WHEEL DRESSERS

      Grinding wheels wear unevenly under most general grinding

operations due to uneven pressure applied to the face of thewheel when it cuts. Also, when the proper wheel has not beenused for certain operations, the wheel may become chargedwith metal particles, or the abrasive grain may become dullbefore it is broken loose from the wheel bond. [n these cases,it is necessary that the wheel be dressed or trued to restore itsefficiency and accuracy.
    Dressing is cutting the face of a grinding wheel to restore itsoriginal cutting qualities. Truing is restoring the wheel’sconcentricity or reforming its cutting face to a desired shape

                                                      Abrasive Stick Dresser
The abrasive stick dresser comes in two shapes: square for
hand use, and round for mechanical use. It is often used
instead of the more expensive diamond dresser for dressing
shaped and form wheels. It is also used for general grinding
wheel dressing.




Abrasive Wheel Dresser
The abrasive wheel dresser is a bonded silicon carbide
wheel that is fastened to the machine table at a slight angle to
the grinding wheel and driven by contact with the wheel. This
dresser produces a smooth, clean-cutting face that leaves no
dressing marks on the work.
Diamond Dresser


Diamond Dresser
The diamond dresser is the most efficient for truing wheels
for precision grinding, where accuracy and high finish are
required.
A dresser may have a single diamond or multiple diamonds
mounted in the end of a round steel shank. Inspect the
diamond point frequently for wear. It is the only usable part of
the diamond, and is worn away it cannot dress the wheel
properly.



       Slant the diamond 3° to 15° in the direction of rotation and
30° to the plane of the wheel as shown in Figure 5-14 to
prevent chatter and gouging. Rotate the diamond slightly in
it’s holder between dressing operations to keep it sharp. A dull
diamond will force the abrasive grains into the bond pores and
load the face of the wheel, reducing the wheel’s cutting
ability.

     When using a diamond dresser to dress or true a grinding
wheel, the wheel should be turning at, or slightly less than,
normal operating speed never at the higher speed. For wet
grinding, flood the wheel with coolant when you dress or true
it. For dry grinding, the wheel should be dressed dry. The
whole dressing operation should simulate the grinding
operation as much as possible. Whenever possible, hold the
dresser by some mechanical device. It is a good idea to round
off wheel edges with a handstone after dressing to prevent
chipping. This is especially true of a fine finishing wheel. Do
not round off the edges if the work requires sharp corners. The
grinding wheel usually wears more on the edges, leaving a
high spot towards the center. When starting the dressing or
truing operation, be certain that the point of the dressing tool
touches the highest spot of the wheel first, to prevent the
point from digging in.

       Feed the dresser tool point progressively, 0.001 inch at a
time, into the wheel until the sound indicates that the wheel is
perfectly true. The rate at which you move the point across the
face of the wheel depends upon the grain and the grade of the
wheel and the desired finish. A slow feed gives the wheel a
fine finish, but if the feed is too slow, the wheel may glaze. A
fast feed makes the wheel free cutting, but if the feed is too
fast, the dresser will leave tool marks on the wheel. The
correct feed can only be found by trial, but a unif