What is a Superabrasive and Why is it the Best Material for Cutting?

TechTalk Newsletter SCTools

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What are Superabrasives?

New alternatives for cutting tools built on a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) material created by the General Electric (GE) Company in the US in the 1970s were referred to as superabrasives. The grinding and cutting tools that were available were improved by these extremely hard, brittle compounds, but their use required new skills. Only diamond cutting wheels can be used to shape cutting tools created from these materials since the materials are so hard.

How are They Different from Regular Abrasives?

In contrast to "standard abrasives" like corundum and silicon carbide, superabrasives have better hardness and wear resistance. In order to give the grinding wheel the performance it needs, conventional abrasives are often made of natural grains that are fused or blended with other abrasive grains. Cubic boron nitride (CBN), a synthetic grain, or natural or artificial diamonds are used in superabrasives.

Superabrasives - The Best Material for Cutting Metal & Other Materials

There are grades of bonded abrasives ranging from coarse to fine. Bonded abrasives are used for stock removal, grinding, weld blending, cutting, beveling, sharpening, and precision finishing, among other things. Bonded abrasives are available in a wide range of grains, grit sizes, bonding compositions, shapes, and sizes to suit a wide range of applications.

Bonded abrasives are a blend of abrasive grains, fillers, and bonding agents. Resin, rubber, glass, and other materials can be used as bonding agents. The grains fracture and wear away as the wheel spins against the surface of a workpiece. A new layer of grains is exposed as the top layer wears away.

How Superabrasives Work to Outperform Regular Grinding Wheels

For the majority of applications, SCTools advises using CBN wheels rather than traditional grinding wheels to maintain maximum manufacturing efficiency. The traditional grinding wheel, which is typically made of aluminum oxide and silicon carbide, has been shown to dull faster and burnish materials, reducing grinding productivity effectiveness. Using a CBN wheel instead of a conventional grinding wheel reduces downtime, saves time gauging and measuring, and requires fewer wheel changes, increasing grinding efficiency and productivity.

Choosing The Best Grinding Wheel

When choosing a grinding wheel for any application, there are nine major factors to consider:

  1. What will you be grinding and how hard will it be?
  2. How much stock must be removed from the material?
  3. What is the degree of grinding required?
  4. Determine the material's shape and the surface finish (or finishes) that are required.
  5. What kind of machine will you be using? Take note of its power and conditions.
  6. What wheel speeds and feed rates will be used?
  7. The size and hardness of the grinding contact area should be determined.
  8. Is your grinding operation going to be wet or dry?

    Mirka® Cafro offers numerous solutions for a variety of applications such as gashing, fluting, side grinding, and much more.

    TechTalk SCTools MIRKA CAFRO QR Code If you have any questions about carbide cutting tools, end mills, drills, etc. be sure to reach out to us @ sctools.co/Home or call us at (877)737-0987. We help you machine better! 
    — Haneen Eshba
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