9411732 Webster The award is for the purchase of a high frequency data acquisition system to investigate in-process grinding damage assessment techniques using acoustic emission. Preliminary results have indicated that use of filtered signals is not adequate and that the full range of data generated by the acoustic emission signal must be used for effective assessment. The research enabled by the acquisition of the equipment requested will investigate innovative methodologies to identify signatures associated with workpiece burn and subsurface damage in conventional and creep-feed grinding of ceramics and steels. Detection of damage due to grinding is important since it is usually the final process to be carried out on a precision component. Greater control of grinding damage, by improved diagnostic procedures such as those sought here, is therefore of direct interest to all grinding-dependent industries as it would lead to lower scrap rates and cost savings.
