Concept Development of an Innovative Spindle Drive for a Centerless Grinding Machine

 

Centerless grinding is a machining process with geometrically undefined cutting edges for manufacturing rotationally symmetrical workpieces. The long loading time to support the workpiece between centers or with a chuck can be omitted, therefore the process is predestined for workpieces produced in high quantity.

As a result of the transition in the automotive industry and the reduction of CO2 emissions in aviation, the requirements for centerless grinding machines are changing. The specific influence of these trends on the geometry and material of components, that can be manufactured using centerless grinding processes, has not been systematically or scientifically analyzed. Thus, it is only possible to make a limited derivation of technical performance parameters for the construction of a spindle drive in a centerless grinding machine.

In this ZIM-feasibility study between SLR Maschinen GmbH and the group of grinding technology at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering WZL of RWTH Aachen University, the development of an innovative spindle drive for centerless grinding machines will be prepared, in order to meet the challenges in grinding technology in the future. The market-relevant requirements will be fulfilled by a systematic specification of the solution concept. This results in a future-oriented holistic optimization of the centerless grinding machine.