A simple method of eliminating residual tensile stresses in the grinding of low carbon steels

The serious problem in grinding is the generation of residual tensile stresses on the surface of the ground workpiece which reduces the fatigue resistance of the component. By using a vice, an axial tensile stress is applied to a low carbon steel workpiece. It is found that the residual stresses produced after grinding are compressive rather than tensile. Experiments with different grinding and wheel conditions all confirm the fact that workpiece ground under tensile stress produce compressive residual stresses under a wide range of grinding conditions. The superposition of a uniaxial compressive stress during grinding should be avoided because tensile residual stresses are generated in the workpiece.