Temperature measurement and heat flux characterization in grinding using thermography

The grinding process is commonly used to produce high-quality parts. A perfect control of this process is thus necessary to ensure correct final parts and limit damage. The experience on this subject has shown that the main effects on ground surface are residual stresses or metallurgical change, which are directly linked with the temperature and the power absorbed during the process. Numerical simulations is a good mean to predict these effects in relation with the process parameters but the numerical models need input data such as the value and shape of the heat flux entering the workpiece. In order to estimate this flux, the temperature measurement is necessary but has shown its limits. Nowadays, a new method given by thermography seems promising for determination of temperature fields under the ground surface. This measurement combined with an inverse method allows the identification of the shape and value of the heat flux. This paper presents a new method for measuring the temperatures in grinding by means of thermography. The principle of measurement is proposed in combination with first results obtained from numerical simulations in order to obtain a new model of the heat flux entering the workpiece during the grinding process.