On Energy Assessment of Titanium Alloys Belt Grinding Involving Abrasive Wear Effects

Abstract

Improved energy utilisation, precision, and quality are critical in the current trend of low-carbon green manufacturing. In this study, three abrasive belts were prepared at various wear stages and characterised quantitatively. The effects of abrasive belt wear on the specific grinding energy partition were investigated by evaluating robotic belt grinding of titanium plates. A specific grinding energy model based on subdivided tangential forces of cutting and sliding was developed for investigating specific energy and energy utilisation coefficient EUC. The surface morphology and Abbott–Firestone curves of the belts were introduced to analyse the experimental findings from the perspective of the micro cutting behaviour. The specific grinding energy increased with abrasive belt wear, especially when the belt was near the end of its life. Moreover, the belt wear could lead to a predominance change of sliding and chip formation energy. The highest EUC was observed in the middle of the belt life because of its retained sharp cutting edge and uniform distribution of the grit protrusion height. This study provides guidance for balancing the energy consumption and energy utilization efficiency of belt grinding.