A New Coolant Supply Method Using a Coolant Flow Guided Flexible Sheet Attracted to a Wheel Surface

To improve the characteristic of the floating nozzle method, a new coolant supply method using a coolant flow guided flexible sheet was developed. In this method, all the coolant supplied from the nozzle outlet can surely be directed immediately to the grinding point, because the coolant flow guided flexible sheet made of a thin sheet material is attracted to the wheel surface automatically, and confines the coolant between the wheel surface and the sheet. Therefore, the coolant can be completely prevented from deviating away from the grinding point. In fact, when the coolant flow rate of 4 l/min was supplied from the upper part of the wheel by using this method, the amount of coolant that reached the grinding point was 18 times higher than the case of only the floating nozzle method. It was clarified that this method had the effect to improve the grinding performance. Furthermore, this new method has a possibility of the wide application such as in profile grinding and cam grinding.