Micro grinding with ultra small micro pencil grinding tools using an integrated machine tool

Micro grinding offers a high potential when machining micro structures in hard and brittle materials. In this context, a new machine tool - the nano grinding center - was developed, which allows to manufacture and apply ultra small micro pencil grinding tools without re-clamping. With this new machine tool, the influence of grain size, grain concentration, and process parameters on the material removal mechanisms was investigated during micro grinding of silicon with grinding tool diameters of 40 mu m and 4 mu m. Measurements of process forces, surface quality and accuracy were carried out and the results are discussed. (C) 2015 CIRP.