Effects of sulfurization of grinding wheels on internal cylindrical grinding of Titanium Grade 2®

This paper presents an assessment of the influence exerted upon the internal cylindrical grinding of Titanium Grade 2 by the sulfurization of grinding wheels with ceramic bond. The sulfurization method of ceramic grinding wheels is presented against the background of a chemical basis for abrasive machining. The experimental investigation methodology is described. It includes a presentation of the proposed method for comparison of the sulfurization influence on the grinding results, which consists in performing a short grinding test in the plunge grinding kinematics. The paper emphasizes the multicriterial analysis of the experimental test results. It also describes the condition of the grinding wheel active surface. (GWAS) that has not been sulfurized and one that has been impregnated with sulfur after grinding of the Titanium Grade 2. The assessment has been carried out on the basis of the acquired SEM micrographs, as well as measurements of the surface microtopography with an optical profilometer and laser scatterometry method. The paper also analyzes the workpiece surface roughness measured with the stylus profilometry method, as well as the elemental composition of the surface inclusions, using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The experimental results show that impregnation with sulfur makes it possible to significantly limit the phenomenon of smearing the GWAS with the machined material.