In the past, cubic boron nitride (CBN) cutting tools have only really been used to grind the rolls used in steel rolling mills. However, that looks set to change now that the world's first CBN roll grinder for the roll shop of a hot rolling mill at Salzgitter Flachstahl AG has proved a hit. Manufactured by Heinrich GEORG GmbH, this world-first is to see the technology being launched in the aluminum industry, too. The combination of CBN grinding, measuring during the grinding process and the use of a Siemens 840 D sl grinding control system adapted to the CBN technology achieves grinding times up to 50 percent shorter than other grinders used in the past.
In 2019, GEORG will deliver the first CBN grinding machine to be used in the aluminum sector. The company is hard at work manufacturing an ultragrind 50 for the roll shop of ELVAL's new rolling mill near Athens, Greece, where it will grind back-up and work rolls. The solution will be able to machine rolls weighing up to 63 metric tons, with diameters of up to 1,600 mm and widths of up to 6,500 mm - on a fully automatic basis. Dr. Wieland H. Klein, Head of GEORG's Machine Tools division, explains where he sees the overall economic benefit for the customer: "Our new machines come with ultrasonic, eddy current and surface wave systems for integrated crack inspection. This ensures that the rolls are not ground any deeper than absolutely necessary. The advantages for the customer are shorter machining times, a longer roll service life and, last but not least, cost savings."
