ID/OD FORCE-ADAPTIVE BEARING GRINDING

A NEW METHOD FOR GRINDING THE OUTSIDE (OD) AND INSIDE DIAMETERS (ID) AT A SINGLE CLAMPING OF BEARING RINGS IS PROPOSED. SINCE MOST BEARINGS ARE MANUFACTURED IN SMALL LOT SIZES, CONSIDERABLE SET-UP TIME IS REQUIRED WHEN CHANGING TO A NEW BEARING RING. CURRENTLY, TWO MACHINES ARE NECESSARY; ONE FOR THE OD, AND ONE FOR THE ID. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS A NEW METHOD TO HOLD THE RINGS WITHOUT DISTORTING THEM WHILE LEAVING THE OD AND ID ACCESSIBLE TO THE GRINDING WHEELS AND THEREBY ELIMINATING THE SET-UP TIME,TOOLING COST, AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN ONE MACHINE. THE SOURCES OF OUT-OF-ROUNDNESS ARE IDENTIFIED AND A COMPUTER ROUND-UP SIMULATION PROGRAM FOR THE GRINDING ROUND-UP PROCESS IS PROPOSED. THE MONITORING OF THE GRINDING WHEEL SHARPNESS USING FORCE SENSORS TO MAINTAIN GOOD SURFACE INTEGRITY IS ANTICIPATED IF A PHASE II GRANT IS AWARDED.