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136 MMS June 2014 mmsonline.com better production Shops Using Technology Automated Honing Creates Consistent Parts Micron Manufacturing problem Couldn't consistently meet size and surface finish requirements solution Nagel ECO 40 honing machine results Quick and reliable tool change, improved bore quality and consistent uptime t o meet demanding size and sur face finish re quire me nts for c omplex pa r ts, Micron Manufacturing of Lagrange, Ohio, used a single- pass honing/diamond sizing system. However, the company re alized that this proce ss was creating inconsistent parts as well as increasing- downtime and inspection costs. By adding a fully automated Nagel Eco 40 honing machine from Nagel Precision (A nn A rbor, Michigan), the company eliminated its quality issues and achieved consistent uptime. For more than 20 years, Micron Manufacturing has manufactured high-precision, intricate com- ponents and subassemblies for vehicle systems manufacturers. Production volumes range from 200,000 to 4,000,000 parts per year, and sizes range from 3 to 125 mm. The company processes raw materials including barstock, cold-headed blanks and forgings made from carbon and stain- less steels. In a recent nickel-plated fuel injector housing application, one of the bores required a size toler- ance of ±3 microns and sur face finish with a maximum Ra of 0.2 micron, a maximum Rpk of 0.2 micron and a minimum Rvk of 0.1 micron. Micron was initially using a single-pass honing/ diamond sizing system to achieve these specifi- cations, but some of the machine's characteristics made this difficult. The system's typical plated- mandrel type tools required manual wear com- pensation achieved by plastic deformation. All The nickel-plated fuel injector housing was a difficult process to control because of strict size and surface finish parameters. 0614_MMS_better.indd 136 5/14/2014 8:49:55 AM