Green grinding with innovative wheel topography

Reduction or elimination of coolant-lubricants in machining processes is of significant interest for ecological and economical reasons. However, the desire to eliminate fluid usage in grinding processes represents a considerable challenge in moving towards green grinding due to the high energy input and high heat flux generated within the grinding zone. In order to perform the efficient grinding process without thermal damages, the chip formation needs to be optimized so that the friction between the grinding wheel and workpiece is minimized. Structured wheels, the idea introduced and developed by KSF (Institute of Grinding and Precision Technology) in recent years, show a great potential to approach the process with optimum chip formation condition. The concept is based on the reduction of static cutting edges through creating a specific structure on the wheel surface. This leads to a larger chip thickness and consequently lower friction during the grain-workpiece engagement. The experiments conducted by the structured wheels prove the lower grinding forces and energy as compared to those performed by normal wheels. This paper is aiming to take a step towards the green manufacturing technology through benefiting from these great advantages in plunge cylindrical dry grinding, in which the heat generation is a crucial factor. The experiments carried out with CBN structured wheels resulted lower grinding forces and energy as well as workpiece surface and subsurface temperatures as compared to when using the normal wheels.