How to Select a Diamond Grinding Wheel

Consider your grinder's rotation speed when selecting a diamond grinding wheel.

Three types of diamond grinding wheels are available on the market -- synthetic diamond, cubic boron nitride (CBN) and alumina-zirconia. The three types rank from synthetic diamond as the hardest to alumina-zirconia as the softest. Grinding iron alloys or steel requires a cubic boron nitride grinding wheel. This is because these two metals cause the carbon of the crystals to dissolve when it reacts to the iron content of the metals.

Instructions

1. Determine the composition and hardness of the item you will be grinding. Select a CBN grinding wheel if the metal is iron or steel. Select a synthetic diamond blade if the metal is nonferrous, hard and a large amount of metal must be removed. Select an alumina-zirconia wheel if the metal is soft.

2. Look at the nomenclature plate on the grinding wheel apparatus. Find the meters per second the grinding wheel rotates. Look at the label on the diamond grinding wheel for its speed rating, to make sure the bond of the diamond grit will not separate or disintegrate when used on your specific grinding wheel.

3. Determine whether the grinding will be done wet or dry. Select a wet-diamond grinding wheel for precision cutting, due to the amount of heat generated throughout the cut. Select a dry diamond grinding wheel for moderate grinding purposes.

4. Select the coarseness of the diamond wheel according to how much metal must be removed. Choose a coarse grit for fast-cutting and a fine grit for a finish-quality cut. Use a vitrified bonded wheel for fast-cutting and a resionid, rubber or shellac bond for finish-cutting.

5. Determine the size of the area to be ground. Use a coarse-grit diamond grinding wheel for large-surface grinding. This allows an adequate chip clearance on the diamond grinding wheel. Select a fine-grit diamond grinding wheel for small surfaces to keep the appropriate chip clearance.

6. Select the hardness of the diamond grinding wheel's bond based on the hardness of the metal you're grinding. Hardness is rated A to Z, with A the weakest and Z the strongest. A weaker bond is best for grinding harder metals, and a strong bond is best for soft metals. Choose a bond of A to E for extremely hard metal, F to H for steel, I to K for medium-hardness metals and L to O for softer metals.

References

• Georgia Grinding Wheel: Grinding Wheel and Abrasive Basics
• Global Spec: Grinding Wheels Specifications
• Technodiamant: Diamond Grinding Wheels
• Grindwell Norton: How to Select the Right Grinding Wheel