Grinding Machine

• Grinding is a metal removal process by the

action of a rotating abrasive wheel.
• An abrasive is a material whose particles are
extremely hard and can be used to machine
materials such as hardened steel, glass, carbides,
ceramics, etc.
• Grinding operation may be used for removing a
thick layer (about 0.5 mm) of material in general
class of work.
• Usually grinding is used for finishing & polishing
of parts produced by other machining process.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
 Abrasives
• Abrasive is the mineral material employed for
sharpening, grinding & polishing operations.
• Two types of abrasives are commonly used;
1. Natural abrasives
Ex: Emery, Sand stone, Quartz, Corundum,
Diamond.
(Corundum & Emery mainly consist of Aluminium oxide)
2. Artificial or synthetic abrasives.
Ex: Silicon carbide, Aluminium oxide, artificial
diamond.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
Grinding Wheels

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

 Grinding Wheel (Bonded Abrasives)
• In a grinding wheel, the abrasive grains are held
together by a bonding material.
• Grinding wheels are specified by the standardized
system of letters & numbers Indicating the type of
abrasive, grain size, grade, structure & bond type.
1. Abrasive type: The most commonly used abrasives
are
Aluminium oxide used to grind steel and its alloys.
Silicon carbide used to grind cast iron & non
ferrous metals.
Diamond used to grind carbides, marbles, gems,
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
2. Grain size: It is used to describe the fineness of
the mesh used in grading the abrasive grits
(particles).
• Coarse grains are used to grind soft, ductile
materials.
• Fine grains are used for hard and brittle
materials and also when close accuracy is
required.
3. Grade: It indicates the relative strength of the
bond that holds the abrasive particles in place.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
4. Structure: It indicates the relative spacing of the abrasive
grains.
• A wheel with wide spacing between the grains is best
suited for grinding soft materials.
• A closely spaced structure is suitable for grinding hard
materials.
5. Bond: It is the medium that holds the grains together in
the form of a wheel.
The various bond materials generally used are
Vitrified : ( Feldspar & clay)
Silicate : (Silicate of soda)
Shellac : (resin secreted by a lac bug on a tree)
rubber : (pure rubber with sulphur as
vulcanizing agent)
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
 Standard Marking System of a grinding wheel
Prefix Abrasive Grain size Grade Structure Bond type Suffix
W A 46 K 5 V 17

Manufacturer's Manufacturer's
abrasive code bond code
A to Z 4 10
A - Aluminium oxide
C- Silicon Carbide (A-Softest) 5 11
Z- Zirconia Z-Hardest) 6 12
7 13
8 14
V- Vitrified
Coarse Fine S- Silicate
8 9 15
80 B- Resin
10 100
12 120 R- Rubber
14 150 E- Shellac
16 180 P- Epoxy
20 Very Fine
24 220
Medium 240
30 280
36 320
46 400
60 500
600

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

Grinding wheel structure

Typical structure of a grinding wheel.

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

 Dressing of Grinding Wheel
• As the grinding wheel
is used, it gets loaded
with metal chips in
between the cavities
of the grains.
• Dressing is the process
of removing all dull
grains and chips from
the wheel surface and
exposing new sharp
grains.
• An abrasive stick is
used for dressing.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
 Truing of Grinding Wheel
• Grinding wheels lose
their geometry
during use.
• Truing is a dressing
operation by which a
wheel is restored its
original shape.
• A single point
diamond tool can be
used to true the
wheel.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
 Classification of Grinding Machines
Grinding machines are classified according to the
type of surface they produce.
1. Surface grinding machine
(For finishing flat surfaces)
2. Cylindrical grinding machine
(For finishing the outside/inside diameter of
cylindrical workpiece)
3. Centerless grinder
( For grinding curved surfaces of long slender rods)

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

Surface Grinding Machine

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

 Surface Grinding Machine
Grinding Spindle
wheel • Grinding of flat
surfaces is known as
Work surface grinding.
Table • Two general types of
machines are
Work reciprocates available; those with
Feed
reciprocating table &
the other with
rotating table.
• Each type has
possible variations
of having grinding
wheel spindle either
in horizontal position
or vertical position.

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

Cylindrical Grinding Machine

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

 Cylindrical Grinding Machine
• Grinding of straight or
tapered cylindrical
surfaces is known as
cylindrical grinding.
• The work piece is
mounted between two
centers or in a chuck and
Grinding
wheel revolves in opposite
Spindle direction to that of
grinding wheel.
• The table which carries
the headstock & tailstock
centers and the work can
be reciprocated by a
Work piece
hydraulic drive.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
Centerless Grinding

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

 Centerless Grinding

• Centerless grinding is used for producing parallel, tapered or

contoured surfaces on long & slender rods.
• The work piece is not supported between centers and hence
the name centerless.
• The work piece rests on a work rest blade and is backed by a
second wheel called regulating wheel.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
 Centerless Grinding

• The regulating wheel is of rubber bonded abrasive having the

frictional characteristics to rotate the work piece at its own
rotational speed.
• The grinding wheel & the regulating wheel rotate in the same
direction.
• In through feed grinding, the axial movement of the work past
the grinding wheel is obtained by tilting the regulating wheel at
slight angle from the Phorizontal.
R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore
Lapping
• Lapping is a precision
grinding technique
employed in finishing
of valve seats, cutting
edge of dies, optical
lenses, etc.
• It uses fluid suspension
of very small abrasive
particles (Lapping
compound) between
workpiece and lap
(tool)

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

Honing • Honing is also a
precision grinding
technique employed
in reshaping &
polishing cylinder
bores, gauges,
connecting rod bushes,
etc.
• It uses abrasive
bonded sticks known
as hones which will be
given combined rotary
& reciprocating
motions.

P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore

 Honing• Abrasive process
performed by a set of
bonded abrasive sticks
using a combination of
rotational and oscillatory
motions.
• Common application is to
finish the bores of
internal combustion
engines
• Surface finishes of 0.12
m or better.
• Creates a characteristic
cross-hatched surface
that retains lubrication.
P R Venkatesh, Mech Dept, RVCE , B'lore