Abstract: Both an apparatus and method for truing and dressing a grinding wheel with a constant tangentially dressing force is provided. The apparatus includes a rotatable diamond dressing roll, an engagement assembly including a servo-motor for forcefully engaging the dressing roll against the peripheral work surface of the grinding wheel, a sensor for sensing the force of engagement between the dressing roll and the grinding wheel, and a microprocessor connected to both the sensor and the power supply for the servo-motor for modulating both the voltage and polarity of a DC current connected to the servo-motor so that the engagement assembly presses the diamond dressing roll against the grinding wheel with a constant force during the entire dressing operation.

Abstract: A method for accurately and economically shaping a zirconia workpiece with a relatively inexpensive silicon carbide grinding wheel is provided. The grinding wheel used in the method preferably utilizes 220 mesh silicon carbide particles bound in a low porosity vitreous matrix. The grinding wheel is then rotated at a sufficient speed to implement a grinding operation, and is engaged against the zirconia workpiece at a diametral feed rate of at least 0.04 mm/sec. The method advantageously removes material from the zirconia workpiece at a high rate of speed with minimal wheel wear, and results in accurate cuts and smooth surface finishes, and also eliminates the need for dressing the wheel prior to the grinding operation.

Abstract: An improved truing and dressing assembly and associated thru-feed centerless grinding machine is provided which effectively shapes the outer surface of a regulating wheel so as to allow the regulating wheel to follow the profile of the workpiece during grinding thereby avoiding interference between the regulating wheel and the workpiece outer surface thereby resulting in improved high precision grinding. The truing and dressing assembly of the present invention includes a truing wheel mounted on one side of the regulating wheel opposite the side on which the workpiece and workpiece support are mounted. The truing wheel is designed with an outer surface having a radius of curvature equal to the radius of curvature of the outer surface of the final ground workpiece. In addition, the truing wheel and workpiece are positioned at the same height above a reference plane extending through the rotational axis of the grinding wheel.