Selection of optimum conditions for maximum material removal rate with surface finish and damage as constraints in SiC grinding

Efficient grinding of structural ceramics requires judicious selection of operating parameters to maximize removal rate while controlling surface integrity. Grinding of silicon carbide is difficult because of its low fracture toughness, making it very sensitive to cracking. In the present work, experiments were carried out to study the effect of wheel parameters grain size and grain density and grinding parameters; depth of cut and feed on the surface roughness and surface damage. The significance of the grinding parameters on the selected responses was evaluated using analysis of variance. Mathematical models were developed using the experimental data considering only the significant parameters. A genetic algorithm (GA) code has been developed to optimize the grinding conditions for maximum material removal, using a multi-objective function model, by imposing Surface roughness and surface damage constraints. The choice of including manufacturer's constraints on the basis of functional requirements of the component for maximizing the production rate was also embedded in the GA code. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.