A wear model and simulation of superfinishing process: analysis for the superfinishing of bearing rings

Simulation of wear evolution during abrasive processes is a very difficult task compared to that of machining processes because of the degree of randomness of geometry and disposition of cutting teeth. Superfinishing is a specific case of abrasive process, where the temperature is not consistently involved. A wear model and a numerical method of simulating the process, involving data collected in a testing experiment that resulted in determining an abrasive function, are presented for the specific case of the superfinishing the ball track of an inner bearing ring. Four types of stones were tested while abrading a cylindrical sample of M50 steel, using a high fluidity oil as a lubricant. The abrasive function characteristic to the materials involved in the process was determined. The wear volume of stone, that resulted in simulation and superfinishing experiments, is compared for three of the stones, and a good agreement between them was obtained, endorsing the viability of the simulation. The stability of the results with mesh refinement was analyzed. Three other output parameters of the simulated process and their dependency on the stone type were discussed.