MODELING GRINDING PROCESSES AS MICRO-MACHINING OPERATION

Abstract

Quest for precision components and parts in manufacturing industries has led to an increase in the need for effective and efficient finishing operations that can satisfy this increasing demand. Grinding process can meet these critical needs for accurate and economic means of finishing parts, and generate the required surface topography. Modeling of grinding is necessary to understand the effects of process conditions, grinding wheel properties and workpiece material dynamics thus allowing for process planning, optimization, and control. In spite of the enormous potentials offered by grinding, it still remains one of the most difficult and least-understood concept in manufacturing processes due to lack of adequate models to explain the phenomenon. A computational based model for surface grinding process as a micro-machined operation has been developed. In this model, grinding forces are made up of chip formation force and sliding force. Mathematical expressions for Modeling tangential grinding force and normal grinding force were obtained. The model was used to calculate the tangential and normal grinding force at different values of wheel velocity, grinding depth and workpiece feed velocity. The results obtained from the model showed that the grinding forces increased with increase in grinding depth and workpiece feed velocity but with decrease in grinding wheel velocity. The grinding wheel diameter does not have any significant effect in the Grinding forces. The results obtained with this model were validated by comparing it with available experimental results and the agreement between the model’s results and experimental results was reasonable.

http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v34i3.13