Efficient and precision grinding of small hard and brittle cylindrical parts by the centerless grinding process combined with electro-discharge truing and electrolytic in-process dressing

Many of the newer innovative structural components are made of harder and tougher materials that provide improved resistance under severe conditions for advanced applications. To take advantage of these materials, a new method of centerless grinding using electrolytic in-process dressing (ELID) grinding has been developed. First, the metal bonded grinding wheel was shaped to a high precision by the electro-discharge truing technique (ED truing). In this study, small cylindrical parts from Si3N4, ZrO2, ZrO2 ferrules and steel die parts were ground using a centerless grinder equipped with ED truing and ELID. The results showed that with the use of this technology, the surface roughness and precision of the workpiece improved significantly when compared to conventional grinding, i.e., without ED truing and ELID. In addition, the grinding process was found to be stable. Thus, a highly efficient and precision centerless grinding technology has been established for small cylindrical components.