The new BRGg VPHS high speed grinding wheels from Saint Gobain are designed to reduce cycle times by increasing metal removal rates. The increase in removal rates has been applied without metallurgical damage to the surface being ground or loss of dimensional tolerance. Wheel life is lengthened, and the BRG high speed wheels can run up to 60 m/s. Phil Plainte, applications engineer at Saint-Gobain, says the BRG wheels can be used on new and older machines. "Machine builders are building smaller, more compact, versatile, faster-running machines. This is driven by the end-user who is looking for higher quality gears with much faster cycle times,$B!&(Bhe says. "The BRG product addresses the demand for higher quality gears and the new machines that run higher speed spindles and short grind cycles. The BRG can also be used on older machines producing high quality parts." The BRG line includes both form grinding wheels and threaded grinding wheels, and they are available with a variety of abrasive types and grit sizes. In addition, Plainte says up to six starts/leads can be put into the threaded grinding wheel form to enhance the machine/process time. The BRG abrasive and bond help generate gears with tight geometric tolerances and burn-free surfaces. In some cases, Plainte says, the grinding action can enhance the compressive residual stresses of the gear. In one instance, the wheels were tested on a 7.3635" diameter, 56-tooth helical gear and generated 28 good parts before needing to be dressed. Conversely, a competing grinding wheel produced 17 parts before it required dressing. In addition, when tested on a 2.8117" spur gear, the BRGg wheel produced more good parts between dressings and simultaneously reduced per part grinding time. "Original cycle time on one particular part was approximately four minutes; now they average around 1.5 minutes. We can’t say the reduction in cycle time is all BRG," says Plainte, "But the product definitely plays a big part in cycle reduction. The machine is a new Gleason 245TWG high speed grinder." The gear grinding wheels will be displayed for the first time at IMTS and are offered with conventional aluminum oxide to the more advanced high performance ceramic grains. A complete line of dressing tools will also be displayed. Norton Abrasives is optimistic about the products’ reception at IMTS. "There are three dynamics taking place in the gear industry right now. Every manufacturer is under pressure to improve production and efficiency. If you don’t, you won’t survive,$B!&(B Plainte says. The other dynamic is drive train compression, more horsepower moving through smaller, lighter drivetrains. This can only be accomplished through better quality gears. Lastly, aerospace is in the middle of a seven-year up cycle, and gear manufacturers are struggling to keep up." "The customers participating in this environment are investing in new equipment, such as high speed machines, and better tooling, like grinding wheels," he continues. "We’re getting really positive feedback from customers in North America and Europe."