Shape Optimization for Grinding Nozzle by Multi-Fluid Simulation and Experimental Validation

Abstract

Grinding is a vastly used manufacturing process in which abrasives are used to cut down the material of work piece .In grinding heat generation is very large which has some very bad effects like in can alter the dimensional accuracy, physical properties of workpiece (surface roughness, microhardness etc) and it can also reduce the life of grinding wheel. The present study has been carried out to refine the grinding process by optimized cooling system. Input parameters are varied and their effect is studied according to the desired response. Both software and experimental approaches have been adopted to achieve the goal. Multi-fluid simulation is used to know the behaviour of fluid flow through the nozzle and also to find the fluid flow behaviour in grinding zone with the help of Computational fluid dynamic software ANSYS CFX. Computer simulation is done on various nozzle geometries and on the bases of peak velocity and its distance from nozzle outlet three nozzles have been selected. Design of Experiment is used in this Taguchi L9 orthogonal array is applied to carry out the grinding process simulation and experimental validation for four input parameters wheel speed, workpiece speed, nozzle angle and nozzle tip distance. An experimental setup is created to vary input parameters. The effect of these input parameters has been checked on output responses, velocity of fluid in grinding zone, dimensional control, surface hardness and surface cracks. ANOVA is used to analyse the results of taguchi design for input parameters with the help of significance graphs to study which input parameter effects more the output response.