High speed low damage grinding of advanced ceramics - Phase II Final Report

Abstract

In the manufacture of structural ceramic components, grinding costs can comprise up to 80% of the entire manufacturing cost. As a result, one of the most challenging tasks faced by manufacturing process engineers is the development of a ceramic finishing process to maximize part throughput while minimizing costs and associated scrap levels. The efforts summarized in this report represent the second phase of a program whose overall objective was to develop a single-step, roughing-finishing process suitable for producing high-quality silicon nitride parts at high material removal rates and at substantially lower cost than traditional, multi-stage grinding processes. More specifically, this report provides a technical overview of High-Speed, Low-Damage (HSLD) ceramic grinding which employs elevated wheel speeds to achieve the small grain depths of cut necessary for low-damage grinding while operating at relatively high material removal rates. The study employed the combined use of laboratory grinding tests, mathematical grinding models, and characterization of the resultant surface condition. A single-step, roughing-finishing process operating at high removal rates was developed and demonstrated.