Analysis of loads on grinding wheel binder in grinding process: insights from discontinuum-hypothesis-based grinding simulation

The load on grinding wheel (GW) binder in grinding process is an important issue in grinding studies. It affects binder behaviors, wheel-workpiece interaction, grinding force, heat and energy, machined surface quality, GW life, etc. However, few studies have systematically studied this topic and the conclusions proposed so far have been established on too many speculations and assumptions. To cover this gap, an analysis of loads on binder in grinding process is conducted based on discrete element method (DEM) and discontinuum-hypothesis-based grinding simulation. In the simulation, a discontinuous GW is modeled, experimentally calibrated, and validated. By the simulation, loads on binder are analyzed from the aspects of load history and force chain network. Load history results show that, according to the load patterns, binder can be classified into grain-binder and non-grain-binder. Grain-binder is the binder that is close to the grinding grains. This kind of binder periodically experiences the loads that contain the short and large impulse loading as well as long and small alternating loading. The former loading is produced by grinding process and called the loads in active phases while the latter is resulted from the high wheel speed and named the loads in inactive phases. Non-grain-binder is the binder that is ‘far away from’ grinding zone, and its loads are comparable and close to those of grain-binder in inactive phases, even the non-grain-binder does not adhere to a same grain. Force chain network analysis shows that, for different grinding phases and grain-workpiece contact statuses, grain-binder has rapidly-changing force chains in terms of length and scale. The directions of the force chains are always in line with grinding force directions. The findings in this study are expected to contribute to the understanding of grinding process and GW production.