The Cutting Mechanism of Fine-Grain Abrasive Stone

Abstract

The depth of cut for the individual abrasive grains and the cutting resistance affecting the individual cutting points that are produced in honing or superfinishing operations are important factors to investigate the cutting mechanism of fine-grain abrasive stone. But the above factors depend on the number of cutting points on the stone surface which comes in contact with the work surface. In this paper, the contact mechanism between the stone and the work surface has been investigated theoretically in order to determine the number of cutting points. And the number of cutting points is obtained as a function of the roughness of the stone surface, the pressure on the stone and the hardness of the work material. Then, for checking the validity of this theory, the mean depth of cut (tₘ)ₜₕ derived from the theoretical investigation of the contact mechanism is compared with the mean depth of cut (tₘ)ₑₓ which can be obtained from the stock removal per unit time and the number of cutting points on the stone surface in an actual superfinishing operation. As a result of this comparison, the validity of the theoretical equation for the number of cutting points was established by inquiring into the causes of the difference between (tₘ)ₜₕ and (tₘ)ₑₓ and their influence on the number of cutting points.