Methods for modifying and adding features on grinding wheel surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895787-B2
Application number	US-201414563313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for adding surface features to grinding wheels. A laser may be directed substantially perpendicular to a grinding surface of a grinding wheel. The laser may be pulsed and may ablate material from the grinding surface. The laser may move relative to the grinding wheel in order to ablate shaped surface features into the grinding surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of dressing a grinding wheel comprising:
directing a laser substantially perpendicular to a grinding surface of a multi-layer grinding wheel, the multi-layer grinding wheel comprising a matrix of abrasive particles bonded together, wherein the multi-layer grinding wheel comprises a first plurality of exposed abrasive particles;
pulsing the laser;
forming a triangular surface feature in the grinding surface with the laser, wherein the forming the triangular surface feature exposes a second plurality of abrasive particles; removing the triangular surface feature with the laser; and forming a crescent shaped surface feature in the grinding surface with the laser by translating the laser across a width of the grinding surface while ablating material from the grinding wheel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser comprises at least one of a Nd:YAG laser, a CO 2 laser, and a fiber laser.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising translating the laser across the width of the grinding surface while forming the triangular surface feature.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triangular surface feature comprises a continuous surface feature circumscribing the grinding wheel.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the grinding wheel as the triangular surface feature is formed.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triangular surface feature is configured to enhance cooling of the grinding surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising steering the laser with a galvanometer.

8. A grinding method comprising:
laser ablating a triangular surface feature in a grinding surface of a multi-layer grinding wheel, wherein the multi-layer grinding wheel comprises a first plurality of exposed abrasive particles, and wherein the laser ablating exposes a second plurality of abrasive particles;
grinding a first workpiece with the multi-layer grinding wheel;
laser ablating crescent shaped surface feature in the multi-layer grinding wheel; and
grinding a second workpiece with the multi-layer grinding wheel.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the laser ablating comprises directing a pulsed laser substantially perpendicular to the grinding surface of the grinding wheel.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising removing the triangular surface feature from the multi-layer grinding wheel prior to the laser ablating the crescent shaped surface feature.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the laser ablating the triangular surface feature comprises steering a laser with a galvanometer.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Rizzo John P
• Reed Gordon M

Classifications

• B24B53/005

  Positioning devices for conditioning tools · CPC title

• B23K26/364

  for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove · CPC title

• B24B53/001 Primary

  involving the use of electric current · CPC title

• B24B53/075

  for workpieces having a grooved profile, e.g. gears, splined shafts, threads, worms (B24B53/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B24B53/04

  of cylindrical or conical surfaces on abrasive tools or wheels (B24B53/017 takes precedence) · CPC title