Our Capabilities

Grinding Services:

O.D. & I.D. Grinding

O.D. & I.D. Taper Grinding

O.D. Profile Grinding

Diamond Roll Form Grinding

Hard Chrome Grinding

Grinding Capacities:

O.D. up to 12.0" diameter x 42.0" long

I.D. from .38" min to 12.0" max diameter

I.D. Grinding up to 8.0" in Depth

Complex Configurations

Extremely Close Tolerances

More About Cowan Precision Grinding

Prototype & Production Grinding

With seven state-of-the-art, fully-automatic CNC grinders and eight supporting manual grinding machines, Cowan Precision Grinding is fully equipped to get your job done right the first time. Over the last fifty years we’ve ground prototype and one-off parts for a wide variety of industries and applications, working closely with our customers’ engineers and manufacturing managers. But Cowan is perhaps best known for grinding and delivering very large quantities of parts, numbering from hundreds to thousands. This level of production requires careful planning, a thorough understanding of the grinding process, and flawless execution. At Cowan, we are experts in production grinding and we know what it takes to get the job done and deliver on time.

In today’s challenging manufacturing environment there is zero tolerance for failure. We understand that our performance affects your performance, and nobody can afford to be second best. We can grind outside diameters up to 12.0” x 42.0” long; and inside diameters from .375” to 12.0” and up to 8.0” deep. Whether you need one part or a thousand, Cowan has the experience and the grinding capacity to deliver on time, every time. You can count on the grinding professionals at Cowan Precision Grinding.

O.D. & I.D. Taper Grinding

Tapered diameters are one of the more challenging jobs in the world of precision grinding. Many would say that it is more of an art than a science, and most would agree that it takes years of experience and state-of-the-art equipment to do it right. Cowan has been grinding both O.D. and I.D. tapers on a variety of materials and configurations for more than five decades; and we have the equipment – both CNC and manual – and the hands-on experience to get the job done right the first time.

“With standard diameter tolerance requirements of .0001”, linear tolerances of .0002” and concentricity less than .00005” (fifty millionths of an inch), you’d better know what you’re doing when grinding tapers,” says Phil Cowan, “there really is no margin for error.” At Cowan Precision Grinding we use the most modern equipment and a sophisticated air-gage system to grind and inspect our work to guarantee strict compliance with your drawing requirements. Dozens of precision manufacturers, both large and small, trust their taper grinding jobs to Cowan Precision Grinding because they know they’ll get their parts done right and delivered on time. Call us for your next taper grinding requirement and let us perform for you.

Close-Tolerance, Difficult Parts are Our Specialty

Over the years, Cowan Precision Grinding has built a reputation as the “go-to guys" for the more difficult and challenging grinding jobs. While we can grind just about anything that can fit in our machines, close-tolerances and complex configurations are where we really shine. Whether its difficult materials like 304 stainless steel, Inconel or Titanium; multiple diameters with extremely close concentricity and linear requirements; diameters and roundness within ±.00005” (fifty millionths of an inch); or thin-wall and other parts requiring special tooling; Cowan gets it done right the first time.

We combine the most modern CNC equipment available with decades of grinding knowledge and expertise to offer our customers a cost-effective solution for their most difficult grinding jobs. So, the next time someone tells you “it can’t be done”, bring your job to Cowan Precision Grinding and watch us go to work. You’ll be amazed at what we can do.

“Ask Phil” Planning and Consulting Service

In 1971, you could fill up your gas tank for less than five bucks, Intel released the world’s first microprocessor, and Phil Cowan started grinding parts. In the five decades since that time, Phil and his team at Cowan Precision Grinding have gained a wealth of hands-on precision grinding knowledge and experience. We’ve ground parts in a variety of materials and configurations for a wide range of industries and applications; and our customers have come to rely on our knowledge and expertise.

When you’re manufacturing parts that require precision grinding, proper planning and preparation can make all the difference. That is why our customers call the experts at Cowan Precision Grinding for advice and information on everything from stock removal to heat treat distortion. They know that our years of precision grinding experience will save them time and money when it comes to preparing parts for grinding. And best of all, our advise is free. So, the next time you have a job that requires precision grinding, save yourself some time and money. Call Phil at (818) 361-3512 or send your questions to phil@cowangrinding.com and put fifty years of grinding expertise to work for you.

“Since 1968. Over 50 Years of Precision Grinding Excellence!"”

The Cowan Grinding Story

When Frank Cowan started Cowan Precision Grinding in 1968 in Burbank, California, he had a 1956 Cincinnati Universal Grinder and a plan to offer the best possible precision grinding service to the burgeoning Southern California aerospace industry. From these humble beginnings, the company has grown into one of Southern California’s top sources for precision grinding. Today, more then fifty years later, Cowan Precision Grinding offers extremely close-tolerance O.D. and I.D. grinding; plus O.D. and I.D. taper grinding, O.D. profile grinding, diamond-roll form grinding and hard-chrome grinding per BAC 5032.

"When you’re working on a job with thousands of dollars already invested, you’d better know exactly what you’re doing. If you don’t, you’re out of business in a hurry."

Founder Frank Cowan in 1968

In 1980 when Phil Cowan took over the business, he already had a decade of precision grinding experience under his belt. Phil met the challenges and steadily grew the business, acquiring the company’s first Mitsubishi CNC grinder in 1995. From that point on, Cowan Precision Grinding has pursued the perfect combination of advanced technology and old-fashioned craftsmanship. The result is a level of quality and reliability rarely seen in the precision manufacturing industry today. “When you’re working on a job with thousands of dollars in material and labor already invested,” explains Phil, “you’d better know exactly what you’re doing. If you don’t, you’re out of business in a hurry.”

"Ask Phil Cowan about job planning & how to prepare your parts for grinding."

Today, Phil Cowan, Jr. is following in his father’s footsteps, learning and perfecting the craft of precision grinding from the ground up. With more than twenty years under his belt, Phil Jr. is carrying on the Cowan family tradition of quality and craftsmanship began by his grandfather over five decades ago. With eight state-of-the-art CNC and eight manual grinding machines, and a team of seasoned professionals with years of hands-on grinding expertise, we can grind outside diameters up to 12.0” and up to 42.0” in length, and inside diameters from .375” to 12.0”, and up to 8.0” deep with absolute precision and accuracy.

For more than fifty years Cowan Precision Grinding has earned its reputation for excellence and dependability. That is why dozens of local precision manufacturers, as well as many worldwide high-tech firms, trust Cowan Precision Grinding with their precision grinding requirements. When it comes to precision I.D. and O.D. grinding, there isn’t much that Cowan can’t do. As Phil likes to say, “If it can fit in our machines, we can grind it.”

Find out why Cowan Precision Grinding is the first choice for manufacturers both large and small. Call us today at (818) 361-3512 or email us and let us show you what we can do.

“If your job can fit in our machines, we can grind it.”

ISO 9001:2015 & AS9100D Compliant

Hard Chrome Grinding per BAC 5032

What's New at Cowan Precision Grinding

Toyoda GL4 O.D. Angle Head Grinder

New Toyoda GL4 O.D. Angle Head Grinder

2016

We’ve recently replaced one of our grinders with a new Toyoda GL4 O.D. Angle Head Grinder. This new grinder features: 12.0” diameter x 20.0” long capacity, up to a 4.70” diameter wheel, lateral location devices and size gaging, and custom wheel profiling. In order to offer our customers the best possible level of quality, value and service, we invest in the latest grinding technology and equipment to keep your costs down and deliver your parts on time.

At Cowan Precision Grinding, you’ll find the most advanced grinding technology available anywhere, and we use it to offer our customers the best quality and service in the business. You can count on it.

Cowan Offers the Latest in Precision Grinding Technology