Kemet’s Kemtech 15 Match lapping machine matches up curved surfaces automatically

While cylindrical and spherical surfaces may appear flat to the naked eye, they may not be geometrically perfect spherical or cylindrical forms. In some cases, convex and concave surfaces need to be lapped together to form a perfectly matched bearing surface. Kemet's Kemtech 15 Match Lapping Machine performs the necessary work automatically, at the push of a button. Based on the Kemet 15 base unit, the Kemtech 15 Match is equipped with a variable pressure top plate mounting arm that is adjustable to suit the requirements of the parts being matched together, dependent on size and material. The machine is suitable for convex/concave hydraulic pump components, particularly in service workshops when removing damage and wear marks. The machine is supplied with bespoke tooling to suit the application and the company offers process proving trials free of charge. For more complex cylindrical shapes a form generating machine has been developed that is able to produce cylindrically convex and concave surfaces where an extremely large radius is needed. Kemet reports that a recent project created a convex form where the convexity was just 10 microns. This was not a machined surface but a lapped form with a highly controlled, uniform shape and surface finish. Kemtech 15 Match machines, using the company's range of super-abrasive compounds and other surface finishing consumables, are able to process even extremely hard aerospace coatings, ceramics and hard alloys.