7 Reasons Why Vitrified CBN Grinding Wheels Surpass Conventional Grinding Wheels

A vitrified CBN grinding wheel is a superabrasive grinding wheel made from a Cubic Boron Nitride abrasive in a porous – or “vitrified” (ceramic) – bond. 

Vitrified CBN Grinding wheels are the most cost effective solution for production grinding of ferrous metals and aerospace alloys, and offer far superior performance when compared with conventional abrasive grinding wheels.

Especially for those in industries such as:

  • Aerospace

  • Automotive

  • Bearing

  • Medical

  • Gears

  • Mold & Die

  • Round Tools (drills, reamers, taps, etc)

  • Cutting Tools

So why exactly is that?

There are 7 critical reasons why making an upgrade to a CBN grinding wheel can make a huge difference in your industry.

1. 100 - 300x The LifeSpan

CBN abrasive is the second hardest material known to man and is 2 ½ times harder than Aluminum Oxide. Because of its high hardness, the CBN crystals offer 100-300 times the lifespan when compared with traditional grinding wheels.

While Vitrified CBN grinding wheels may cost up to 10 times that of a conventional wheel, the extended wheel life far exceeds the initial wheel cost, making it more cost effective. You get what you pay for – and this is definitely one of those products where you’ll quickly see the difference in its longer lasting abilities as compared to your old grinding wheels. 

(We’d even argue that once you’ve used a CBN grinding wheel, it’s hard to go back – it’s just that big of a difference).

2. Reduced Thermal Damage

Because CBN abrasive has almost 50 times the thermal conductivity of conventional abrasives, it transfers the heat generated from the grinding process away from the workpiece, rather than being absorbed by the workpiece. 

Combining the high thermal conductivity of CBN with the porous vitrified wheel structures, most heat is efficiently removed through the wheel and coolant, preventing heat damage to your workpiece.

With efficient removal of heat, your workpiece won’t be subject to thermal degradation or changes to the material properties – which is very important for improved wear and life of each  component.

3. Optimize Your Grinding Process

With high life and improved thermal properties, Vitrified CBN can be pushed harder during grinding, and decreased grinding cycle times are able to be achieved.  

As a result, the grinding process can be more readily automated. This creates less need for more grinding machines, floor space, wheel changes, waste generation, and operators – which has many advantages when it comes to your time, cost, and safety measures.

4. Customizable

Vitrified CBN grinding wheels are engineered per specific customer applications so you can achieve optimal performance. 

Considerations that can be taken into account include: material being ground, grinding machine, coolant type and delivery, dressing method, stock removal, quantity of parts, etc… And aggressive, free-cutting bonds can also adapt to various spindle speeds. Which is not only convenient, but also cost effective. 

5. Lights Out Operation

Vitrified CBN grinding wheels have “dressable” structures – which lend them to “lights out operation.” The grinding layer can be refreshed using a rotary, and in some cases, stationary dresser.  

You’ll be able to automate every step of the manufacturing process, making Vitrified CBN grinding wheels an excellent choice for production based applications.

6. Re-Truing of Formed Profiles

Another benefit of having a “dressable” structure is that complex forms and geometries are able to be generated in Vitrified CBN grinding wheels. The profiles are able to automatically regenerate in line on the properly equipped grinder and maintain tight tolerances.

7. environmentally friendly

The use of Vitrified CBN wheels (as opposed to conventional abrasive wheels) results in significant reductions in waste generation. It decreases the amount of grinding debris (swarf) >99%. 

It even allows for more recycling of the metal swarf that is generated because it is oftentimes free of grinding wheel breakdown. Many customers are able to get credit for the Environmental and waste reduction initiatives under ISO14000 and other programs.

Experience the cost effective solution for production grinding with Vitrified CBN Grinding Wheels. Contact us for your free quote.

ProductsAngie CarelVitrified Grinding Tools