UK diamond toolmaker, Cranden Diamond Products has recently invested in a new Wasino GLS-5T Optical Profile Grinder. The acquisition of this machine is a major part of the company's expansion program to maintain its position as a leading manufacturer of high precision profile CBN and diamond grinding wheels.

Cranden Diamond Products was formed by Andrew Cranshaw and Eric Dennis in 1985, to specialise in the manufacture of electroplated and resin bond diamond and CBN tooling. From its purpose built factory in Kent, the company produces on average 500 profile grinding wheels per month, electroplated with diamond and CBN. Tools are manufactured to within +/- 3' on angles and tolerances of +/- 3 microns over the abrasive coating. Cranden employs 45 qualified engineers and laboratory staff and exports 60 % of the products it makes to a worldwide customer base.

The reason for the purchase of this machine was that Cranden had noticed a technological shift from skills-based production of profile wheels to CNC accountability during quality control of its products. CNC machinery often needs to be 'told' where a specific form on a wheel actually is, so a machine was needed which had the capability to grind profile forms to within sub-micron tolerances, and to be able to check and prove the integrity of each ground part on the very machine that produced the form. It was Cranden's opinion that the best machine on the market for such work was the Wasino GLS-5T. The Wasino complements Cranden's machinery range of Mazak CNCs and Agie wire eroders.

With the GLS-5T OPG, accuracy levels are exceptionally high with the machine's measuring system having a resolution of 50 nanometres (0.05 of a micron) and so achieving high positional accuracy of 0.1µm with surface finishes < 0.1 µm.