Factors affecting grinding performance with electroplated CBN wheels

An experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of CBN crystal characteristics and plating thickness on the performance of electroplated CBN wheels. Wheels containing tougher CBN crystals generally exhibited less wear and a higher G-ratio, and also required less power. Furthermore, contrary to expectations, less wear and higher G-ratio were also obtained for wheels with a thinner layer of nickel plating despite an increased tendency for large-scale crystal loss. This would indicate that the overall wheel wear depends more on crystal exposure than on active grain density, which could facilitate chip removal and grinding fluid access. Extended grinding tests up to wheel failure ascertain the improved grinding performance with tougher crystals and thinner electroplated layers.