Kinematic Analysis of Face Grinding Process at Lapping Machines

Abstract

The precise face grinding and lapping technology with abrasive or abrasive tool has been widely used in the field of the precise manufacture and ultraprecise manufacture. It has become an essential technology in the manufacture of many components. The planetary lapping machine is typical equipment for face grinding or lapping process. And the relative motions between the workpieces and grinding wheel will affect the formation of wear profiles of the tools, furthermore, the work result will be affected directly by the cutting path of this relative motions. In this paper, the kinematic principle of face grinding process on lapping machines has been analyzed. By means of the concept of pitch point and pitch circles, the complicated grinding process has been converted into two kinds of rotations with the fixed center distance. Two kinds of path curves, i.e. workpiece against grinding wheel and grinding wheel against workpiece, and their relations are analyzed. The geometrical analyses and the manufacture quality of the workpiece are linked with the aid of the cutting velocity, the range of the rotational angle of the cutting traces and the rate of the change of the rotational angle with time. The optimal path curve and kinematic parameters are achieved, and these results are corresponding to the experimental results.