The August/September 2002 edition of ABRASIVES Magazine published an
article on fluid performance, as it pertained to "Grinding Fluid
Performance and Characterization of Wheel Wear in grinding using electroplated
CBN wheels".
The study was aimed at optimizing grinding fluid effectiveness in the
work zone of a cutting wheel. To determine the effect of various fluids
and grinding conditions, measurements of the surface before and after
the grinding operation. Three
dimensional non-contact profilometry was used to analyze the extent
of wear and loading, both
on the test piece undergoing the cut, and the grinding wheels.
According to the published results, MicroXAM measured an area of the
abrasive surface prior to grinding in the experiment, and the same area
was measured subsequent to grinding.
Measuring wear, optical profilometry,
in this case, was able to determine changes that occurred in the grinding
surface profile during
grinding. For example some fluid conditions were found to produce a
consistent, clean cut initially, but that later surfaces showed signs
of plowing and plastic deformation. Cutting continued in the experiment
until the point of failure of the cutting
wheel.
Additionally, the profiler was used to determine the surface
roughness of grooves in the test cutting, which was used to determine
the efficacy of the abrasive and the tribology
of lubricants or efficiency of grinding fluids in protecting the
cutting tools' ability to cut cleanly.
