Cutting edge preparation with elastic bonded diamond grinding wheels: Influence of the interaction of metalworking fluid and grinding wheel on the grinding wheel properties and preparation result

Abstract

The cutting edge preparation with elastic bonded superabrasive grinding wheels enables the accurate manufacture of customized cutting edges. This process necessitates highest accuracies of the machine and the kinematics. Up to now, no systematic investigations on the interaction of the metalworking fluid and the grinding wheel were done; those could alter the properties of the grinding wheel, and as a consequence the result of cutting edge preparation. The influence of this interaction on cutting edge preparation is investigated in this study using two different experimental setups. One setup where the grinding wheels interacted with the metalworking fluid in an aging chamber to speed up the aging process and one setup directly in a tool grinding machine, in which the grinding wheels were also applied for cutting edge preparation at different stages of aging. In the aging chamber, the interaction takes place under elevated metalworking fluid temperatures to accelerate possible interaction effects. The results revealed an increase in the diameter, width and weight of the grinding wheels and a reduction in hardness. These changes were more pronounced under the elevated temperatures in the aging chamber. This in turn resulted in a significant alteration in the geometry of the prepared cutting edges, which was not observed when the grinding wheels interacted with the metalworking fluid in the tool grinding machine. As a general result, to keep the properties of the grinding wheels approximately constant, continuous dressing cycles should be carried out. In addition, the grinding wheels should be stored in dry conditions when not using them. In this way, specific cutting edge geometries can be manufactured reproducibly.