Force modeling of micro-grinding incorporating crystallographic effects

Micro-grinding with small-scale grinding wheels is a micro-machining process in precision manufacturing of miniature part features such as those in micro sensors and micro actuators. Modeling of micro-grinding is necessary to understand the effects of process conditions, micro-grinding wheel properties, and material microstructure on the integrity of the parts produced, thereby allowing for process planning, optimization, and control. In this paper, a predictive model for the micro-grinding process was developed by combined consideration of mechanical and thermal effects within a single grit interaction model at the microscale level of material removal while the size effect of micro-machining was incorporated. To assess the thermal effects, a heat transfer model based on the moving heat source analysis is integrated into the developed model. This model quantitatively predicts micro-grinding forces based on micro-grinding wheel topography and material properties including crystallographic effects. Experimental testing in a micro-grinding configuration has been pursued to validate the predictive model by comparing measurements to analytical calculations in the context of orthogonal micro-grinding forces. The analytical model is seen to capture the main trend of the experimental results, while smaller deviations were found over larger depths of cut range. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.