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For grinding operators, the number of grinding wheel changes is one of the factors that has a major impact on the overall production costs, machine up time and the quality of parts ground. Conventional grinding wheels actually tend to dull relatively rapidly, resulting in the frequent need for redressing or replacement. Self - sharpening CBN (cubic boron nitride) technology has changed this paradigm.Through special designing of the bond system, which can make fresh grinding grains being released at controlled rates, this makes grinding wheel life significantly longer and keeps the stable cutting ability throughout the whole wheel life. Zhengzhou Ruizuan Diamond Tool Co., Ltd is one of the producers, who design this self-sharpening CBN wheels that can reduce abrasive wheel replacement frequency by 40% or more, which would greatly save the cost for your industrial grinding processes.
The Science of Self-Sharpening CBN Technology
Traditional grinding wheels are bonded in a stable manner holding the grains of abrasives inside. The grinding wheels, which grind through the use of friction to shape and smooth surfaces, do tend to dull as their grains are worn down with continued use, leading to increased grinding forces, generation of heat and poor quality in terms of finish. Dressing or resharpening then becomes necessary to remove the dulled grains and expose fresh, sharp abrasive grains underneath, which consumes time and wears down the usable life of the grinding wheel.
A self-sharpening CBN grinding wheel, however, uses a specifically formulated bond system that wears down in such a way to precisely match the rate at which the CBN grains are worn away during use. This is actually achieved through careful engineering of the bond material and the grit size and concentration of the CBN grains. As the grains on the surface begin to dull, the bond wears away slightly around them, releasing the dulled grain and exposing a fresh, sharp one to the work surface. This continuous process actually eliminates the need for any dressing throughout the entire wheel life. As a result, the wheel continuously sharpens itself.
How Self-Sharpening Reduces Replacement Frequency
The forty percent increase in the number of grinding wheel lives stems from the direct effect of the self-sharpening properties of this new technology. Grinding wheels with self-sharpening capabilities will actually maintain their effective cutting speeds to a significantly higher proportion of their total lifespan, while conventional grinding wheels will gradually lose their ability to effectively remove material as the abrasive grains dull, necessitating premature replacement or dressing. This is possible through the specialized bond formulation which controls the rate of grain release throughout the grinding process. Additionally, the controlled removal of grains means that they will last far longer. Field data gathered by Ruizuan customers shows 40-60% longer effective wheel life for the self-sharpening CBN wheels over their conventional CBN counterparts and 70-80% increase in effective wheel life over their conventional aluminum oxide counterparts. For any high-production shop this translates into considerable savings.
Thermal Management and Surface Integrity Benefits
The benefit of self-sharpening CBN wheels goes beyond the number of wheel lives. A dull grinding wheel that relies on friction to achieve it's goal of removing material, and hence generates considerable heat that could otherwise be used in the removal process, has the advantage of having fewer frictional surfaces due to the constantly exposed sharp abrasive grains; hence keeping the wheel running at a significantly cooler temperature throughout its life, which will save your parts from the burning and the possibility of metallurgical defects and the generation of cracks within the part surface due to the thermal shock. These factors of thermal stability are incredibly important for grinding heat-sensitive metals like nickel-based alloys and stainless steels. Customers of the self-sharpening CBN wheels from Ruizuan report a dramatic reduction in scrap and rejection rates while at the same time saving on their consumable cost, thereby reducing their overall cost per part.
Practical Implementation and ROI
When incorporating self-sharpening CBN wheels into your production facility, it is critical to select the appropriate wheel specification. Grain size, concentration, bond hardness, and wheel speed must be correctly determined based on your work piece material’s characteristics, hardness, and machine tool capabilities. Zhengzhou Ruizuan Diamond Tool Co., Ltd engineers work hand-in-hand with their customers to help them determine and implement the optimal wheel specifications for each application, and are capable of customizing designs to meet specific requirements.
Return on Investment for self-sharpening CBN wheels is generally quick and very significant. One bearing manufacturer who produces parts at medium volume recently adopted self-sharpening CBN wheels for a production run and realized a 42% reduction in abrasive wheel changes. Annual grinding wheel expenditure dropped from 38K USD to 22K USD for wheel consumables alone. Eliminating the need for dressing also increased machine uptime, adding 3 hours of extra production time per week and allowing them to increase output without new equipment. The payback period on their investment in self-sharpening CBN wheels was less than 3 months.
Summary
Self-sharpening CBN wheels are actually the next evolution in design of grinding wheels, offering extended life and consistent performance by maintaining optimal sharpness through a carefully engineered bond system that matches the wear rate of the CBN grains. Ruizuan produces their own line of self-sharpening CBN wheels to specific customer requirements and holds CE, SGS, TUV and ISO 9001 certifications. Contact Ruizuan today and see how self-sharpening CBN wheels can save you time and money.