Temperature-Controlled Grindstone for Fast, Low-Damage Grinding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques for processing hard-to-grind materials like sapphire, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride result in high surface roughness and prolonged processing times, with insufficient consideration for damage reduction and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A grindstone with abrasive grains dispersed in a thermoplastic resin binder, combined with a temperature control mechanism, allows for adjusting the contact surface temperature to switch between high-speed processing and low-damage modes by manipulating the vibration absorption coefficient tan δ, enabling efficient and damage-reduced processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If grinding is performed using a coarse grit grindstone, then processing speed is high, but surface roughness remains high and damage to the processing object increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidsurface roughness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing temperature-dependent properties of the binder material. The binder's vibration absorption coefficient tan δ changes with temperature, allowing the same grindstone to exhibit different characteristics at different temperatures. By controlling temperature, the system transitions between rough grinding mode (high speed, lower temperature) and finish grinding mode (low damage, higher temperature), resolving the contradiction between processing speed and surface quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If lapping is performed to improve surface roughness, then surface quality improves, but processing time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface roughnessVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges rough grinding and finish grinding into a single integrated process using one grindstone with temperature-controlled binder properties. Instead of requiring separate grinding and lapping operations, the temperature-controlled binder allows the same abrasive surface to perform both roughing and finishing functions, eliminating the need for a separate lapping step and significantly reducing total processing time while maintaining surface quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If the vibration absorption coefficient tan δ is small, then elastic force dominates and processing speed increases, but damage to the processing object increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoiddamage to processing object
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes parameter changes in the binder's vibration absorption coefficient tan δ through temperature control. By adjusting temperature, the system can switch between elastic-dominated behavior (low tan δ, high speed processing) and viscous-dominated behavior (high tan δ, low damage processing). This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the same grindstone to perform both high-speed rough grinding and low-damage finish grinding without requiring separate tools.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system enables high-speed rough processing followed by low-damage finish processing, improving overall efficiency and reducing damage to the processing object.

Implementation Method 1

The thermoplastic resin has a property in which a vibration absorption coefficient tan δ depends on the temperature. When the binder of the abrasive grain contains the thermoplastic resin, the vibration absorption coefficient tan δ of the binder also changes depending on the temperature.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration absorption coefficient change with temperature: Viscoelasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4714594A1Processing device and processing method
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 SUMITOMO HEAVY IND LTD
  • EP4714594A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4714594A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B
  • EP4714594A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Provided is a new grinding device capable of performing processing with low damage to a processing object (50) and at high efficiency. A processing device includes a grindstone (10) in which abrasive grains (12) are dispersed in a binder (11) containing a thermoplastic resin, and a temperature control mechanism (20) that adjusts a temperature of a contact surface between the grindstone (10) and a processing object (50) according to an aspect of processing.