Abrasive Machining

Chapter 28

Abrasive Machining

Material removal process involving

abrasive grits with a work piece at
high speeds and shallow
penetration depths.

Abrasive Machining
Unique Characteristics

Each cutting edge is very small and many

edges are cutting simultaneously

Very fine cuts possible

Excellent surface finish
Close dimensional control

Can use extremely hard abrasives provides

for the machining of very hard materials

hardened steel
glass
carbides
ceramics

Abrasive Machining

Unique
Characteristics
(continued)

The process is a
mixture of cutting,
plowing, rubbing.

Applications
Cleaning of surfaces
Shaping

Sizing
Surface Finish Improvement

form grinding
tool grinding

Primary objective
Secondary objective

Separation, cut off operations

Mounting Systems
Bonded: solid shaped tool
Coated: abrasive grit mounted onto a
backing.
Free:

grit held by solid or liquid carrier

Example: lapping, polishing
grit propelled by air or liquid
Example: sand blasting, abrasive jet
cutting

Abrasive Materials
Synthetic materials are used to control
the material properties.

Aluminum Oxide,Al2O3
(most
common)
Silicon Carbide, SiC
Cubic Boron Nitride, CBN
Diamond (synthetic and natural)

Abrasive Materials

Additional materials are used

in abrasive cleaning
Quartz (sand)
Dry Ice
Plastics
Walnut shells

Properties of Abrasive
Materials

Hardness: Key Property

Attrition: Wear action of the grit

Dull edges, grit flattening, wheel

glazing

Friability: Fracture of the grits

Opposite of toughness
Important that the grit fracture to
create new, sharp edges

Grit Size
Name
Course
Medium
Fine
Very Fine
Super Fine

Grit Size
(1)

Inches
(2)

Microns
(3)

8-24
30-60
70-180
220-600

.0929-.0279

2360-710

.0236-.0098

600-250

.0083-.0024

212-63

.
00208-.0007
8

53-20

.
00055-.0003

14-9.5

8001200

Grit Size - Notes

Number of openings per linear
inch
Average size of abrasive size
Micron

1.

2.
3.

0.001 mm
0.00004
Human hair: 30-120 micron

Abrasive Machine Action

Cutting
Plowing
Rubbing

Grinding

Grinding is the most common

abrasive machining process.

The first grinding machine was

produced by Brown and Sharpe for
machining sewing machine parts in
about 1860.

Grinding Wheel
Nomenclature

Wheel Size
Abrasive
Grain Size
Grade (letter designation)
Structure (number designation)
Bond Type

Grinding Wheel
Nomenclature

Grade - strength
of the bonds
between the grains.

Hard: high force to

remove grain, large
posts of bonding
material (letter: R-V)
Medium: (letter: I-P)
Soft: low force to remove
grain, small posts of
bonding material (letter:
D-H)

Grinding Wheel
Nomenclature

Structure spacing of the abrasive

particles.

Close dense
Open porous, widely spaced grains

Bond Types

Vitrified:
materials
Phenolic:
Silicate:
(water
Shellac
Rubber

clays, ceramic
plastic type material
silicate of soda
glass)

Grinding Terminology

Glazing: Polishing, wearing, and flattening of

the
grains

Loading: The lodging of metal chips in the

cavities between the grains

Non-Uniform Wear: Wheel looses desired shape

Dressing: Cleans and sharpens the wheel

Truing: Restores shape to wheel

Grinding Terminology

Crush Dressing:
Hard roller forced
against wheel
while rotating
slowly.