Analysis of a Feasibility Study of a Precision Grinding Process for Industrial Blades Used in the Cutting of Soft Tissues by a Prototype 5-Axis CNC Grinding Machine

Abstract

Obtaining a high quality product (filet) is often necessary to effectively separate the soft tissues of fish raw material. An intensive technological process and a number of unfavorable factors can generate the wear of low-stiffness planar industrial cutting blades used for this purpose. The relatively short time of efficient work of the blade causes the production stoppages needed for its exchange, which consequently can inflict significant financial losses. The wear of industrial cutting blades is one of the important and still unsatisfactorily solved problems occurring in the fish and seafood industry, especially in its branches related to fish processing. In this paper, the authors propose an original solution of the above problem by the possibility of renewing the cutting ability of industrial cutting blades by the process of precise grinding realized on the prototype 5-axis CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) grinding machine. The detailed description of a newly designed and constructed technological machine was expanded by the results of tests carried out in industrial conditions. Results of the regeneration of blades at variable parameters of the grinding process (v w = 300-700 mm/min, n s = 38,000 min −1 ) were analyzed on the basis of surface texture measurements by Talysurf CLI 2000 optical profilometer. The surface texture parameter (amplitude, spatial, and hybrid) analysis allowed to determine the most favorable machining parameters for which compatibility of cutting edge geometry was obtained. The proposed solution can be an interesting alternative to other ways of renewing/exchanging industrial cutting blades.

The Role of Observation–Measurement Methods in the Surface Characterization of X39Cr13 Stainless-Steel Cutting Blades Used in the Fish Processing Industry

“…All of the planar cutting blades, whose condition after the technological process was presented in the previous subsection, were subjected to regeneration. This process, described in detail by Zieliński et al [ 26 , 27 ], consisted of renewing the cutting ability—restoring the original shape and recreating correct cutting edges angles of inclinations. The effects of the regeneration were verified using high-accuracy contact (stylus) [ 27 ] and noncontact (optical) [ 26 ] measurement systems for determining its correctness.…”

“…This process, described in detail by Zieliński et al [ 26 , 27 ], consisted of renewing the cutting ability—restoring the original shape and recreating correct cutting edges angles of inclinations. The effects of the regeneration were verified using high-accuracy contact (stylus) [ 27 ] and noncontact (optical) [ 26 ] measurement systems for determining its correctness. Numerous parametric analyses confirmed the possibility of this type of regeneration carried out using the precision traverse surface grinding process (in peripheral and front grinding kinematics).…”

“…The regeneration process of cutting edge of all selected planar cutting blades was realized using a five-axis CNC grinding machine, described in detail by Zielinski [ 26 ]. As shown in Figure 3 a, the central part of the technological machine contains an electro-spindle PTShPp-30-36Km120 (FŁT-Kraśnik S.A., Kraśnik, Poland) with a grinding wheel 5A128 × 20 × 10/15 × 14B126V180SV (Inter-Diament, Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland); the machining conditions are given in Table 3 .…”

“…In relation to the planar cutting blades, one of the proposed solutions is the effective regeneration of the tool (obtaining its original shape and recreating the correct inclination angles of cutting edges). An original proposal of this type of regeneration, using a precise grinding process by grinding wheels (regular boron nitride (cBN) [ 23 , 24 , 25 ] abrasive grains bonded by ceramic binder) attached to an electro-spindle of the five-axis CNC (computerized numerical control) grinding machine, was presented by Zieliński et al [ 26 , 27 ]. In case of realization of this process, special attention should be paid to thermal conditions in the grinding wheel with the machined surface contact zone.…”

Methodology for Evaluating the Cutting Force of Planar Technical Blades Used in Flatfish Processing

“…Figure 1 shows the skinning process of flat fishes from the Pleuronectidae family as well as the automatic skinning machine ST600 (Steen F.P.M. International, Kalmthout, Belgium) [3][4][5]. Manufacturing plants strive to optimize the production process, which is understood as the desire to increase production efficiency and reduce costs while maintaining the desired product quality.…”