Process and apparatus for chucking and machining an elongated cylindrical article made of a ceramic material

摘要

A process for chucking and machining an elongated cylindrical article made of a ceramic material according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: (1) chucking the elongated cylindrical ceramic article between chuck heads at longitudinally opposite end portions of said ceramic article; (2) holding the elongated cylindrical article between the chuck heads under such a low chucking pressure as allowing the ceramic article to slip inside a driven side chuck head while being kept inside the chuck heads at the opposite end portions, and slipping the ceramic article inside the chuck heads for a given time under rotation of a driving chuck head so that any positional deviation between the location of a center axis passing centers of of the chuck heads and an axis of the ceramic article may be removed due to a self aligning centrifugal action of the ceramic article; (3) raising the chucking pressure of the chuck heads to such a level as required for machining the ceramic article; and (4) then machining a surface of the ceramic article by a machining tool. <IMAGE>