Approaches to tailor the cooling supply to the grinding process

Abstract

This study presents original research of the investigation of the coolant supply to the contact area with two different approaches. The cooling and lubrication are key aspects of manufacturing processes such as grinding to achieve a high surface quality at high productivity. The coolant supply to the contact area has a high impact on the performance of the coolant. This paper presents the results from two approaches to tailoring the coolant supply for conventional and high-performance processes. An analytical approach is established to determine the coolant outlet velocity. Afterward, a sensor is developed to measure the coolant velocity at the nozzle. Conclusively, the influence of the coolant velocity on the volume flow through the contact zone is investigated. The results of this study highlight the importance of coolant outlet velocities of at least 60% of the cutting speed. The two approaches outline low impact possibilities to ensure optimal coolant outlet velocities and thus low thermal loads during the grinding process.