Modeling and Analysis of Contact Conditions during NC-Form Grinding of Cutting Edges

Due to increasing demands on cutting tools, cutting edge preparation is of high priority because of its influence on the tool life. Current cutting edge preparation processes are mostly limited to generating simple roundings on the cutting edge. Multi-axis high precision form grinding processes offer great potential to generate defined cutting edge microgeometries. Knowledge about the relation between grinding strategy and material removal rate can achieve improved work results with regard to higher precision of shape and dimensional accuracy as well as enhanced cutting edge quality. Therefore, a kinematic-geometric model was developed in order to analyze the complex contact conditions during grinding cutting edge microgeometries by using a simulation approach based on the intersection of geometric bodies. The subsequent grinding tests largely validated the utilized simulation approach.