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Fit for PcBN processing
The ultra-hard PcBN cutting material achieves the highest degree of hardness after PCD and is extremely temperature-resistant. Vollmer has retrofitted its VGrind 360S grinding machine to enable high-precision grinding of PcBN cutting edges.
It's a small step for the VGrind 360S, but a giant leap for the world of tool manufacturers: Swabian sharpening specialist Vollmer has been able to adapt its VGrind 360S grinding machine to process PcBN (polycrystalline cubic boron nitride) tools. The ultra-hard cutting material PcBN is considered the hardest cutting material in the world after PCD (polycrystalline diamond). PcBN tools can achieve a tool life up to 25 times longer than solid carbide tools and have good chemical resistance even at high temperatures, meaning that PcBN retains almost its original hardness even at 1200 degrees Celsius. PcBN tools are mainly used for machining ferrous metals such as gray cast iron and hardened steel.
The fact that the VGrind 360S grinding machine is able to precisely machine tools with PcBN is due to its stable wall concept with a rigid and compact design. In addition, the two grinding spindles with grinding wheel set in the pivot point of the C-axis enable efficient multi-plane machining. The high system rigidity, in combination with the drive of the X, Y and Z axes via linear motors, allows tool manufacturers to machine a PcBN cutting edge in an oscillating manner.
Thermal stability is ensured by a plate heat exchanger that effectively cools the spindles and motors. The integrated spindle indexing of the VGrind 360S stops a spindle at exactly the same position when changing the grinding wheel, thereby reducing axial and radial run-out errors of the grinding wheel packs.
The new step that the VGrind 360S has taken is an optional dressing unit for the grinding wheel. After roughing the PcBN cutting edge, the dressing unit ensures that each grinding wheel regains precise concentricity and its correct geometric shape. Subsequent finishing gives a PcBN tool the desired finish. The optional dressing unit with software update can also be retrofitted to existing VGrind 360S machines. Tool manufacturers can carry out the installation in just a few steps, either independently or with the support of the Vollmer service team.
“We have seen the market for PcBN tools developing positively worldwide for several years now, which is why we have now further developed our VGrind 360S for PcBN machining,” says Eric Scheffold, Product Manager at Vollmer.