A new kinematics for ultra precision grinding of conical surfaces using a rotary table and a cup wheel

This paper reports a new kinematics for ultra precision grinding of conical surfaces. It uses a rotary table and a cup wheel to perform an infeed grinding. Its principle is that the generating curve of the grinding wheel is locally flat and the locally flat portion can be approximated by a sloping line segment if the machine configuration parameters such as the wheel radius, the center distance between the rotary table and the wheel, the wheel inclination angle and the rotary table direction angle are properly selected. A model for the conicity error of the generated surface was developed. An algorithm for the selection of the desired values of the machine configuration parameters to grind conical surfaces was proposed. It was found that the minimum theoretical conicity error is extremely small for narrow conical surface or conical surface with shallow radial inclination angle. It is expected to be an efficient method to manufacture the conical surfaces of machine parts, mechanical sealing components and optical devices with high form accuracy, low surface roughness and low subsurface damage.

► A new kinematics for ultra precision grinding of conical surfaces is proposed. ► The generating curve of the grinding wheel may be locally flat. ► The minimum theoretical conicity error is extremely small. ► A model for the theoretical conicity error of the conical surface is developed. ► Realization strategy for ultra precision grinding of conical surface is developed.