There are a few factors that you should remember while deciding on a grinding wheel. Grinding wheels are made of two major components, which include the abrasive grains and the bond that holds together the grains. The abrasive grains do the actual cutting and the bond helps to support the grains while they cut.
A characteristic that you should consider while choosing a grinding wheel, is the grain. Every grinding wheel has a grit size that corresponds to the number of grains in the wheel. Higher numbers (such as 70, 100 and 180) can be used for fine finishes with small areas of contact on hard, brittle materials. Lower numbers (such as 10, 16 or 24) can be used to remove more materials where finish is not important. Vitrified bonds are the most common bonds used in grinding wheels. They are rigid, porous, strong and also very brittle. Vitreous bonded abrasives remove stock materials at high rates and grind to precise requirements.
Always make sure to be cautious while handling your grinding wheels. They should be closely inspected for damage after transportation or storage. Never use a wheel that is cracked. During inspection, you should also check for damage on protective hoods, guards, flanges, spindle and mounting nuts on your machine.
These are important considerations to make while choosing and handling your grinding wheel. Mach-B Grinding Wheel Shaping and Resizing specializes in modifying the size and shape of your wheels according to your exact specifications. We are equipped to modify only Vitrified grinding wheels, but we speed test any wheel type. If you have any further questions on grinding wheels, give us a call at 1-800-533-8010.
Information Originally Published by Modern Machine Shop
Link: https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/choosing-the-right-grinding-wheel
