HIGH-PRECISION LAPPING FOR POLYGONAL HOLES

Lapping has been used as a finishing method to improve the roundness of shafts and holes. This paper introduces two methods for the finishing of polygonal holes whose shapes are ellipsoidal, three-lobed, four-lobed, and so on. One method is the "regular polygonal lap" in which the amplitude of the desired Fourier component of the out-of-roundness is kept constant and the other components are decreased. The other is the "tripod lap," which can increase the amplitude of any Fourier component using special types of lapping tools produced by applying the "tripod roundness measuring method." Based on a theoretical analysis, this study shows that any component of the out-of-roundness can be increased by using the new tripod lap method.