Apparatuses, systems and methods for aligned abrasive grains

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating grinding wheels are provided. The systems and methods may employ aligned abrasive grains. In this regard, the abrasive grains may have a known polarity and cutting orientation. The abrasive grains may be alignable in response to being exposed to an electrical current and/or a magnetic field. The abrasive grains may be aligned of a film that is processed into a grinding wheel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 depositing a plurality of abrasive grains on a film;   aligning the abrasive grains on the film;   depositing a bond on the film, wherein the bond is configured to fill the void between the plurality of abrasive grains; and   curing the bond.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising wrapping the film to form at least one of a cylinder and a cone. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising firing the at least one of the cylinder and the cone to form a grinding wheel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising sizing the at least one of the cylinder and the cone. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of abrasive grains comprises a first portion having first charge and a second portion having a second charge. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of abrasive grains includes at least one of a coating and an inclusion material, wherein the at least one of the coating and the inclusion material having at least one of a paramagnetic characteristic and a ferromagnetic characteristic. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of abrasive grains have a cutting orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a grinding wheel formed by the method has an increased material removal rate based on the cutting orientation of each of the plurality of abrasive grains. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the aligning the abrasive grains includes applying at least one of an electrical current and a magnetic field. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bond comprises filler. 
     
     
         11 . A grinding wheel made from a process comprising:
 distributing a plurality of abrasive grains on a film;   aligning the abrasive grains on the film with at least one of a magnetic field and an electrical current;   wrapping the film into a about a hub; and   firing the wrapped film to form the grinding wheel.   
     
     
         12 . The grinding wheel of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of abrasive grains has a cutting orientation. 
     
     
         13 . The grinding wheel of  claim 12 , wherein the cutting orientation is associated with at least one of the type of grinding wheel and the direction of rotation of the grinding wheel. 
     
     
         14 . The grinding wheel of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of abrasive grains has a first end and a second end. 
     
     
         15 . The grinding wheel of  claim 14 , and wherein each of the plurality of abrasive grains has a polarity between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         16 . The grinding wheel of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of abrasive grains is alignable in response to the application of an electrical current. 
     
     
         17 . The grinding wheel of  claim 11 , wherein a bond is disposed on the film and the bond fills the voids between each of the abrasive grains. 
     
     
         18 . The grinding wheel of  claim 11 , wherein the bond is at least partially cured prior to the wrapping. 
     
     
         19 . A grinding wheel comprising:
 a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers comprising a film, wherein each of the plurality of layers is bonded together by a firing process, and wherein the film comprises a plurality of abrasive grains, each of the plurality of grains positioned in a cutting orientation in response to application of a magnetic field prior to the firing process.   
     
     
         20 . The grinding wheel of  claim 19 , wherein the each of the abrasive grains comprises at least one of a coating and an inclusion material. 
     
     
         21 . The grinding wheel of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one of the coating and the inclusion material having at least one of a paramagnetic characteristic and a ferromagnetic characteristic.