How To Properly Care And Maintain Granite Surface Plates

Industry Outlook Team | Thursday, 21 July 2022

Granite surface plates or true plane surfaces are essential instruments in manufacturing. Their flat surfaces provide their users with accurate reference planes ideal for inspecting, measuring, and calibration of test equipment, and different parts.

As vital instruments used in different manufacturing sites, granite surface plates can be easily affected by the tiniest speck of dust or dirt or wear, leading to inaccurate measurements. Hence, they require proper care and maintenance at every turn to ensure that at every use, they help achieve the correct readings and measurements. If you use a granite surface plate in your manufacturing industry, this article provides some ways to properly care for and maintain these delicate yet super functional instruments. Read on for more information.

1. Proper Installation

The first step to properly caring for and maintaining your granite surface plate is to have it properly installed. This way, it would last longer.

Of course, it's best to purchase the granite surface plate from specialized manufacturers. If you're looking for one, visit Eleymet.com or similar sites, where you can get all the parts of your granite surface plate manufactured to your specifications.

Furthermore, many of these manufacturers provide installation services and ensure that the granite surface plate is stationed on top of its support system. Once the support system is manufactured with the granite surface plate and proper placement and installation are made, the accuracy level is assured. Also, make sure not to overtighten the hold-down bolts for optimum accuracy measurements.

2. Regular Service And Calibration

The more you use your granite surface plate, the more it wears out. That said, regular servicing and calibration are crucial to ensure that the surface plate maintains its functionality despite continued use. Calibration should be done every six months – one year for frequent usage and every three years depending on infrequent use. To determine the frequency of the calibration, proper and regular servicing must be done.

With regular servicing and calibration, you can check for marks, dents, and wear areas. You will additionally

be able to tell when the surface plate is due for resurfacing to ensure a long-lasting accuracy provision.

3. Use Adequate Cleaners

To clean your granite surface plate and ensure it lasts longer, you should pay attention to the type of surface cleaners you use. Preferably, avoid water-based cleaners and invest more in alcohol-based cleaners. Granite often absorbs water which can lead to the rusting of metal tools placed on it. Hence, water-based cleaners are not advisable. Instead, look for professional granite surface cleaners with the necessary chemical compositions to clean the surface while acting as a rust inhibitor and degreaser.

4. Clean And Cover The Surface

The build-up of grease, dust, debris, and other forms of dirt on the granite surface plate is unavoidable. Therefore, constant cleaning is necessary.

Clean the surface plate before and after use with a granite surface cleaner and wipe it down with another clean piece of clothing to remove left-over cleaning fluid on the surface.

After proper cleaning and when not in use, cover the surface with a soft and hard cover to avoid build-up of dirt, dents made by foreign objects dropping on it, and other issues.

5. Use For Measuring Only

Always remember that granite surface plates are not storage tables to store tools, food, or other substances. They are engineering measuring instruments that must not be used for anything other than measuring. Avoid placing anything other than what needs to be measured on the surface plate. The likes of foods and drinks can release acids that can react violently with the surface causing holes and wearing the surface faster.

6. Avoid Overloading The Surface

Avoid placing way too many parts to be measured at once on the granite surface table. At the same time, avoid placing tools or those that are bigger than the surface table. These can lead to inaccurate readings, and a better solution is to ensure the even distribution of items on the surface when there is a need to measure different parts. Also, ensure the items fit perfectly with the size of the surface plate. If you are unsure of the size fitting, consult the manufacturer’s guide for information.

7. Rotate The Plate

You can rotate the plate’s orientation every once in a while to reduce the overuse of the same spot or area on the granite surface plate. It works perfectly fine when measuring small parts since they can be placed in different places. But when you have larger needs, use nylon straps to lift the plates and rotate with the use of machinery to avoid scratches and dents on the surface.

Conclusion

By following the above steps, you will not only provide proper care and maintenance to your granite surface plate but ensure its optimum functionality and accuracy when utilizing it for measurements of various tools and parts. Do not forget that these are just some steps. For more in-depth care, always consult the services of well-established manufacturers and specialists on granite surface plates for the necessary advanced care and maintenance.