Research on grind-hardening layer and residual stresses based on variable grinding forces

This paper analyzes the grinding force variation of grind-hardening process and proposes a simulation model to predict the residual stress profile based on the variable grinding forces. Time-dependent grinding force is discretized to calculate the heat flux intensity, which is applied on the actual contact length for the grinding temperature field, and the harden layer depth along the workpiece length is predicted. After that, the mechanical and thermal stress field is calculated with the results of variable grinding forces and grinding temperature, respectively. The loading stresses are coupled into an elastic-plastic structural analysis to estimate the residual stresses by defining indicator variables. Experimental results on the residual stress and the harden layer profile have validated the theoretical model.