14. Can start with solid blank operations and produces a finished component in one machine. In hard turning you can start with pre hardened material and machine it. You can skip several steps and actually cut days of process . Choosing between these two process is purely application driven. Grinding is better suited is it against thin walled or delicate from crushing perspective. Hard turning is very well suited when you have complex figures. Complex contours, difficult radii, angles and diameters all in one part. Hard turning can do it with one setting Grind = Lot of fine particles= special filtration unit= clean regularly. Hard Turning = producing steel chips= much easier to dispose or recycle It is becoming more popular than grinding as it usually less expensive, faster, machines cost less and operator learning curve is less. Operator has to learn one machine and that machine does it all. Speed – 91 – 150 m/min. Feed- 0.13 mm/min. Depth- 0.08 mm– 0.5mm. Surface finish- 0.003mm. Roundness value -0.00025mm. Size control – 0.005mm. To the naked eye, ground surfaces appear to be smooth and free from defects. The photomicrographs to the left show the surface of ground tungsten carbide compared to Hard Turning on right show.