Reducing the Cost of Innovation with World-Class Grinding Lab
Continental Diamond Tool is thrilled to announce its much anticipated R&D grinding lab to customers and the industry this month. The new grinding lab offers a turnkey research and development solution that will expedite innovation for CDT and its customers based on their specific industry applications.
Innovation Without the Risk
Through this research and development lab, CDT will be working to expand industry understanding of current bond technology and explore new abrasive materials. “Now our engineers can investigate their ideas extensively before ever introducing them to our customers. This takes the guess work out of innovation and eliminates the risk to our customers in pursuing new and improved technology,” says Shane Vardaman, VP of Sales at CDT.
United Grinding showcased the CDT grinding lab in their customer feature in February 2021.
Product testing in the grinding lab will provide several direct benefits to CDT customers:
Faster product development
New product trials no longer have to compete with production time.Cost-savings and reduced risk
Products can be optimized in simulations rather than expensive trials.Opportunities to innovate
We can explore a variety of product types and coolant delivery methods.Valuable data
Sensors are set up to monitor and record all aspects of the grind.Remote product testing
Customers can see and hear live trials from anywhere in the world.
Years in the Making
“The R&D grinding lab completes the final phase of our latest expansion project that was started in 2017,” says Nick Viggiano, President of CDT. “It is the culmination of a substantial effort by our engineers and many vendors to customize a laboratory environment perfectly suited to the testing of innovative grinding products that will further enhance our customers’ manufacturing productivity.”
Continental Diamond Tool celebrated the grand opening of its 130,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in August 2018. The R&D grinding lab, which has been in the works since the new building’s completion, occupies 925 sq. ft. of the complex. Wrapping up construction of the lab, several pieces of high-tech machinery were delivered and installed last month from well known manufacturers in the grinding industry including Ebbco, DCM Tech, Blaser Swisslube, Supfina Machine Company, and United Grinding.
Custom Capabilities
This new grinding lab is designed with ultimate flexibility and customization in mind. For example, the Walter machine from United Grinding required a few adjustments to achieve all the new testing services that CDT customers require:
“We wanted to do more than make an endmill. The high-speed workhead for cylindrical type grinding allows us increased flexibility in products we can test,” explains Jeffrey Wirth, Engineering Manager and lead on the R&D grinding lab project. "We can also explore multiple types of coolant delivery and collect other useful data from sensors that monitor all aspects of the grind. Plus, with expanded connectivity features, our engineers can run tests remotely with a secure network that allows our customers to see and hear the test in action from anywhere in the world."
With the help of United Grinding’s team, CDT has pushed the bounds of the possible in this revolutionary, world-class grinding lab. United Grinding showcased the CDT grinding lab in their customer feature this month: see video here.
With such technology behind them, CDT engineers are eager to start testing many new product possibilities. The lab is already being utilized in several customer projects. For anyone interested in taking advantage of this research and development opportunity, please call 800-443-6629 or complete our contact form to request more information.
Grinding Lab Technology
The CDT Grinding Lab includes three types of grinding machines specially outfitted with sensors that allow for the measurement and study of the grinding process. This allows CDT to simulate the grinding conditions for many applications and to develop optimal products and processes for specific materials and customers.