Norton Saint-Gobain's grinding technology, automation solutions

Saint-Gobain Abrasives will highlight a range of high performance, innovative production grinding wheels and technology at IMTS 2022. New Norton Quantum Prime Grinding Wheels will feature proprietary nano-crystalline ceramic grain that offers unprecedented productivity gains across a range of applications. The new Quantum Prime grain delivers high grinding efficiency, part quality, and longer wheel life than traditional ceramic grains. Also, Norton IDeal-Prime Internal Diameter Grinding Wheels for precision applications featuring the Quantum Prime nano-crystalline ceramic grain will be showcased. The combination of the micro-fracture properties of the ceramic grain and the retention capability of the advanced bond ensures long wheel life, grinding efficiency, and consistent part quality with superior surface finishes, resulting in cost savings of 30% and more.

Also to be highlighted is a new abrasive process solutions (APS) program that provides custom grinding expertise by helping customers determine the most optimal grinding or finishing solutions for the application at hand, for metal fabrication, for production grinding, or for virtually any abrasives operation. The APS program draws on the knowledge of the Norton team along with access to 30 different machines, and a state-of-the-art APS robotic automation cell, which is at the core of the new APS program located at the Higgins Grinding Technology Center in Northborough, Massachusetts (USA). The APS team provides abrasive process development, optimization, automation, and in-house testing. APS services encompass the testing and optimization of new abrasives, improving quality and/ or throughput, and exploring new and customized processes.

Additional key Norton and Norton Winter grinding technologies to be showcased at IMTS include:

• Paradigm Plus “Next Generation” Diamond Wheels ­– new premium grain technology that complements a brittle metal bond to deliver higher grinding performance on carbide round tools and periphery grinding on carbide and cermet inserts; has a lightweight core, produces lower specific cutting energy with a 25% to 50% higher MRR, and has significantly improved wheel life when compared with current Paradigm wheels
• G-Force Plus Next Generation Wheels – premium grain technology with improved hybrid bond technology providing significant improvement in MRR and wheel life compared to current G-Force wheels
• Next Generation NORaX® N889 Micro-Structured Abrasive Belts – precise, flexible design for producing consistent, fine part finishes for a range of industry applications such as medical, aerospace, automotive, marine, metal fabrication, and general metalworking; new belts have up to 30% better performance compared with other belts in their class
• TQ and TQX shaped ceramic abrasive grains – offer the newest and longest-shaped ceramic grains in the industry; optimized to achieve the highest MRR and coolest cut
• Vitron7 cBN Grinding Wheels – external grinding of cam and crankshafts and internal grinding applications in automotive and bearing industries; high-precision vitrified bond
• Xtrimium range of gear grinding solutions – high performance gear grinding in extreme, tight tolerance environments; specifically designed by category to provide higher profile accuracy, supreme form holding, and burn-free grinding in worm, profile, and bevel applications