Laser-assisted Belt Grinding with Creep Feed for Enhanced Surface Integrity and Abrasive wear Reduction

Abstract

Creep feed belt grinding (CFBG) is a vital machining technique used for intricate curved parts like aero-engine blades and flaps. CFBG effectively removes material by using larger depths of cut and lower feed rates, but high loads can lead to severe belt wear and thermal damage defects in the process. Laser-assisted processing technology can mitigate tool wear and enhance machining quality. This research compared and analyzed belt wear behavior and its impact on the surface integrity of titanium alloys in laser-assisted creep feed belt grinding (LCFBG) and CFBG processes. The following conclusions were drawn: The local thermal effect of the laser softened the material, reduced the grinding force. The wear pattern of the abrasive grains changed from abrasive fracture and stripping to steady abrasive wear. The effective life of the belt increased by about 33 %. In addition, due to reduction in grinding force, the thermo-mechanical coupling effect caused by material removal is reduced, and the grinding temperature is lowered. As a result of the reduction in grinding force and temperature, the mechanical and thermal stresses are reduced, the oxidation reaction on the surface of the titanium alloy is weakened, and the residual stress is lowered, leading to an improvement in surface quality.