Module 4

Grinding Operations
 Grinding
It is the metal removal process that involves the use of
abrasive tools.
Each abrasive grain acts like a small single cutting tool with
undefined geometry.
The grinding wheel is usually disk shaped and is precisely
balanced for high rotational speeds.

Vw
 Grinding wheel parameters

Abrasives
Grain size
Bonding material
Wheel structure
Wheel grade

Micrograph of grinding wheel

Abrasives
 Grain size

Its denoted by the number indicating the no.of meshes per

linear inch of the screen through which grains passes.
Standard grain sizes:
Coarse : 10,12,14,16,20,24
Medium: 30,36,46,54,60
Fine: 220, 240,280,320,400,500,600,700,800,900,1000
 Bonding Materials
Common types of bonds:
1. Vitrified:
Consist of refractory materials
Strong, stiff, porous, and resistant to oils, acids, and water
2. Resinoid:
Bonding materials are thermosetting resins
Resinoid wheels are more flexible than vitrified wheels
3. Silicate:
Consist of layers of fiberglass mats of various mesh sizes
4. Shellac:
Made of resin and rubber
Good finish
5. Rubber:
Flexible
Cutoff wheels
 Wheel Structure
Structure of a bonded abrasive is a measure of its porosity

Dense : 0,1,2,3
Medium: 4,5,6,7,8
Open: 9,10,11,12
 Wheel Grade

The grade of a bonded abrasive is a measure of its

bond strength
The grade is also referred to as the hardness of a
bonded abrasive.

Soft grade: A to H
Medium grade: I to P
Hard grade: Q to Z
Standard Marking of Grinding Wheel
Types of Grinding Wheel
 Grinding Machines

Surface grinding Cylindrical grinding

 Grinding Operations

Surface Grinding
Cylindrical Grinding
Centreless Grinding
Surface Grinding
Cylindrical Grinding
Centreless Grinding
 Creep-feed Grinding
Grinding can also be used for large-scale metal-removal
operations to compete with milling, broaching and planing
depth of cut, d, is 6 mm and the workpiece speed is low
To keep workpiece temperatures low and improve surface
finish, the wheels are softer grade resin bonded and have an
open structure
 Dressing, Truing and Balancing
Dressing sharpens the grinding wheel by removing
the clogged chips from its surface

Truing removes the small amount of material to

restore the original shape of the wheel

Balancing center of mass of wheel coincides with

the axis of rotation
 Finishing Operations

Lapping

Buffing

Honing
 Lapping

Lapping is regarded as the oldest method of obtaining a fine finish.

Lapping is basically an abrasive process in which loose abrasives function
as cutting points.
Material removal in lapping usually ranges from .003 to .03 mm but many
reach 0.08 to 0.1mm in certain cases.
The cutting mechanism in lapping is that the abrasives become embedded
in the lap surface, and the cutting action is very similar to grinding.
Lapping is used to produce optical lenses, metallic bearing surfaces, gages,
and other parts requiring very good finishes and extreme accuracy.
Schematics of lapping process showing the lap and the cutting action of
suspended abrasive particles.
 Lapping

Figure (a) Schematic illustration of the lapping process. (b) Production lapping on
flat surfaces.(c) Production lapping on cylindrical surfaces.
Buffing:
Buffing is a finishing operation similar to polishing, in which abrasive grains are not
glued to the wheel but are contained in a buffing compound that is pressed into the
outside surface of the buffing wheel while it rotates. As in polishing, the abrasive
particles must be periodically replenished.
As in polishing, buffing is usually done manually, although machines have been
designed to perform the process automatically.

Buffing wheels are made of discs of linen, cotton, broad cloth and canvas
 Honing
Honing is a finishing process performed by a honing tool, which contains a
set of three to a dozen and more bonded abrasive sticks. The sticks are
equally spaced about the periphery of the honing tool. They are held against
the work surface with controlled light pressure, usually exercised by small
springs.
The honing tool is given a complex rotational and oscillatory axial motion,
which combine to produce a crosshatched lay pattern of very low surface
roughness

Honing tool
Honing
 Cutting Conditions
D= wheel diameter in mm
d = depth of cut or infeed in mm
w= width of cut or cross feed in mm

Length of chip = (D.d)0.5

No.of chips/min = N.w.C
where N = wheel speed in m/min
C= no.of grits/mm2
MRR = RMR = Vw. w.d in mm3/s
where Vw = work speed in m/s

Grinding ratio = volume of work material removed/volume of wheel material

removed