Modelling of cooling effects in tool grinding using numerical simulations of the wetting behaviour of grinding wheels

Abstract

Abstract In manufacturing of cylindrical cemented carbide tools, helical flute grinding is an important process step. Process planning and the use of cooling lubricants are defining factors for process performance. Therefore, finding optimal parameters and cooling conditions is essential because they characterize the properties of the boundary zone, e.g. residual stresses. In this paper, grinding oil droplet experiments are compared with simulation results to describe the wetting behavior of different grinding wheel based on their specifications (grain size, bonding structure, and wetting status). More specifically, finite element simulations of the thin-film equation are used to identify corresponding slip parameters that will be used in more complex 3D fluid-dynamic simulations via the Joseph-Beavers condition. The results show that both the bonding and, to a lesser degree, the grain size have an influence on the wetting behavior. This presents an intermediate step in getting a better understanding of the cooling properties of lubricants in grinding processes, where the wetting effectiveness plays an important role for the heat transport.