METHOD OF MACHINING SILICON NITRIDE CERAMICS AND SILICON NITRIDE CERAMICS PRODUCTS

摘要

An industrially feasible method of grinding silicon nitride ceramics. The method provides a sufficiently smooth surface. Namely. the surface has a maximum heightroughness Rmax of 0.1 micron or less and a ten-point mean roughness Rmax of 0.05 micron. Further, with this method, surface damage can be repaired while grinding. The vertical cutting speed of a grinding wheel into a work should be within the range of 0.005 - 0.1 micron for each rotation of the working surface or the wheel and change linearly or stepwise. The horizontal machining speed should be within the range of 25 to 75 m/sec. With this arrangement, the contact pressure and grinding heat that generate between the work and the hard abrasive grains during grinding are combined. In other words. mechanical and thermal actions are combined.