48th SME North American manufacturing research conference, NAMRC 48 (Cancelled due to COVID-19) influence of 3D topography on tribological behavior of grinding wheel

Grinding is extensively used as surface generation process in finishing operations, which makes it imperative that the generated surface adheres closely to strict quality check norms failing which the component will be rejected incurring a loss to the industry. To ensure the intended surface quality falls within tolerances, the grinding wheel plays an important role as an abrasive tool. The finished surface is a direct outcome of grinding wheel topography and its various microscopic interactions with the surface creating a compelling need for in-depth understanding. Study and characterization of grinding wheel topography in the present paper aim to understand the behavior of forces in the contact area. Due to stochastic abrasive grain distribution and quasi-static surface wear, 3-dimensional parameters hold a better physical significance in explaining the nature of microscopic interactions and their impact on the behavior of forces. Experiments are performed in a manner to wear out grinding wheels of the same specification with varying number of passes in an attempt to highlight the influence of varying topography on tribological interactions in the grind zone. The variation in topography at a specific interval of time is captured using a confocal laser scanning microscope and further processed for surface characterization whereas forces are captured using a dynamometer. SEM micrographs are presented to understand the type of wear on the wheel surface. The outcome of present paper enables to understand and report the surface interactions quantified in terms of cutting, ploughing and rubbing whereas surface parameters are characterized as per ISO 25178. The reasoning behind variations during surface interactions was discussed and interpretations were reported.