Efficient Super-Smooth Finishing Characteristics of SiC Materials through the Use of Fine-Grinding

Silicon carbide (SiC) materials have increasingly been needed in the wide range of industries, such as for structural components, automobile parts, space telescope, X-ray mirror, and next-generation semiconductors. However, SiC materials have difficulties in super-smooth finishing for their hard and brittle features. The authors have been investigating optimized conditions on their finishing by fine-grinding with the unique grinding process called ELID (electrolytic in-process dressing). When grinding conditions are changed to fine grinding from coarse grinding, each material has a transition phenomenon; from brittle to ductile removal. ELID has a stable grinding ability, so very detailed characteristics of their material-remove mechanisms were to be investigated. Surface analysis of each material has been discussed through the ELID, and this study proposes good finishing conditions for SiC. In this paper, the advantages of the applied fine-grinding are shown, and unique features on grinding characteristics of SiC through various grinding experimental parameters are described.