Grinding machine with a device for conditioning a grinding wheel and a method of conditioning a grinding wheel

A grinding machine for grinding a workpiece, comprising:

• a bearing device including a cup-shaped grinding wheel configured to be rotatably drivable about a grinding wheel axis and electrically insulated, wherein the wheel comprises an electrically conductive bonding material embedded with an abrasive grit, is electrically connected to a generator, and has a first grinding region with an annular abrasive surface and second grinding regions with abrasive surfaces in the shape of a lateral area of the wheel;
• means for holding a workpiece to be ground;
• and
• a device for profile dressing, sharpening and cleaning the abrasive surfaces of the grinding wheel that is electrically connected to the generator and comprises means for supplying a cooling lubricant to an electrode and to the workpiece,
• wherein the device for profile dressing, sharpening and cleaning is made up of a single tool designed as a cup-shaped electrode provided with at least one annular machining surface, the electrode is configured to be rotatable about a central axis of the cup-shaped electrode on a slide, the slide permits an adjustable working gap to exist between the respective machining surface of the cup-shaped electrode and the respective abrasive surfaces of the grinding wheel, and in the working gap, a spark-erosive discharge occurs with an application of a spark voltage by the generator, and
• wherein a shaft of the cup-shaped electrode is configured in the slide such that the shaft is electrically insulated, and the slide is displaceably held on the bearing device, in a controlled way, in a direction of the shaft.