Apparatus and method for inspecting grinding wheels

A method of inspecting grinding wheels used to prepare work rolls used in metal sheet production, comprising the steps of:

• rotatably supporting a grinding wheel on a test stand;
• positioning an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving apparatus proximate to opposite sides of the grinding wheel;
• rotating the grinding wheel on the test stand;
• passing sound waves through the grinding wheel between the opposite sides thereof to inspect the grinding wheel;
• and
• recording amplitude attenuation of the sound waves passing through the grinding wheel on a recording device or directly in a computer.

A system for inspecting grinding wheels used to prepare work rolls used in metal sheet production, comprising:

• a test stand adapted to rotatably support a grinding wheel used to prepare work rolls used in metal sheet production;
• an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving apparatus comprising a sound transmitter and sound receiver configured to be positioned proximate to opposite sides of the grinding wheel, respectively, the sound transmitter adapted to pass sound waves through the grinding wheel that are subsequently received by the sound receiver during operation of the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving apparatus;
• and
• a recording device or computer operatively connected to the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving apparatus and configured to record amplitude attenuation of the sound waves passed through the grinding wheel.