Grinding Tungsten Carbide Used for Manufacturing Gun Drills

Abstract

This paper presents a study of grinding cemented carbide DK460UF (91 % WC and 9 % Co), a material used to produce cutting tools with solid cutting edges. The aim is to establish the manufacturing conditions that lead to high surface quality. A model of the main factors that influence the grinding process is presented first. Following that, grinding wheel wear and surface roughness are analysed. Grinding wheel wear is studied in experimental conditions under which small diameter gun drills were sharpened with two diamond grinding wheels of different grain sizes. Finally, the wear curve can be made. The “G ratio” is used to characterise the performance of the grinding process. Next, the experimental research examines how independent parameters, depth of cut, feed, grit, and speed influence roughness. The influence of the grinding wheel wear on roughness is also studied. The aspect of ground surfaces is examined by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental study allowed the determination of the required grinding wheel grit (46 μm) and the optimum processing parameters (depth of cut ap = 0.01 mm, feed = 0.005 mm/rev, cutting speed v = 55 m/s) to obtain the imposed surface roughness for cutting tool surfaces (Rz = 0.3 μm). The maximum allowed radial wear (Δr) of the grinding wheel is 30 μm.