This section provides an overview for stone surface plates as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 stone surface plate manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked stone surface plate companies as of November, 2024: 1.Productivity Quality Inc, 2.Grand Rapids Metrology, 3.CNC Specialty Store LLC.
Table of Contents
A stone surface plate is a platform used as a reference plane for precise dimensional measurement and inspection of materials and parts in processing. These plates are typically rectangular and come in various sizes to suit different objects.
They must possess high flatness accuracy and rigidity, to maintain precision even under heavy loads. Both accuracy and size standards are defined by JIS, which also allows for customization like holes and ribs for part fixation.
While JIS specifies both cast iron and stone as materials, the standards for each are quite similar.
Stone surface plates ensure a flat surface for activities like marking, machining, or measuring. They provide a reference plane, enabling precise machining and measurement. Their primary attributes include wear resistance and resistance to environmental factors.
As a benchmark for flatness (graded according to JIS B 7513), these plates must be rigid to avoid deformation under heavy loads, affecting measurement accuracy. Handling precautions include installation in a controlled environment, away from direct sunlight and sudden air currents.
Stone surface plates, compared to cast iron, exhibit less aging, higher abrasion and environmental resistance, and are non-magnetic. They require periodic polishing to maintain flatness. Their low aging and high wear resistance extend the time between regrindings, reducing maintenance costs.
Additionally, these plates resist damage from accidental impacts, safeguarding both the plate and equipment. Despite their advantages, the main drawback is the higher cost, attributed to the harder material and longer processing time required for flattening.
JIS classifies these plates into grades 0, 1, and 2, with grade 0 being the most precise. Flatness tolerance is calculated using constants C1, C2, and the plate's diagonal length. The cost varies by grade, necessitating selection based on required flatness and size.
Maintenance is crucial for ensuring ongoing accuracy. Regular cleaning prevents surface deterioration and measurement errors. Special cleaners are used, followed by wiping with water and drying with a cloth. Regular flatness checks and protective covering after use are also important.
With proper care, stone surface plates can last semi-permanently without significant changes over time.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Grizzly Industrial Inc. was established in 1983 and has its headquarters in Bellingham, Washington, United States. The company is a major supplier of everything metal and woodworking machinery and accessories. Grizzly Industrial provides machinery and accessories direct to customers at great prices, and thus eliminate the system of middleman markups. The company has a vast distribution network across the United States and a 38,000 square feet showroom in Springfield Missouri.
CNC Specialty Store LLC was founded in 2006 and headquartered in Delavan, Wisconsin, as a manufacturer and supplier of CNC Machinery Parts & Lubricants. In addition to CNC machine parts and tools, the company also supplies machinist and maintenance training software, RS232 cables & hardware, educational books and relevant materials. The company started as a part of Machinetoolhelp.com LLC, an online machinist community that still provides free CNC information on repair, troubleshooting, maintenance, machining and programming. The company ships most items within the United States of America and its territories, as well as to Canada and Mexico.
Precision Granite Co., established in 1984 and located in Santa Fe Springs, California, USA is a manufacturer of granite products. The company specializes in manufacturing, cutting, and shaping of granite surface plates, surface plate covers, comparator stands, master squares and tri squares. The company offers services like 17025 accredited calibration, calibration resurfacing and repair on-site or at the facility. The company also suggests the consumers Protective Granite Cleaner, which penetrates the granite surface to loosen dust, dirt and grime and bring back the shine. The company provides granite with a USA-registered trademark, called Precision Granite.
Judge Tool & Gage Inc. is a distributor of precision measurement, calibration, and inspection solutions, located in Stratford, Connecticut. Its extensive inventory of precision measurement equipment, industrial gauges, optical instruments, and related items, featuring products from industry leaders like Mitutoyo, Starrett, Meyer Gage, and Deltronic. Professionals from various industries can explore a diverse range of measurement tools, including air gauging, borescopes, micrometers, calipers, indicators, as well as force and torque measurement devices, and optical comparators.
Shars Tool is an American wholesale distributor of industrial equipment and machinery that was established in 1978 in Saint Charles, Illinois. The company stocks various hand and power tools, abrasives, and cutting tools, as well as machinery like mills and lathes. They also offer material handling equipment like carts and bins, as well as safety accessories like goggles and gloves. Shars Tool chiefly serves client companies and businesses in the metalworking, DIY, home maintenance, and hobby markets, as well as select e-retailers such as LittleMachineShop.com.
Productivity Quality Inc., set up in 1993 and based in Plymouth, Minnesota, is a manufacturer of machinery. The company specializes in the production of Calibration of metrology equipment, machine tool probing systems, measurement systems and gaging like dial and digital callipers, laser micrometres and height gauges. The company also offers digital, dimensional gaging, electronics and machine tool calibration systems. The company also sells pre-used equipment like Bridge CMMs, Portable CMMs, and scanning systems.
TDC CO., LTD., established in 1989 and headquartered in Miyagi, Japan, is a manufacturer that specializes in precision technologies. It employs polishing and lapping technology capable of achieving ultra-fine specifications, even for materials with surface roughness as low as Ra1 nanometer. It specializes in achieving sub-micron level super fine flatness, parallelism, and size tolerance, all while accommodating multiple requirements. The company processes various materials, including metals, ceramics, glasses, and semiconductor materials. The company has created precision-finished surface plates, precision machining of XY stage spindles, precision feed rails, positioning jigs, and glass scales for encoders, leveraging precision dimensional control technology.
CHUO PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (Chuo Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha), founded in 1955, is a Japanese manufacturer and supplier headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, specializing in precise positioning units as well as optical machines and equipment. The company’s portfolio includes automatic and motorized stages and actuators, manual mechanical stages, stage accessories, and controllers. Automatic stage applications include sample table of laser repair and mapping systems, whereas manual stage applications encompass camera position adjustment for glass substrate and/or film inspection systems and prober position adjustment. Further offerings include microscopes and tool scopes, automation products for microscopes, as well as optical accessories, components, and instruments.
Grand Rapids Metrology, a manufacturer established in 1922 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, makes devices and systems for industrial measurement solutions. The company designs metrology products like weighing scales, precision measuring devices and industrial scales. It also offers sales and support, accredited calibration, custom engineering solutions, and a web-based asset management system for recording and tracking the measurement of equipment data. The company is ISO/IEC 17025 accredited through the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation.
Premier Scales & Systems was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Evansville, USA, as a supplier of industrial products. Furthermore, the company offers a range of measurement solutions and automated systems specifically tailored to accommodate various projects and financial constraints. The organization demonstrates a solid devotion to surpassing client expectations in terms of quality and service through the utilization of advanced technologies and the establishment of quality products. Premier endeavors unwaveringly to uphold honesty and deliver excellent customer service to establish itself as the primary provider of weighing and metrology equipment and solutions.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Productivity Quality Inc |
18.2%
|
2 | Grand Rapids Metrology |
18.2%
|
3 | CNC Specialty Store LLC |
9.1%
|
4 | Precision Granite Co. |
9.1%
|
5 | Judge Tool & Gage |
9.1%
|
6 | Shars Tool |
9.1%
|
7 | Grizzly Industrial(R), Inc. |
9.1%
|
8 | TDC CO., LTD. |
9.1%
|
9 | CHUO PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO.,LTD. |
9.1%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the stone surface plate 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 | 6 | 75.0% |
Japan | 2 | 25.0% |