Three dimensional modelling of temperature distribution during belt finishing

This study focuses on the belt finishing process to understand the effect of the local geometry of each abrasive grain via the curvature radius and the attack angle on the local contact temperature. In order to reach this last parameter, a three–dimensional numerical model is established and presented in order to determine the temperature distribution at the interface abrasive papers/workpiece. The established model considers that the local geometry of each abrasive grain is conical with a hemispherical tip. The numerical results show that at a small depth of penetration, both sphere and cone have an influence on temperatures distribution. For larger depths, this distribution depends only on the conical geometry of the abrasive grains. It is also shown that the effect of the interaction of asperities on the temperature during belt finishing cannot be neglected, especially at higher load.