Analysis of a Feasibility Study of a Precision Grinding Process for Industrial Blades Used in the Cutting of Soft Tissues by a Prototype 5-Axis CNC Grinding Machine

Abstract

Obtaining a high quality product (filet) is often necessary to effectively separate the soft tissues of fish raw material. An intensive technological process and a number of unfavorable factors can generate the wear of low-stiffness planar industrial cutting blades used for this purpose. The relatively short time of efficient work of the blade causes the production stoppages needed for its exchange, which consequently can inflict significant financial losses. The wear of industrial cutting blades is one of the important and still unsatisfactorily solved problems occurring in the fish and seafood industry, especially in its branches related to fish processing. In this paper, the authors propose an original solution of the above problem by the possibility of renewing the cutting ability of industrial cutting blades by the process of precise grinding realized on the prototype 5-axis CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) grinding machine. The detailed description of a newly designed and constructed technological machine was expanded by the results of tests carried out in industrial conditions. Results of the regeneration of blades at variable parameters of the grinding process (vw = 300–700 mm/min, ns = 38,000 min−1) were analyzed on the basis of surface texture measurements by Talysurf CLI 2000 optical profilometer. The surface texture parameter (amplitude, spatial, and hybrid) analysis allowed to determine the most favorable machining parameters for which compatibility of cutting edge geometry was obtained. The proposed solution can be an interesting alternative to other ways of renewing/exchanging industrial cutting blades.