Skiving Roller Burnishing Machine: Working Principle, Advantages, Applications and Selection Guide

 A Skiving Roller Burnishing Machine is a specialized high-precision machining system used to produce high-accuracy, high-smoothness inner surfaces of hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, and other precision tubes. As the demand for tighter tolerances and higher production efficiency grows in the hydraulic industry, skiving and roller burnishing technology has become the preferred alternative to traditional honing.

This article explains what a skiving roller burnishing machine is, how it works, its advantages, applications, and how buyers can choose the right machine based on real industrial search intent.

What Is a Skiving Roller Burnishing Machine?

A Skiving and Roller Burnishing Machine is a combined machining system that performs skiving (cutting) and roller burnishing (surface finishing) inside a tube in a single continuous process. It is mainly used for processing honed tubes and hydraulic cylinder tubes.

Typical machining tasks:

• Inner diameter cutting

• Precision sizing

• Surface finishing

• Achieving roundness and straightness

Industries using this equipment include hydraulic machinery, construction machinery, mining equipment, industrial automation, and automotive components.

How the Skiving and Roller Burnishing Process Works

Skiving Roller Burnishing is a two-stage continuous process completed by a single tool head.

1. Skiving (Precision Cutting)

During skiving, multiple cutting blades remove the material layer inside the tube.
This step achieves:

• Accurate inner diameter sizing

• Correction of shape and straightness errors

• Removal of the rough layer from previous processes such as cold drawing

2. Roller Burnishing (Surface Finishing)

Immediately behind the skiving blades, several hardened rollers apply pressure to the tube’s inner surface.

This achieves:

• Extremely smooth surface roughness (Ra 0.05–0.2 μm)

• Compressed and hardened surface layer

• Increased wear resistance

• Higher fatigue life

Since both steps occur in a single feed, productivity improves significantly compared to honing.

Key Advantages of Skiving Roller Burnishing Machines

1. Very High Efficiency

The combined process is 5–10 times faster than honing.
Suitable for mass production of hydraulic cylinders.

2. Superior Surface Quality

The burnishing process produces mirror-like surfaces with Ra ≤ 0.2 μm, ideal for sealing performance.

3. High Dimensional Accuracy

Typical inner diameter tolerance:

• H7 to H8 level

• Stable concentricity and roundness

4. Lower Production Cost

Compared to honing:

• Lower tool consumption

• Less power usage

• No honing oil and abrasive stones

• Shorter production cycle

5. Extended Cylinder Life

The cold-working effect forms a compressed surface layer that improves:

• Wear resistance

• Corrosion resistance

• Fatigue strength

Core Applications

Skiving roller burnishing machines are widely used in industries that require precision hydraulic or pneumatic components.

Hydraulic Cylinder Tubes

Used in:

• Excavators

• Loaders

• Agricultural machinery

• Industrial presses

Pneumatic Cylinder Tubes

For high-precision automation systems.

Automotive Components

Steering cylinders and shock absorbers.

Oil and Gas Equipment

High-pressure tubing and precision cylinders.

Custom Precision Tubes

For any industry needing extremely smooth and accurate inner surfaces.

Types of Skiving Roller Burnishing Machines

1. CNC Skiving Roller Burnishing Machines

For precise control, high-volume production, and programmable settings.

2. Hydraulic Skiving Roller Burnishing Machines

Cost-effective and suitable for standard cylinder production.

3. Long-Tube Skiving and Burnishing Lines

For large production facilities manufacturing long hydraulic cylinder tubing (up to 12 meters or more).

4. Integrated Skiving–Burnishing–Boring Systems

Advanced lines combining boring, skiving, and burnishing into one setup.

Skiving Roller Burnishing Machine

How to Choose the Right Skiving Roller Burnishing Machine

When selecting equipment, consider the following factors:

1. Tube Diameter Range

Ensure the machine matches your production size, commonly:

• 40–400 mm inner diameter

• Custom sizes available for larger tubes

2. Tube Length Capacity

Standard: 6 m
Extended: 8–12 m depending on application.

3. Required Surface Roughness

For hydraulic cylinders: Ra 0.1–0.4 μm
Ensure the machine can consistently reach this level.

4. Production Volume

High-volume manufacturers benefit from CNC automatic production lines.

5. Tooling Quality

Cutting blades and roller heads dramatically influence accuracy and tool life.

6. Machine Rigidity and Power

Stable base structure ensures better accuracy at high feed speeds.

7. Automation Options

Such as:

• Auto loading/unloading

• Digital measurement systems

• CNC control

• Real-time diameter calibration

Skiving Roller Burnishing vs. Honing: Which Is Better?

For most hydraulic cylinder manufacturers, skiving roller burnishing is the more efficient and economical choice.

Final Thoughts

A Skiving Roller Burnishing Machine is essential for modern hydraulic cylinder production, offering unmatched speed, precision, and surface quality. With its ability to combine cutting and burnishing in one pass, it significantly reduces manufacturing costs while improving product performance.

By understanding the working principles, selection criteria, and industrial applications, buyers can make an informed decision and achieve higher efficiency and competitiveness in their cylinder production operations.