Grinding of sub-micron-grade carbide: Contact and wear mechanisms, loading, conditioning, scrubbing and resin-bond degradation

An investigation was made into grinding of sub-micron-grade tungsten-carbide in a cobalt matrix. Grit-workpiece contact and loading mechanisms were analyzed. Loading-removal methods - via conditioning and a cleaning nozzle - were analyzed both in terms of fundamental mechanisms and removal efficacy. A novel method of quantifying wheel-conditioning parameters was developed and validated experimentally. Wheel-wear mechanisms were investigated in terms of thermally-induced grain pull-out, particularly under low-aggressiveness conditions. A fundamental difference in the size-effect was seen for sub-micron grades.