honing machine

Honing is a low-speed surface finishing process used to remove small amounts of metal, typically less than 0.0005 inch (0.0125 mm), from ground or machined surfaces. It is a specialized type of grinding that uses bonded abrasive sticks or stones mounted in a honing head.1

Honing machines, often with multiple spindles, rotate the honing head slowly with an oscillating motion. This action presses the abrasive stones against the workpiece surface under controlled, light pressure. This process is effective for removing imperfections like scratches and machine marks, and it can achieve very precise finishes, even to tolerances of two millionths of an inch (0.00005 mm) in lapping, a related process. A common application is honing automotive engine cylinder walls.1