Effect of grinding parameters on the reliability of alumina

In the present study, the effect of grinding parameters on the reliability of alumina specimens is investigated. The reliability is characterized by using the Weibull statistics. The grinding parameters investigated are the wheel depth of cut (downfeed), the table speed and the peripheral speed of wheel (wheel speed). The downfeed is varied from 10 to 30 μm per pass, the table speed from 0.17 to 0.27 m/s, the wheel speed from 20 to 33 m/s. The effect of the grinding parameters can be combined into a single parameter, the maximum grit depth of cut. The reliability shows strong dependence on the maximum grit depth of cut. The Weibull modulus can be as high as 10.9 as a low value of the maximum grit depth of cut is used. Nevertheless, the Weibull modulus is only 6.9 for the case that a high value of the maximum grit of cut is applied. © 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.