Eco-Friendly ELID Grinding Using Metal-Free Electro-Conductive Resinoid Bonded Wheel

Abstract

In this study, a metal-free electro-conductive resinoid bonded wheel made of carbon as the conductive material was experimentally built to reduce metal ions in the grinding fluid and metal contamination of the workpiece in the aim to develop environmentally-friendly ELID (Electrolytic In-Process Dressing) grinding techniques. At the same time, characteristics of initial electrolytic-dressing and grinding were also investigated. The results showed that the prototyped metal-free electro-conductive resinoid bonded wheel consisted of a layer of oxides with high oxygen level formed on the wheel surface by electrolytic dressing. The layer generated by electrolytic dressing was found to wear more easily than the matrix composition and in addition have a high frictional coefficient. This wheel was also found to have good surface roughness compared to the cast iron bonded wheel generally used for ELID grinding. The obtained surface roughness was about 30nmPV using a #8000 metal-free electro-conductive resinoid bonded diamond wheel.