This section provides an overview for lapping machinery as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 29 lapping machinery manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked lapping machinery companies as of November, 2024: 1.Kakou USA, LLC, 2.REVALVE, 3.Shenzhen JIUYUDA Industrial Co., Ltd..
Table of Contents
Lapping Machinery is a general term for machine tools used to further finish a plane surface finished by a grinder, etc., to be parallel, smooth, and to the desired size.
In a lapping machinery, the workpiece is sandwiched between two parallel upper and lower lapping machine plates, which apply pressure and rub against each other. Lapping fluid is a mixture of abrasive and lubricating oil.
The sharp edges of the abrasive gradually scrape the surface of the workpiece during the lapping process, and the flatness of the lapping machine is transferred to the workpiece.
There are two types of lapping machinery: double-sided lapping machinery, which can process the bottom and top surfaces of a workpiece simultaneously, and single-sided lapping machinery, which can process only the bottom surface.
Lapping Machinery is used to manufacture parts that require extremely precise flatness and parallelism. Examples include block gauges used as standards for length measurement and calibration of measuring instruments, final finishing of bearing parts that require precision, and surface treatment of difficult-to-process materials such as semiconductor wafers.
Lapping Machinery uses the principle of three-surface abrasion, also known as Newton's Principle, to establish a reference plane.
The three planes are rubbed against each other until they touch on all sides, and then are ground in different combinations until they touch on all sides. The principle is that when all surfaces of all combinations are in contact with each other, all surfaces are true planes.
The principle of three-sided grinding made it possible to create accurate flat and spherical surfaces even in an age without machine tools, and was used in the construction of lenses and prisms.
The principle of three-sided grinding was also used in the engineering component of Galileo's telescope used for astronomical observations in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Lenses require smooth surfaces and accurate spherical surfaces.
The three planes in lapping machinery are the lower surface plate, the upper surface plate, and the workpiece. The upper and lower plates are finished as the standard surfaces, and the workpiece between them is simultaneously ground from top to bottom. This results in a smooth and dimensionally accurate flat surface.
Lapping machinery is constructed using a planetary gear mechanism.
A planetary gear mechanism is a combination structure of gears. It consists of a sun gear in the center, a ring gear (or internal gear) with the same center axis of rotation as the sun gear on the outside, multiple pinions driven between the sun gear and ring gear, and a planetary carrier to support the multiple pinions.
When one of the three elements (sun gear, ring gear, and planetary carrier) is fixed and one of the two elements is driven, the remaining one element rotates differently (in number and direction of rotation) from the rotation input to the second element.
In lapping machinery, a workpiece is mounted on a pinion attached to a planetary carrier, and the workpiece is lapped by rotating the planetary gear mechanism while being clamped from above and below by a surface plate called a lap.
During the lapping process, the workpiece is ground by the orbital motion of the planetary carrier while the pinion rotates on its own axis. This is just like the movement of the earth revolving around the sun while it spins on its own axis.
Double-sided lapping machinery can be divided into 2-way, 3-way, and 4-way types, depending on the number of drive shafts.
There are four drive shafts: lower plate, upper plate, sun gear, and internal gear.
In the 2-way system, the lower and upper plates are fixed and driven by the internal gear and sun gear. It is used for processing ceramics and metals.
The 3-way system has a fixed internal gear and a fixed upper surface plate. It is used for processing ceramics, metals, silicon, glass, crystals, etc.
The 4-way method is a method in which all of the drive axes are driven. 4 motors are used to match the lap lengths of the upper and lower surfaces. It is used for processing ceramics, metals, silicon, glass, crystals, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Stahli USA started in Illinois, United States, as a manufacturer of precision fine grinding, flat honing, polishing, and lapping machines for customers across medical, automotive, aerospace, commercial, and industrial markets since 1969. Its major offerings include Engineering and R&D, as well as contract services such as Metrology, Deburring, Lapping, Fine Grinding, and Polishing. The company also offers a wide range of automation-related solutions, diamond suspensions, testing equipment, process engineering, and on-site customer support for machines, systems, and processes.
Lapmaster Wolters UK was established in Chicago in 1948 as a manufacturer and global supplier of lapping and polishing machines for producing mechanical seals. The company offers high-precision processing machines for polishing, spherical lapping, double disc and fine grinding, as well as brush deburring, bore honing, buffing, and metallographic sample preparation. It specializes in creating customized, turnkey precision surfacing solutions utilizing up-to-date, superabrasive grinding techniques. The company complies with EN 9100:2018 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications, serving more than 20 sectors, including precision optics and advanced materials.
Speedfam, founded in 1959, is a machine manufacturer that produces single-side lapping machines, fine grinding and polishing machines, edge grinding machines, double-side lapping systems, and measuring systems. Consumable products such as include segments, plates, work holding rings, carriers, and polishing pads for telecommunications, power generation, fuel & gas, data storage, and optical industries. Based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, provides field services such as machine repair or re-build, upgrades, spare parts, additions, and Retro Fits. The Lake County Haven and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital are among the charities supported by the company.
Sunnen Products Company, founded in 1924, is an American manufacturer and supplier headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in of high-precision and bore sizing machines, tools, and abrasives. Joe Sunnen, founder of the company, invented the first manual cylinder hone in 1928. Over the years, Sunnen has developed industrial honing machines, tools, and abrasives with bore sizing and finishing systems, lapping machines, deep hole drilling machines and tools, bore gaging and roller burnishing systems. These products find applications in various industries, such as honing solutions in the automotive sector, as well as a line of machines, tools, and abrasives for energy drilling.
Engis Corporation was founded in 1938, with its main offices in the US and UK, as a supplier of industrial machinery and precision measuring tools for industries such as automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, medical devices, and defence, among others. The company's broad line of products include superabrasive products such as diamond powder, honing, lapping, grinding, and polishing products. The company expanded its operations into the abrasives market in 1940 with the introduction of its diamond compound for navigation systems. Since then, Engis has set up subsidiary companies in Canada, Singapore, Japan, and China, supported by a global network of distributors.
joke Technology GmbH is a manufacturer of industrial polishing and grinding tools and machines that was established in Cologne, Germany, in 1940 before relocating its headquarters to Bergisch Gladbach. The company’s products include robotic systems for automated surface deburring or finishing, post-processing systems for finishing 3D printed parts, and micro-machining systems. It also offers diamant fluids and pastes for lapping and polishing processes. The company markets its products under its ENESKA brand name, and mainly serves clients in the industrial manufacturing and metalworking sectors.
Breton SpA is an Italian manufacturer of stone forming products that was established in Castello di Godego, Treviso in 1963. The company’s product lineup includes machines and lines for processing natural as well as engineered stone, ceramic, or composites, such as contouring machines and waterjet machines. It also offers its BRETONSTONE branded plants for creating slabs or tiles from natural stone aggregates, along with various BRETON branded software for managing or optimizing production processes. The company’s products are mainly used by marble, granite, tile, and ceramic designers or fabricators in the architectural, art, and composites industries.
Amardeep Enterprise is a manufacturer, supplier, and exporter of lapping machines founded in India in 2002. The company's main merchandise includes flat, pneumatic, single-side, and tabletop lapping machines, along with easy-to-install machine parts like rotating tables and conditioning rings. It provides other products such as polishing machines, double-sided grinding machines, lapping oil, monochromatic light units, and more. The company also offers customization services to design machines according to the client's standards. Moreover, all of its products are ISO 9001:2015 certified and undergo quality testing. The company caters to metrology, precision engineering, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, and automotive sectors.
PARAFLAT is a designer, manufacturer, and supplier of machine tools and equipment specializing in lapping and polishing. It was established in India in 1992. The company offers specialized machinery, including lapping machines for internal taper seats, abrasion testers, valve seat lapping machines, and cylindrical superfinishing machines. It also designs custom equipment such as plate flatness gauges, handheld cheklites, vertical cheklites, portable cheklites, and pneumatic diamond slurry dispensers. The company provides consultancy services to educate its end-users on the fundamentals of lapping and polishing technology. The company is registered with Dun & Bradstreet and the World Trade Center.
Guindy Machine Tools, founded in 1959, and located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India is a manufacturer of engineering products. The company provides solutions for all work holding problems on CNC Machines in metal-working, offering a wide range of Manual Chucks, CNC Lathe Chucks, Power Chucks and Special Chucks to suit customers’ specific requirements. The company is able to develop and manufacture coordinate measuring machines, and machine tools like flat lapping machines and belt grinders.
Kemet International Ltd. is a British ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer and supplier of lapping as well as polishing tools that was established in 1938. Based in Kent, United Kingdom, the company offers ultrasonic cleaners and various lapping machines, including floor standing and bench top models. It also offers related supplies, such as standard abrasive slurries, diamond slurries and compounds, and polishing stones. Kemet International products are used in various industrial processes, including in development and engineering operations within the aerospace, semiconductor, construction, and automotive sectors.
Logitech Ltd., founded in 1965 and based in Glasgow, UK, is a manufacturer of materials processing, shaping, and surface finishing technologies. Its products include precision lapping, chemical-mechanical polishing, and bonding equipment, and it sells accessories such as lapping plates, test blocks, and precision jigs. It also offers several consumable products developed to work in unison with its range of sample processing systems, including calcined aluminum oxide, diamond polishing, and silicon carbide powders. The company is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, and its equipment can be used with several materials, such as Silicon Carbide, Sapphire, and Gallium Arsenide.
Revalve is based in Penza, Russia, and is a manufacturer of valve repair and testing equipment established in 1962 as a brand of PKTBA CJSC. The company’s products include valve testing units for a range of valve types, as well as lapping and grinding units for surface treatment of valves. It also offers CNC machining centers for manufacturing valve components or parts, and valve repair services for customers requiring additional support. The company chiefly serves clients in the oil and gas, chemical, and power generation industries.
Bierther Submikron GmbH, based in Bretzenheim, Germany, is a designer and manufacturer of parts and components for process production equipment. The company specializes in the custom production and ongoing supply of mechanical equipment, machine tools, and automated systems used for fine grinding, lapping, and polishing. Its product range includes lapping plates, nano-polishing abrasive pastes, and flatness measuring equipment. Additionally, it offers technologies in hydraulics and compressors, along with custom manufacturing of sealing rims and bearings. The company's solutions are utilized in the manufacturing of watches, jewelry, and precision optical equipment.
Crystal Optics Inc. established in 1985, and headquartered in Otsu, Shiga, Japan, is a manufacturer, specializing in processing various materials, including metals, non-metals, and optical crystal materials. The company offers a range of products and services, and these include cutting, grinding, and polishing. It is also involve in ultra-precision processing, surface treatment such as passivation treatment and electrolytic polishing. These processes are employed to achieve higher precision processing within a short delivery time, handling parts of all sizes, up to 8m.
Groupe Recomatic is a manufacturer of polishing and grinding machines for complex surfaces established in 1952 and based in Courtedoux, Switzerland. The company’s product lineup includes its MS220 branded 4-axis circular satin-finishing machine, its RECO-ML100 adjustable lapping machine, and its CT5 compact and environmentally friendly all-in-one CNC finishing machine. It also offers polishing benches with adjustable height and quick-access dust filters. The company’s products are commonly used by client manufacturers of luxury watches, jewelry, and medical devices.
SpeedFam Company Limited, established in 1971 and headquartered in Kanagawa, Japan, is a grinding, polishing, and finishing machine manufacturer. The company's products include single-sided polishers, fine grinders, and edge profilers. It also offers laser equipment that is typically used for local welding of various metals, dry chemical planarization (DCP), and advanced flattening systems. These products are primarily used in processing bare silicon wafers, and the company's single-sided systems offer abrasive processes for a broad range of production requirements and are often used for semiconductor production.
LAM PLAN S.A.S, a company founded in 1962 and based in Gaillard, France, is a manufacturer and supplier of polishing technologies. The company's product portfolio includes cutting machines, micromotors, as well as lapping and polishing machines. These products find applications in various industries, including aeronautics, nuclear energy, and the watchmaking industry. The company also offers services, including consultation, training, and maintenance. The company holds ISO 9001 certification and operates globally with networks in various countries, such as Italy, Singapore, and Australia.
Dongguan Kizi Precision Lapping Mechanical Manufacture Co. Ltd., established in 2010, is a Chinese manufacturer and supplier based in Dongguan, Guangdong, specializing in the provision of grinding, lapping and polishing machines. The company’s product range includes single-sided and double-sided lapping machines, and both high-speed and horizontal high-speed thinning machines. The company also offers related consumables, such as diamond grinding wheels and slurry, lapping and polishing discs, and polishing liquid and pads. These offerings are designed to process various materials, including ceramic, gallium nitride wafer, and silicon carbide substrate.
Peter Wolters, established in 1804 and headquartered in Rendsburg, Germany, is a manufacturer and supplier of lapping, polishing, and fine grinding machines. The company's product range includes single- and double-side fine-grinding, lapping, polishing, and deburring machines. Catering to diverse industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, manufacturing, and electronics, the company provides services that entail design and engineering, testing and certification, supply chain management, and technical support. The company also provides quality lapping, and polishing machines to its customers, as reflected in its ISO 9001:2015 certification. With over twenty-two decades of experience, it consistently exceeds expectations in quality and service.
Shenzhen JIUYUDA Industrial Co.Ltd., est. 2019, is a manufacturer, supplier and trader in the field of domestic and international trade, that soecializes in surface treatment equipment and related consumables. The company offers a range of solutions including surface treatment equipment, automatic fixtures, accessories, and powder metallurgy processing. Boasting integration between production, research, and development, JIUYUDA caters to various industries by providing essential equipment like plane lapping machines, polishing machines, wire drawing machines, and more. Additionally, the company's offerings encompass consumables such as lapping discs, brush wheels, and polishing sand belts to support diverse applications in the surface treatment sector.
Hydraulic and Engineering Instruments (HEICO), trading as Heicoin, foundinng in 1972, specializes as an Indian manufacturer and supplier in crafting testing instruments, equipment, and machinery for quality assessment of materials within civil engineering and various industries. Heicoin plays a crucial role in offering engineering, electrical, and hydraulic solutions to meet the rigorous demands of material testing. With quality and precision, the company's offerings are significantly to ensure the integrity and performance of materials used in diverse applications. Also, Heicoin serves the civil engineering and industrial sectors, empowering them to maintain high standards of quality.
EFCO, established in 1978 in Düren, Germany, is a manufacturer and supplier of precision machines for valve, flange, and pipeline repair. The company's product range includes portable grinding and lapping machines, turning technology, and stationary grinding and turning technology. These products cater to industries such as petrochemicals, power plants, and engineering. The company is devoted to a proactive repair culture, offering quality solutions that promote equipment efficiency, reduce downtime, and address environmental challenges. Certified with TÜV CERT ISO 9001, the company upholds rigorous quality standards with decades of experience.
iSharp, Established in 1999, is a Management Service Provider (MSP) works on enhancing web performance for e-businesses. Headquartered in Redwood City, CA, the company addresses challenges related to achieving and sustaining optimal web performance, especially in the dynamic digital landscape. With expertise in e-business performance management solutions, iSharp assists organizations in overcoming time-to-market pressures, continuous development cycles, and a scarcity of expertise. Through its offerings, iSharp enables businesses to navigate the complexities of web performance, progressing to its digital success and effectiveness.
TCEM, founded in 2002, and headquartered in Le Havre, Normandie, is a manfuacturer and distributor of industrial maintenance equipment. The company offers a range of products such as tube pullers, valve lapping machines, and level control instruments. These products are utilized in the manufacture and maintenance of tubular exchangers, boilers, and for level control in the petrochemical and nuclear sectors. The company holds several certifications including ISO 19443:2018 and ISO 9001:2015 for its quality management system.
Gleason Corporation, founded in 1865, is a full service supplier of machine engineering, tool manufacture and workholding systems, based in the United States. The company has evolved into the largest gear systems provider worldwide. It is a forerunner in the development and manufacture of production systems for all types of gears including design software for gears and power transmission systems, gear production machinery, metrology systems, automation solutions, related equipment and plastic gears. From power tools and medical applications, car and truck transmissions, windpower turbines, to the largest gears for mining machinery, it has a solution that fits your requirement.
Kakou USA, LLC, established in Lexington, Kentucky in 2012 is a distributor of lapping and polishing machines that are used for Electric cabinet design and build. Their product portfolio includes Vertical Saws and Sander, Surface Grinder, JD squared Plasma Cutter, and welding machines. Their products are used in industries including Automotive, metal working and Semiconductor Manufacturing. The company employs Designers, Engineers, Electricians, and Machinists for customized projects and provides customer and technical support.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Kakou USA, LLC |
6.8%
|
2 | REVALVE |
5.1%
|
3 | Shenzhen JIUYUDA Industrial Co., Ltd. |
5.1%
|
4 | Lapmaster Wolters UK |
5.1%
|
5 | Peter Wolters |
5.1%
|
6 | SpeedFam Corporation |
5.1%
|
7 | Sunnen Products Company |
5.1%
|
8 | Bierther Submikron GmbH |
3.4%
|
9 | Groupe Recomatic |
3.4%
|
10 | AUTEFA Solutions Germany GmbH |
3.4%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the lapping machinery page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 5 | 26.3% |
India | 4 | 21.1% |
Germany | 3 | 15.8% |
China | 3 | 15.8% |
France | 2 | 10.5% |
Italy | 1 | 5.3% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 5.3% |