WHY BALANCE GRINDING WHEELS?
To enable the full potential of modern tool grinding machines and to produce efficiently according to today`s standards, it is absolutely essential to use balanced tools and tool holders. Due to high rpms, unbalanced grinding wheels may have negative effects both on quality and productivity.
Causes of unbalance on a grinding wheel
- 1. Tolerance of the grinding wheel bore
- 2. Homogeneity of the grinding wheel
- 3. Parallelism of the grinding wheel
- 4. Concentricity of the grinding wheel
- Tolerance of the grinding wheel arbor
- Dressing of the grinding wheel
- Wear of the grinding wheel
- Profiling of the grinding wheel
Consequences of unbalance
- Reduces surface quality -> Chatter marks
- Reduced dimensional accuracy on the work piece -> Increased costs for wheels dressing
- Extremely high grinding wheel wear -> Reduced tool life
- Spindle head wear out -> danger of machine down time -> unnecessary repairs -> expansive inspections
As a result, the grinding parameters are reduced and productivity is decreased.
Dressing ≠ Balancing
The regular and proper dressing of the grinding wheel is important to both reestablish a precise geometry and to create optimal grinding wheel topography. As the balance state changes constantly due to dressing, wear and profiling, the balancing of grinding wheels is essential in spite of dressing them!