Development and performance evaluation of monolayer brazed cBN grinding wheel on bearing steel

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) is a unique synthetic material on account of its high hardness, high wear resistance, excellent cutting edge stability and relative chemical inertness compared to diamond. The introduction of monolayer electroplated cBN wheels replaced the complex pre-grinding wheel preparation work (truing and dressing) of composite cBN wheels and thereby extensively facilitating the application in high-efficiency deep grinding, creep feed grinding, etc. The present work has aimed at developing a precisely controlled brazing technique suitable for bonding the cBN grits to a steel substrate in monolayer form with higher bond strength, larger grit protrusion and more uniform grit distribution compared to that in the currently used galvanically bonded wheels. Experimental investigation have clearly demonstrated the potential of the newly developed brazed wheels under varying grinding conditions for processing materials like bearing steel. Improved capability of these wheels over galvanically bonded wheels could be better recognised during dry grinding at high material removal rate and for large stock removal when galvanically bonded wheels were found to suffer from severe wheel loading in grinding bearing steel and from unusual increase in grinding forces due to grit pullout. Creation of wider inter-grit spaces with strong bonding and uniform grit spacing happened to be the essence of the present brazed cBN wheel.