The diamond grinding of reaction bonded silicon carbide

Abstract

The development of ultra-hard materials and the multiplicity of use to which they can be applied, has highlighted several problems in the machining of such materials. The solution to some of the problems, such as that associated with very high hardness numbers, has been the introduction of a diamond grinding operation. Such an operation would not only remove the desired quantity of material, but also maintain both dimensional accuracy and surface integrity. With the development of reaction bonded silicon carbides in the order of hardness of 2000 VDH, the problems became more acute. The object of this research is to investigate the process of grinding 'Refel' silicon carbide with diamond wheels and to make recommendations for good grinding practice. A series of grinding tests are undertaken, the ranking of these tests being qualified in terms of cutting forces, surface finish and 'G' ratio,that is the volume of stock removed compared to the volume of grinding wheel lost.