Chip formation processes in grinding and their influence on energy balance and process forces

Industrial grinding causes higher specific energies and process temperatures than many cutting processes. Insufficient understanding of chip formation leads to conservative parameters, higher coolant demand, frequent dressing, and unpredictable force peaks with surface integrity damage. Unlike cutting with a defined edge, many irregular grains engage simultaneously in grinding; the mix of micro-cutting, micro-ploughing, and micro-grooving varies with topography, material, and cutting speed. Existing models are mostly statistical and valid only in narrow parameter windows. For companies, this means limited scalability, inefficient energy and resource use, and higher risk with new materials and wheel formulations. A robust link between microscopic chip formation and macroscopic process control is missing.

Objectives

The goal is a robust understanding of the actual chip formation processes in grinding and their representation in a method to predict energy balance and process forces. Key points:

• Characterisation of chip formation phases at grain level via quick-stop (cut interruption),
• consideration of grinding wheel topography up to simultaneous multi-grain engagements,
• transfer to longitudinal peripheral surface grinding and validation.

The IFW‑CutS simulation environment will be extended to process real topography data and compute process quantities per segment. For practice, tools will be created for parameter‑efficient set‑up, reduction of thermal damage, and energy‑ and cost‑efficient process design.

Benefits

• Prediction of energy and forces (micro‑macro link, real topography).
• More efficient process set‑up, less thermal damage.
• More predictable wear, lower costs.

Approach

Analogy studies and real processes are combined: single‑grain scratch tests with defined cutting‑edge geometries and precisely positioned quick‑stop provide metrics for elastic, plastic, and cutting phases. Segmented grinding wheels enable analysis of simultaneous multi‑grain engagements. Topographies are captured optically (Alicona, NanoFocus), forces measured multi‑axially (Kistler). IFW‑CutS is extended with modules for edge identification and segment discretisation. Validation is performed in longitudinal peripheral surface grinding under coolant.

Are you also interested in a cooperation project?

Contact Felix Ducke via email at ducke@ifw.uni.hannover.de or by phone at +49 511 762 4569.