WHEEL SPEED EQUILIBRIA IN PRECISION CONTOUR GRINDING

In grinding operations, wheel speed significantly affects surface fini sh and chip thickness. The grinding wheel speed represents an equilibr ium condition based upon the energy input by the grinding motor and th e energy removed by the grinding process. An analysis of these energy relationships allows prediction of wheel speed and shows how it change s during grinding because of changes in chip geometry. The analysis al so reveals that some wheel speeds are energetically preferred. Wheel s peed measurements and images of ground surfaces corroborate the analyt ical predictions. The presence of narrow ranges of preferred wheel spe ed has implications for selection of grinding conditions and adoption of wheel speed control. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1996