Towards the simulation of grinding processes – a thermoplastic single grain approach

The current work aims at the modelling and simulation of metal grinding processes with focus on the thermal behaviour resulting from the interaction of tool and workpiece. Starting from a two‐dimensional model of a single grain, representative numerical experiments are carried out based on the variation of grain geometry and its spatial position relative to the workpiece to predict the resulting load‐displacement‐behaviour. Here, a thermoelastic viscoplastic constitutive model is used to capture thermal softening of the material taken into account. Referring to previous research, an adaptive remeshing scheme, based on a combination of error estimation and refinement indication is used to overcome mesh dependence, allowing to resolve the complex deformation patterns and to predict a realistic thermomechanical state of the resulting workpiece surface. (© 2011 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)