Advanced Grinding Solutions (AGS) has received a number of enquiries for Lapping machines since being appointed as the sole UK Distributors for the FLP range of Machines. Thomas Nicholls, newly appointed Office Manager at AGS comments:

We are very pleased with the enquiry levels for the FLP machines; especially ones for rebuilding various makes and models of lapping machines. FLP stands for Fine Grinding, Lapping and Polishing and their large product range fits perfectly into our range of grinding and finishing machines and associated equipment.

FLP constructs new and innovative single-disc and double-disc machines as well as a vast range of consumables including diamond paste, powder, spray and lapping and polishing fluids, and tooling such as carrier plates and rings etc. FLP also offers a large sub-contract lapping facility for their customers.

Thomas Nicholls also comments that AGS are also supplying special CBN lapping type wheels for fine grinding applications manufactured by AGS’s abrasives partner Krebs & Riedel. Krebs manufactures disc grinding wheels with an OF from 400mm to 1,200mm in diameter with diamond and CBN in a vitrified bond that generate perfect flatness and high quality surface finishes on a variety of materials including difficult to machine carbide and ceramics. The vitrified bond system allows easy cutting and it is possible to achieve considerable increases in production when lapping components with the Krebs & Riedel lapping wheels.

The four FLP product lines are new single and double sided machines (both standard and full CNC), fully rebuilt and refurbished machines, the supply of consumables and tooling, and finally a large sub-contract lapping facility. FLP employs over 60 people at their main HQ in Zorbig, near Berlin, and have a world-wide distribution network of dealers.

The broad range of FLP fine grinding and lapping machines includes for both twin wheel – double sided – CNC Lapping Machines as well as single wheel Lapping machines. The size of machines ranges from the most basic of 400mm in diameter having three working stations up to the world’s largest 100 ton 4-meter diameter monsters constructed from 26-ton solid granite blocks. These huge machines are 16 meters long, 8 meters wide and 4 meters high; in terms of capacity they will hold parts having a combined weight of 10 tons across all 3 working stations. Such has been the success of these machines an even bigger one with three lapping wheels each of 5.5 meters in diameter is now being designed.

The FLP single wheel series of Lapping Machines comprises of very small and cost effective machines of 400mm in diameter having three dressing/control rings each of 145mm diameter up to 3.5 meter versions with dressing/control rings of 1.3 meters in diameter.

The FLP Double Disc or twin wheel machines have 7 machines in the range offering a working disc diameter of between 540 and 1300mm. These are fitted with Siemens PLC controls, can all be offered with optional full automation via linear or robotic solutions, and weigh between 7 and 16 tons. These advanced machines are offered as high-precision versions with granite machine beds and the latest machine controls, drives and measurement technology.

FLP holds over £2.5million worth of lapping consumables in stock and offers end users of all types of lapping machine the largest range of wear parts and consumables. The range is vast and includes items such as Lapping and polishing oils, Fine classified silicon carbide, boron carbide, and special fused aluminium Lapping Powders, Lapping and polishing fluids in water derived concentrates with integrated rust protection, Honing oils for machining steel, non-ferrous metals, hard metals and ceramic, and Diamond sprays, suspensions, powders and pastes with micro-grains of various specifications and grades from 0.25um up to 45um.

FLPs final product line is the sub-contract facility it offers its world-wide customers using their fully equipped factory work-shop that has a large variety of single and double sided lapping machines and all associated equipment that’s needed to produce fine ground and lapped components for its customers. FLP manufactures in excess of 15 million lapped parts a year for customers needing a sub-contract facility with some customers needing very small batches produced for them and others needing 250,000 parts a week every week. The sub-contract facility comprises of the flat honing, fine grinding, lapping, polishing and deburring of all components including full process documentation, measurements and statistics.

In terms of industries served, FLPs machines are in use across many branches of engineering including automotive, aerospace, bearings, optics and technical ceramics etc. Applications include the production of pumps, bearing seals, fuel injection and transmission components. FLP machines ensure that components are produced to the closest possible tolerances and at the highest production rates. Operator friendly simple machine operation is ensured as is the lowest cost per machined component.

FLP will be exhibiting in the UK for the very first time at next year’s Mach exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham whereby they will be showing a lapping machine on Advanced Grindings large 115 sqm stand where AGS will be showcasing its range of grinding and finishing machines to UK engineers.

More information on FLP including videos and brochures is available for download on the AGS website: www.advancedgrindingsolutions.co.uk