Review of the advanced microscopy techniques used for diagnostics of grinding wheels with ceramic bond

A wide range of abrasive tools is used in modern removal machining techniques. Their condition has significant influence on the quality of the shaped surfaces of the produced elements and the functions they perform. Abrasive tools diagnostics is in this case an essential element of the production process, connected with assessment of the abrasive tool surface condition. Such an assessment can be carried out with microscopic methods The work presents selected microscopic techniques on the cutting edge of technology such as: digital microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Characteristics of each of the methods and the applied devices were briefly presented. The experimental part presents exemplary results of measurements and analyses carried out using the described methods. The works were carried out on, among others, grinding wheels with ceramic bond used in internal cylindrical grinding processes. The assessed tools were characterized by a number of features such as impregnated active surface, modified bond microstructure or smearing the active surface with chips of the machined material. The obtained results confirmed the possibility of application of the above-mentioned microscopic techniques in abrasive tools diagnostics.