Method for Reducing the Cost and Improving the Quality of Aerospace Bearing Production

The patented Eccentric Positioning System will be used in the design of a prototype grinding machine tool. This approach dramatically improves grinding process control by controlling the 3 most important process variables, the normal grinding force and grinding wheel position as well as the grinding wheel angle in real time whereas existing machines only control the wheel position. In Phase I we modeled this mechatronic system using MatLab and Simulink to show that such a system was stiff, capable of rapid precise motions and suitable for use as the basis for an internal diameter (ID) grinding machine tool. In Phase II we will use the Phase I results in a model based design approach to optimize this design with regards to positioning accuracy, rapid traverse capability, static and dynamic stiffness. We will use these results to design, build and test a proof of concept prototype ID grinding machine. The prototype will be used to grind aerospace rolling element bearing races. We believe that the improve process control achieved by this machine will increase grinding productivity 25-35% with improved quality when compared to machines currently available in the market place.