Abrasive article with improved packing density and mechanical properties and method of making

#The present invention relates generally to abrasive articles and more particularly to an abrasive article with improved packing density and mechanical properties and a method for making this article.

#Abrasive articles are typically used in various industries to machine work pieces by cutting, lapping, grinding, or polishing. The use of abrasive articles for machining spans a wide industrial scope from optics industries, automotive plant repair industries to metal fabrication industries. In each of these examples, manufacturing facilities use abrasives to remove bulk material and/or affect surface characteristics of products (e.g., planarity, surface roughness).

#Manufacturers of rough grinding abrasive articles are constantly challenged to make abrasive articles that meet higher performance requirements specified by their customers. Manufacturers typically try to meet such high performance requirements by packing more abrasive mix into the articles and attaining improvements in strength to withstand aggressive grinding conditions. Current approaches in forming these abrasive articles have limited extent to which manufacturers can increase density of abrasives and improve strength. In particular, these approaches do not adequately process the materials used to produce the abrasive mix that forms the abrasive articles. Inadequate processing of the materials typically results in abrasive mixes having abrasive grains interspersed with a significant amount of loose bond content. The nature of the loose bond material lowers manufacturers' ability to pack more mix in the same volume for the purpose of increasing packing density. In addition, the loose bond acts as a weak link in the abrasive article, thus making the abrasive product weaker. As a result, it is difficult to meet higher performance requirements.

#FIG. 1 is a flow chart describing a process for forming an abrasive mix according to one embodiment;

#FIG. 2 is an image of an abrasive mix formed from a conventional process;

#FIG. 3 is an image of an abrasive mix formed from the process depicted in FIG. 1;

#Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a flow chart 100 describing a process for forming an abrasive mix according to one embodiment. The process begins by providing abrasive grains to a mixing container at 105. In this embodiment, the abrasive grains may be any conventional abrasive or superabrasive material. A non-exhaustive list of abrasives and superabrasives that may be used in this embodiment includes aluminum oxide grains (e.g., implanted with impurities), zirconium fluoride, zirconium sulfate, aluminum oxide and zirconium oxide, zirconia-alumina grains, silicon carbide grains, diamond grains, cubic boron nitride grains and combination of all mentioned above. Those skilled in the art will recognize that combinations of one or more of the abrasives listed above may be used as abrasive grains in this embodiment.

#The mixing container is typically a large industrial-sized mixing bowl having a mixing mechanism driven by an electric motor that is configured to mix contents of material while the bowl rotates at specified revolutions per minute. In one embodiment, the total amount of abrasive grains added to the mixing container in the process of FIG. 1 is about 150 lbs.

#After adding the abrasive grains to the mixing container, at least one processing liquid is introduced to the grains at 110. A non-exhaustive list of processing liquids that may be used in this embodiment includes liquid resins, water, wax and resin modifiers, and various solvents such as Furfural and Tridecyl Alcohol. Those skilled in the art will recognize that combinations of one or more of the processing liquids listed above may be used in this embodiment.