10.16 Grooving
Micky R. Jennings
What is it?
Grooving is the process of creating a recessed slot on the OD, ID, or face of a part. This slot can be made in as few as one plunging cut or in multiple cuts. A common purpose for grooving it is to create a recess for “O” rings or snaprings. Grooving can also be used to make custom shaped or tapered features, similar to the grooves of a pulley.
Step by step process for cutting a single plunge groove:
- Apply layout fluid to the outside diameter of the part.
- Using odd leg calipers, scribe lines that will define the groove.
- Calculate the spindle speed based on the largest diameter the tool will cut. Grooving is often done at a slower speed than turning. Reduce spindle speed to about 1/4 of general turning speed.
- Load a grooving tool into a holder and onto the tool post.
- Adjust the length of the tool.
- Reset the tool height.
- Start the spindle.
- Touch the grooving tool off to the face of the work, or wherever the groove is referenced from, and set the carriage handwheel to zero.
- Move over the axial distance needed to position the tool.
- Lock the carriage.
- Bring the tool close to the outside diameter and visually check the scribed lines.
- Gently bring the tool in with the cross slide and touch off the tool on the outside diameter.
- Set the graduated collar on the cross slide to zero.
- Lube the tool.
- Cut into the part about .020 and back out.
- Check the measurement from the shallow edges of the groove to the reference feature.
- Measure the diameter of the bottom of the groove and calculate remaining material to remove.
- Slowly cut the groove to the final depth. Keep a nice even feed and allow the chip to curl into a spiral shape on top of the tool while applying an occasional drop of cutting oil.
- Deburr the edges of the groove with a file.
“Step 5: Adjust the length of the tool.”
“Step 5: Adjust the length of the tool.”
“Step 5: Adjust the length of the tool.”
“Step 6: Reset the tool height.”
“Step 8: Touch the grooving tool off to the face of the work, or wherever the groove is referenced from, and set the carriage handwheel to zero.”
“Step 8: Touch the grooving tool off to the face of the work, or wherever the groove is referenced from, and set the carriage handwheel to zero.”
“Step 18: Slowly cut the groove to the final depth. Keep a nice even feed and allow the chip to curl into a spiral shape on top of the tool while applying an occasional drop of cutting oil.”
Step by step process for cutting a multiplunge groove:
- Apply layout fluid to the outside diameter of the part.
- Using odd leg calipers, scribe lines that will define the groove.
- Calculate the spindle speed based on the largest diameter the tool will cut. Grooving is often done at a slower speed than turning. Reduce spindle speed to about 1/4 of the general turning speed.
- Load a grooving tool into a holder and onto the tool post.
- Adjust the length of the tool.
- Reset the tool height.
- Start the spindle.
- Posi