Grinding With Engineered Abrasives

Technological advances of machine tools and innovative grinding wheels that consist of engineered/shaped abrasives and high strength bond provide the main driving force for High Performance Grinding (HPG) processes. Grinding with these wheels can achieve very high material removal rates (MRR), without impacting the quality and metallurgy of components made from difficult-to-machine materials such as nickel-based superalloys. This presentation will focus on educating the attendee on the innovative features in modern grinding wheels that enable HPG of nickel-based superalloys. Results and data from grinding tests of IN718, Waspalloy and other nickel-based superalloys will be presented. In addition, the results of a study conducted on understanding the impact of blending with engineered abrasive grains, on the overall abrasive performance and wear behavior of grinding wheels, will be presented. Grinding wheels made with engineered abrasive grains have a very high level of permeability/porosity and excellent coolant carrying capacity. Typically, these abrasives are blended in various percentages with other abrasives to optimize the grinding wheel performance for different applications and materials. Using grinding wheels with higher blend percentages of the engineered ceramic grains helps in increasing productivity by ramping up stock removal rate and reducing cycle time without an increase in wheel wear or worsening of the surface quality/finish of components. However, higher blend percentage of the engineered ceramic grains in a grinding wheel also increases the specific cutting energy of the grinding process and the dressing power/forces. So attention should be paid to these two aspects in order to avoid thermal damage to burn-sensitive components, as well as the negative impact on the life of the dress roll used.When a production grinding operation is run with a full understanding of the impact of blending with these innovative engineered abrasive grains, adjustments can be made to improve the overall performance of the grinding operation while minimizing any increases to the overall cost.This presentation will conclude with the results of a study conducted at Norton|Saint-Gobain’s state-of-the-art Higgins Grinding Technology Center (HGTC) on understanding the impact of blending with these engineered abrasive grains on the overall abrasive performance and wear behavior of the grinding wheels.

In summary, this presentation will educate the attendee on the innovative features in modern grinding wheels that enable High-Performance Grinding of nickel-based superalloys. It will also enable the audience in understanding the impact of blending with engineered or shaped abrasive grains, on the overall abrasive performance and wear behavior of grinding wheels.