Complex Grinding Assisted with Electrical Discharge Machining for Electrically Conductive PCD

A new PCD material named EC-PCD (Electrically conductive polycrystalline composite diamond), which consists of electrically conductive diamond grits, has recently been developed. This paper deals with an investigation of a complex grinding assisted with electrical discharge machining (EDM) to realize high efficiency, low and stable grinding force and low wheel wear for the new EC-PCD. The effect of complex grinding assisted with EDM is compared experimentally with the standard PCD (S-PCD). The result shows that, in the complex grinding, lower and more stable grinding force is realized thanks to the material removal action in EDM and that lower wheel wear and better surface finish are attained, just when the EC-PCD is selected as a workpiece.