Single diamond grain cutting-edges morphology effect on grinding mechanism of Inconel 718

Abstract This study is focusing on exploring the effect of diamond grain cutting-edges morphology and grinding wheel speed on grinding performance of nickel-based superalloy Inconel 718. The grinding tests were carried out using a single diamond grain of different shapes. The variations of scratch mechanism, grinding force, pile-up ratio and specific grinding energy were investigated under different conditions. The results show that the chisel cutting-edge is beneficial to constrain the material pile-up. As a comparison, the inclined cutting-edge promotes the pile-up formation. More engaging cutting-edges result in larger grinding force. Additionally, with the increase of the wheel speed, the pile-up ratio increased but the single grinding force and specific grinding energy decreased. It is beneficial to have more grains with chisel cutting-edges and use high speed grinding (>80 m/s). These will help to reduce the grinding force and improve the grinding efficiency.