Cutting edge preparation with elastic bonded superabrasive grinding wheels

The preparation of cutting edges helps to increase the stability of cutting tools and the quality of the machined surfaces. Several methods for cutting edge preparation have been studied in research and are applied in industry, differing in their flexibility, reliability and cost. In this paper, a new approach to manufacture rounded cutting edges by applying elastic bonded superabrasive grinding wheels is presented. With this method, the cutting edge radius and the symmetry of the cutting edge can be guaranteed with high accuracy and repeatability. The influence of process kinematics and parameters on the preparation result will be presented and discussed.