Introduction:

Abrasive machining is a material removal process that involves the use of abrasive cutting tools. There are three principle types of abrasive cutting tools according to the degree to which abrasive grains are constrained, Bonded abrasive tools: abrasive grains are closely packed into different shapes, the most common is the abrasive wheel. Grains are held together by bonding material. Abrasive machining process that use bonded abrasives includes grinding, honing, super finishing; Coated abrasive tools: abrasive grains are glued onto a flexible cloth, paper or resin backing. Coated abrasives are available in sheets, rolls, endless belts. Processes include abrasive belt grinding, abrasive wire cutting; Free abrasives: abrasive grains are not bonded or glued. Instead, they are introduced either in oilbased fluids (lapping, ultrasonic machining), or in water (abrasive water jet cutting) or air (abrasive jet machining), or contained in a semisoft binder (buffing). Regardless the form of the abrasive tool and machining operation considered, all abrasive operations.

Regardless the form of the abrasive tool and machining operation considered, all abrasive operations can be considered as material removal processes with geometrically undefined cutting edges. Abrasive machining can be likened to the other machining operations with multipoint cutting tools. Each abrasive grain acts like a small single cutting tool with undefined geometry but usually with high negative rake angle. Abrasive machining involves a number of operations, used to achieve ultimate dimensional precision and surface finish

Effect of high cutting temperature

The effect of the cutting temperature, particularly when its high, is mostly detrimental to both the tool and the workpiece. Temperature rise in grinding can significantly affect surface properties. Furthermore, the heat generated and conducted into the workpiece expands the workpart and causes dimensional errors.

*Tempering: excessive temperatures can temper and soften the material on the surfaces, which is often ground in the hardened state. *Burning: if the temperature is excessive the surface may burn. Burning produces a bluish colour on steels, which indicates high temperature oxidation with all the negative changes in the surface material properties.

*Thermal cracks: high temperatures may also lead to thermal cracking of the surface of the workpiece. Cracks are usually perpendicular to the grinding direction; however, under severe grinding conditions, parallel cracks may also develop. *Residual stresses: temperature change and gradients within the workpiece are mainly responsible for residual stresses in grinding. *High heat flux density may lead to grinding wheel melting and in consequence to its wear increase.

Excessive temperature has a negative effect on the work surface. Grinding process parameters must therefore be chosen carefully to avoid excessive temperature rise. The use of grinding fluids can effectively control cutting temperatures.

Experimental studies
The experiments were carried out by using the work stand schematically presented in Figure 2. The principal tool in this work stand was a grinder BS-300 (no. 1). It was used to cut-off cylindrical, reinforcing steel rods (no. 3) with two different diameters. The quantity of interaction force between the grinding wheel and the rod was determined by gravity, it means with the aid of the appropriately matched system of pull rod. An object glass of the thermo-vision camera PN 290 (no. 4) pointed toward the grinding wheel (no. 2) and the rod subjected to cutting. The camera was coupled to the PC computer (no. 5) equipped with the program Termolab . It ensured recording of measurements.

The analysis of temperature distribution along the grinding wheel circumference leads to conclusion that the temperature decreases co-linearly to the direction of the grinding wheel rotation. It is caused by heat dissipation to the surrounding air despite the high circumferential speed (circa 50 m/s) and very short pauses between the contacts of each point on the grinding wheel circumference with the zone in which the heat is generated. The analysis of temperature distribution along the grinding wheel radius indicates that the highest temperature occurs along the circumference of the grinding wheel, in the zone of a ring, which has the width of the depth of cut. A rapid decrease in temperature, which is collinear to the radius provides evidence of a low heat conductivity of this tool. The maximum temperatures of grinding wheels with the same technical characteristics but purchased from different manufacturers differ by approximately 30% if the cutting process was conducted under the same conditions. It means that it is very difficult to obtain the same function ability of grinding wheels produced by different manufacturers. The cutting trials showed that the temperature of cutting increases with the diameter of the ground workpiece (Figure 6). It is caused by the larger area of the interface between the grinding wheel and the workpiece, despite the lower unit pressures.