Grinding of C/SiC ceramic matrix composites: Influence of grinding parameters on tool wear

C/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) have been identified as a key material for improving high-speed braking systems and aerospace components as they offer low density, and high specific strength at high temperatures. Grinding is often used for the machining stage due to the high hardness, heterogeneity, and brittle nature of CMSs. Previous studies have explored the effect of grinding parameters, but most of them do not indicate whether they have used the same grinding wheel for all tests. In fact, there is limited understanding of how wear impacts process performance over the grinding wheel's lifespan. In this work, the effect of grinding wheel wear on cutting forces is addressed and grinding wheel topography is analyzed with the objective of identifying a parameter that allows to quantify grinding wheel wear in a non-destructive way. Results have shown that, after a short conditioning stage, cutting forces increase approximately linearly with the machined length. For the machining conditions analyzed, normal forces increase 200 % in the first machined meter (first stage), then rise 17 % per meter thereafter (second stage). Tangential forces rise 300 % in first meter and then climb 27 % per meter subsequently. In this second stage, force ratio approaches a constant value and the generation of flat surfaces on the diamond grains is the dominating wear mechanism. Under such conditions, 3D surface roughness parameters Sa, Sq, Spk and Sku have been proven to be useful for monitoring wheel wear.