Wheel Selection
Most grinding wheels from major manufactur- ers are marked in a somewhat uniform man- ner. Understanding these markings will help you understand the capabilities of various wheels. Always refer to the manufacturer’s grinding rec- ommendations when selecting a wheel for your project.
The grinding wheel you choose will depend on several factors related to the operation you plan to perform. The hardness of the material you will be grinding and the surface finish you desire are the two primary factors to consider when selecting a grinding wheel.
An example of the basic format for wheel number- ing is shown below. The wheel in this example is
a“36A60LV”.
Prefix Abrasive Grit Grade Bond
Type SizeType
36 | A | 60 | L | V |
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The prefix is a
Use the charts below as a basic wheel selection outline for most grinding operations.
Abrasive Type
Abrasive | Application | |
Type | ||
|
AAluminum Oxide. For grinding
common steel.
| White Aluminum Oxide. For | |
WA | grinding harder metals (heat | |
treated steel, carbon steel, alloy | ||
| ||
| steel, etc.). |
HFor grinding high speed steel.
CSilicon Carbide. For grinding cast iron and
| Ceramic Grain. For extremely |
CG | hard metals, such as tungsten |
| carbide. |
Model G0763 (Mfg. Since 8/13)
Grit Size
The ideal grit for an operation depends on a number of considerations. Use the table below to choose a grit suitable for your desired results.
| Results | ||
Operation | Coarse Grit | Fine Grit | |
Consideration |
|
| |
Material | Increased | Decreased | |
Removal | |||
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| |
Surface Finish | Rough | Smooth | |
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Workpiece | Soft | Hard | |
Hardness | |||
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Width of Cut | Wide | Narrow | |
Grade
The grade of a wheel is an indicator of its hard- ness based on an alphabetical scale in which A is the softest and Z is the hardest.
| Wheel Hardness | ||
Operation | Soft | Hard | |
Consideration | |||
Workpiece | Hard | Soft | |
Hardness | |||
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Width of Cut | Wide | Narrow | |
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Feed Rate | Slow | Fast | |
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Wheel Speed | Fast | Slow | |
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Bond Type
This refers to the type of bonding material used to hold the abrasive material. Most general purpose wheels will have a V indicating vitrified clay is used, providing high strength and good porosity. The other most common is B where synthetic res- ins are used. These are used to grind cemented carbide and ceramic materials.