Selection of Grinding Wheel

Selection of Grinding Wheel Points : Selection of Grinding Wheel The following factors must be taken into consideration in recommending and selecting a wheel for a particular job.

1. Type of grinding operation: offhand grinding, surface grinding, tool grinding, cylindrical grinding. Internal grinding, etc.
2. Material to be ground.
3. Type of abrasive and bond to be used.
4. Amount of stock to be removed.
5. Finish required.
6. Area of wheel in contact with work: a wide wheel face may require a soft grade wheel.
7. Wheel speed, rate of feed or grinding pressure.
8. Work speed: for surface grinding and cylindrical grinding.
9. Whether grinding is wet or dry.
10. Machine condition: capacity and rigidity.
11. Abrasive grain size, grade, and structure.
12. The knowledge and skill of the machine operator.

The nature of the material to be ground affects the selection of the wheel because, generally speaking, hard, dense materials require wheels possessing a soft bond with silicon carbide abrasive soft and tough materials require a hard bond with aluminum oxide abrasive. The amount of material to be removed is important in selecting a grinding wheel because, when a considerable amount of material is to be removed, the grains of a wide-spaced coarse-grain wheel will, take a bigger, deeper cut without heating the work, but, with a slight sacrifice as to surface finish. When the amount of stock to be removed is slight, a wheel of fine grain and narrow spacing will take a smaller bite and give a good finish.