical Grinding
Other Processes for Spring Steel
Send the drawing, the Spring Steel grade and the quantity. You get pricing, lead time and any DFM notes back — usually within one business day.
Request a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
What surface finish is achievable on Spring Steel with CNC Cylindrical Grinding?
Grinding can take Spring Steel to a fine finish — typically Ra 0.1–0.4 µm, and to a mirror grade on suitable alloys.
Which industries use CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel parts?
CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel parts are used across aerospace, medical, automotive, electronics, semiconductor and general industrial sectors — anywhere precise Spring Steel components are required.
What material thickness or size range suits CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel?
We machine Spring Steel across a broad size range; share your part envelope for confirmation.
What is CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel and how is it done?
CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel refers to cylindrical grinding finishes outer diameters of rotational parts to precise size and roundness. Applied to Spring Steel — high yield strength and elastic recovery — VT machining produces each part to your CAD drawing, selecting parameters from your tolerance, finish and quantity requirements.
Why is Spring Steel a good choice for CNC Cylindrical Grinding?
Spring Steel is high yield strength and elastic recovery, which makes it well suited to CNC Cylindrical Grinding. We tune the process to the alloy so the finished Spring Steel grinding part meets your dimensional and functional requirements.
Does CNC Cylindrical Grinding Spring Steel require dedicated tooling?
Most Spring Steel grinding work uses standard cutting tools and CNC programs; dedicated fixtures are made only when geometry or volume requires them.