When a round bar arrives off dimension, your production stops. A secondary finishing step costs time and money that nobody budgeted for. Centerless grinding solves that problem at the source, and we’ve been doing it from our Arlington Heights facility since 1970.
Engineers and buyers across Chicago ask us the same question before placing an order: What can O’Hare Precision Metals actually hold, and will it stay consistent across the full run? Here is a straight answer backed by real numbers.
What Centerless Grinding Delivers for Round Bar Buyers
Centerless grinding holds tolerances as close as .0001 inches with a surface finish of 8 micro inches or better. Those two numbers together mean your bar arrives dimensionally accurate and surface-ready, so you skip the secondary finishing step and move straight to your next operation.
O’Hare Precision Metals runs both in-feed and through-feed grinding depending on part geometry. We also offer CNC and manual OD grinding with in-process gauging running during the cycle itself. Dimensional checks happen while material is still being removed, not after the fact.
Diameter, Length, and Saw Cutting Capacity
Our centerless grinding covers up to 9 inches in diameter and up to 50 feet in length. The Specialized Grinding Division handles parts up to 7 inches in diameter and 24 feet in length. Include your dimensions in the quote request, and we will route the job correctly from day one.
Our automated CNC saws cut up to 7 inches in diameter using cold saw blades. Clean, smooth ends with tight tolerances come standard. That reduces your machine time when you’re working with shorter bar lengths on the shop floor.
Materials We Process Through Centerless Grinding
We grind stainless steel, alloy steel, carbon steel, tool steel, aluminum, nickel alloys, titanium, copper, brass, and bronze. Grades range from 1018 carbon and 4140 alloy through Inconel, Hastelloy, and titanium Grade 5. Process parameters shift with the material, but tolerance and finish targets stay consistent across the range.
Titanium requires specialized tooling because of its high strength and low thermal conductivity. That doesn’t change the tolerance we hold. It changes how we set up the process to get there reliably every time.
In-House Services That Work Alongside Grinding
Bar rarely ships, needing only grinding. We chamfer ends for weld preparation and easier assembly, turn diameters to specified dimensions, and burnish shaft ODs, fillets, and sealing surfaces using roller and ball methods. Polishing to a specific RA finish is available using centerless polishing cells, bar and tube polishers, and buffing cells.
Packaging is in-house as well. Options include individually wrapped tubes and collars, custom wood boxes, and paper wrap in bundles. Everything ships in the format your receiving dock expects.
Quality Control and ISO 9001:2015 Certification
We inspect at each phase of the operation, not just before shipment. That means dimensional issues get caught and corrected before the next step runs, not after the order leaves our dock. Consistent inspection is built into how we run every job.
We are ISO 9001:2015 certified. Our quality management practices are documented and auditable, so when your supplier qualification process asks for proof, we have it ready.
Get a Quote on Your Next Centerless Ground Bar Order
Tell us your material grade, target diameter, tolerance band, length requirement, and any finishing or packaging needs. We turn quote requests around efficiently, and our team is available to talk through the specs before you finalize anything.
Call us at (847) 640-6050, email sales@ohareprecision.com, or submit your specs through the quote form at ohareprecision.com/request-a-quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tightest tolerance O’Hare Precision Metals holds on a centerless ground bar?
We hold tolerances as close as .0001 inches with a surface finish of 8 micro inches or better at our Arlington Heights facility.
What diameter and length range does your grinding cover?
We grind up to 9 inches in diameter and 50 feet in length. The Specialized Division handles up to 7 inches in diameter and 24 feet in length.
What materials can you centerless grind beyond steel?
We process aluminum, nickel alloys, titanium, copper, brass, and bronze alongside the full range of steel grades.
Do you offer processing beyond grinding on the same order?
Yes. Chamfering, turning, burnishing, polishing, saw cutting, and packaging are all available in house on the same order.