TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR GRINDING

BEARING MARKET
TECHNICAL GUIDE
BEARINGS
Bearings are mechanical devices used to reduce friction between two
components that have a relative movement, most often rotational.
Many shapes, sizes and types of bearings exist including: ball bearings,
roller bearings, needle bearings, and tapered roller bearings.
Bearings may be classified according to: the motions they allow, their principle
of operation as well as by the direction of the applied load they can handle.
Surface quality and tight dimensional accuracy resulting of the grinding and
finishing operations, are key to ensure the lifetime of the bearing.
CONTENTS
BEARING MANUFACTURING
06 Key definitions
5
08 Manufacturing bearing rings
10 Manufacturing bearing balls
12 Manufacturing rollers
14 Product innovation for bearing grinding operations

BONDED ABRASIVES FOR GRINDING

ROLLING ELEMENTS
17
18 Ball grinding, finishing and lapping
22 Diameter grinding of cylindrical and tapered rollers
24 Diameter grinding of spherical rollers
26 Face grinding of cylindrical and spherical rollers
28 Face grinding of taper rollers
30 Superfinishing cylindrical and taper rollers
32 Superfinishing of spherical rollers

BONDED ABRASIVES AND CBN TOOLS

FOR GRINDING BEARING RINGS
35
36 Face grinding of inner and outer rings
38 Centerless grinding of outer ring
42 Shoulder grinding of taper bearing inner rings
44 Outside diameter grinding of inner ring raceway
46 Inner ring bore grinding
49 cBN grinding tools for inner ring bore and outer ring raceway
50 Outer ring raceway grinding
52 Superfinishing of Inner and outer raceways

COOLANT
58 Systematic approach to coolant application
57
SUSTAINABILITY
60 Our commitments to sustainable development
60
 BEARING
MANUFACTURING

Several steps are involved in the manufacturing of the elements

composing the bearing: rings, rolling elements, and cages.
Abrasives play a critical role in the final quality of the bearing and
can significantly impact the efficiency of the grinding process.

BEARING MANUFACTURING 5
KEY DEFINITIONS

BALL BEARING SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring
Ball Roller
Internal Inner Ring Inner Ring
Raceway
Internal
External Raceway
Raceway External
Raceway

CYLINDRICAL ROLLER BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring

Roller Roller

Inner Ring Inner Ring

Internal Internal
Raceway Raceway
External External
Raceway Raceway

OUTER RING RACEWAY

The outer part of a bearing that fits into the The ball or roller path, profiled in the inner and
housing and contains the internal raceway outer rings in which the balls or rollers ride.
for the rolling elements. Also called: guide path, race, ball path, roller
path.
INNER RING
EXTERNAL RACEWAY
The inner part of a bearing that fits on a shaft
The ball or roller path on an inner ring. Also
and contains the external raceway for the
called: inner race, inner ring race.
rolling elements.
INTERNAL RACEWAY
The ball or roller path on the bore of the outer
ring. Also called: outer ring race, outer race.

6 BEARING MANUFACTURING
BALL CYLINDRICAL ROLLER BEARING - CRB
A spherical rolling element. Common roller bearings use cylinders of
slightly greater length than diameter.
ROLLER
Cylindrical or conical rolling element of slightly NEEDLE ROLLER BEARING - NRB
greater length than diameter. Needle roller bearings use very long and thin
cylinders.

BALL BEARING - BB
TAPERED ROLLER BEARINGS - TRB
Ball bearings use balls to support the applied
load. As there is a point-contact (compared Tapered roller bearings use conical rollers that
with a line contact for roller bearings) the run on conical races.
load carrying capacity is lower than for roller
bearings. Ball bearings can support both radial SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARINGS - SRB
(perpendicular to the shaft) and axial loads
Spherical roller bearings permit angular
(parallel to the shaft).
misalignment, which is possible due to the
spherical shape of the internal ring and of the
rollers.

BALL BEARING CYLINDRICAL ROLLER TAPERED ROLLER SPHERICAL ROLLER

BEARING MANUFACTURING 7
MANUFACTURING BEARING RINGS
There are five stages involved in manufacturing bearing rings: forming, turning, heat treatment,
grinding and assembly.

INITIAL OPERATIONS
RAW MATERIAL
Bars, tubes or sheets of steel (type 100Cr6 and
other) are used as the raw material from which
bearing rings are manufactured.

PRESSING OR FORGING
Pressing is working the material (steel sheet)
and cutting out to make steel rings. Forging is
working a slug of previously heated material.

TURNING
Turning describes cold working of the material
using a cutting tool on a single spindle turning
machine.

HEAT TREATMENT
HEAT TREATMENT
Improves material hardness and removes
internal stress. Typical operation is performed
in three steps: heating to alter material
structure, quenching to fix the structure and to
improve hardness, and tempering to stabilize
the material.

8 BEARING MANUFACTURING
GRINDING OPERATIONS
Typical grinding applications for internal and external rings are face grinding, centerless grinding,
outside diameter (OD) and internal diameter (ID) grinding and superfinishing.

INNER RINGS OUTER RINGS

Face Face
grinding grinding

OD grinding Centreless
grinding

Bore grinding Raceway

(ID traverse) grinding
(ID plunge)

External Internal raceway

raceway superfinishing
superfinishing

ASSEMBLY
Assembly and final operations, including quality inspections.

BEARING MANUFACTURING 9
MANUFACTURING BEARING BALLS
Steel balls produced for the bearing industry are often made in standard bearing steel 100Cr6 –
AISI 52100 (HRC = 60-66) and are produced through a standardized process, of which grinding is a
key operation. The diameter of balls range from very small (0.05mm) to large (300 mm).

RAW MATERIAL
Quality steel wires are cut under degassed vacuum to ensure high purity and avoid nonmetallic
contaminants.

CUTTING
The steel wire is fed into a machine and
cut to the required length.

HEADING
A slug is cold-forge headed into a spherical blank, using formed dies.

PREFORM OR DEFLASHING
The balls are then placed in grooves between
two cast iron discs (rill plates).
One plate rotates while the other is stationary
and the friction removes the flash lines.

HEAT TREATMENT
Similarly to rings, the balls are heat treated, quenched and
tempered for additional hardness and durability.

10 BEARING MANUFACTURING
GRINDING OPERATIONS

GRINDING
Raw balls are usually ground by rolling under
pressure between a cast iron disc (rill plate) and a Grinding
vitrified grinding wheel. The grit size of the abrasive wheel
depends on the dimension of the balls and process
requirements. In general, smaller balls require finer Rill
grit and harder grade, larger diameter balls require plate
coarser grit and softer grade. Grit size ranges from
120 to 320.

FINISHING
Similar to the grinding process, but with finer grit
and an organic bonded wheel. A fine surface finish is
Grinding
achieved during the lapping process with increasingly wheel
finer grit sizes ranging from 400 to 2000.
Rill
plate

LAPPING
Chemical and mechanical processes
give the balls a final micro-smooth
finish.

INSPECTION
Every ball is checked and any ball with the slightest defect is removed. This is done either
manually or with automated camera detection systems.

BEARING MANUFACTURING 11
MANUFACTURING
ROLLERS
Grinding operations significantly differ as
a function of roller geometry. CYLINDRICAL ROLLER

STAMPING

Centerless throughfeed

DIAMETER RECTIFICATION

Double disc grinding

FACE RECTIFICATION

Throughfeed superfinishing

STATIONS

STONES
SUPERFINISHING
ROLLERS

Roller Thrufeed

12 BEARING MANUFACTURING
 TAPER ROLLER SPHERICAL ROLLER

Centerless throughfeed Outside Diameter grinding plunge

Cup grinding Double disc grinding

Throughfeed superfinishing Plunge superfinishing

STATIONS

STONES

ROLLERS

Roller Thrufeed

BEARING MANUFACTURING 13
PRODUCT INNOVATIONS FOR
BEARING GRINDING OPERATIONS
Norton Vitrium3 bond, Norton Quantum, and Norton Efesis Technology are solutions to increase
grinding efficiency and improve part quality.

Through Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ extensive

research and development program in grinding
wheel technology, comes Vitrium3 a new
generation, patent-pending bond technology.

This revolutionary bond platform features an

exclusive chemistry that delivers an entirely
new grain adhesion science.

The benefits of Vitrium3 allow cool cutting

for increased part quality, profile holding
for reduced cost per part, and high speed
operations, allowing increased productivity and
throughput.

Norton Quantum is the new generation of ceramic grains designed for maximum performance and
cost savings. The new alumina chemistry multiplies the cutting efficiency by controlling the grain
breakdown at the micrometric level. This revolutionary ceramic grain is a perfect blend between
sharpness (free cutting) and toughness (life). With unrivalled precision, Norton Quantum wheels
provide the fastest and finest grinding in the industry.

14 BEARING MANUFACTURING
 RESHAPING THE WORLD OF PRECISION GRINDING

Exclusive bond chemistry allows

higher wheel speed, improved profile
holding and reduced work piece burn.

THE
ULTIMATE HIGH
PERFORMANCE
GRINDING
TECHNOLOGY

High precision, high

VITRIUM 3 performance diamond
Cutting edge, high dressing tools.
performance ceramic
grain technology.
Multiplies cutting
efficiency for maximum
performance and
unrivalled precision.

EFESIS
Technology
NORTON EFESIS TECHNOLOGY:
Fruit of historical and technical expertise, bond and abrasive grain formulations are optimized
to best suit the technical request of grinding operations in the bearing market. Norton Efesis
Technology is a complementary range for specialized applications like fine grit ball wheels, cup
wheels for tapered bearing, 30AS superfinishing sticks, etc..

Vitrium3 bond is available under Efesis Technology to improve vitrified product performances in
precision grinding applications.

BEARING MANUFACTURING 15
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Use the following example as a guide when selecting wheel shape, profile and grit quality.

Diameter Bore

Dimensions (mm): 01 _ 610 x 20 x 203.2

Type Thickness

Grain Grade
Type (hardness) Bond
Specification:

NQ 120 L8 VT3
Grain Size Structure
(mesh)

16 BEARING MANUFACTURING
 BONDED ABRASIVES
FOR GRINDING
ROLLING ELEMENTS

Abrasive wheels and stones for ball & roller grinding, finishing, and lapping.

ROLLING ELEMENTS 17
BALL GRINDING, FINISHING AND LAPPING

BALL BEARING
Outer Ring

Ball
Internal
Raceway

External
Raceway
Inner Ring

Abrasive grinding wheels for ball manufacturing are available in both vitrified and organic bond
types. The bonded wheel must be very hard and wear resistant due to the slow turning speed of the
machine. The balls are placed on a cast iron plate with grooves allowing them to be ground by the
bonded wheel. The grinding process is carried out in several stages that can be grouped into two
categories:
1. Rough grinding operations which are carried out by vitrified wheels to remove large amounts of
material.
2. Finishing or lapping operations which are carried out by organic wheels to provide a good
surface finish.

18 ROLLING ELEMENTS
ROUGH BALL GRINDING
PRODUCT SELECTION GUIDE
An abrasive and vitrified bond system has been specifically designed for the sub-application:

KEY:
Abrasive Grade

11CC 180 X VKC

Grit Bond

GRIT DESCRIPTION FEATURES BENEFITS

• Excellent cutting power • Faster metal removal rate

BEST 11CC
• Sharp and brittle • Shorter cycle time
Silicon Carbide
• Higher productivity

BOND DESCRIPTION FEATURES BENEFITS

BEST • High performance bond system • Extended wheel life

VKC
• High precision structure control • Higher productivity

WHEEL SELECTION TABLE

Abrasives grit size depends on ball dimension and the process requirements.

BALL SIZE [mm] ABRASIVE GRIT SIZE (FEPA-F) GRADE

4 -9 11CC 180, 220 Z
9 - 14 11CC 180 X
14 - 20 11CC 180 and 150 X
20 - 60 11CE 150 X

Other grain combinations are available upon request.

ROLLING ELEMENTS 19
BALL FINISHING
PRODUCT SELECTION GUIDE
An abrasive and organic bond system has been specifically designed for the application:

KEY:
Abrasive Grade

38A 800 Z BBW

Grit Bond

GRIT DESCRIPTION FEATURES BENEFITS

• Conventional fused aluminium • Highly efficient cutting

oxide
BEST 38A
• Better surface finish
• High friability
• High purity

BOND DESCRIPTION FEATURES BENEFITS

• Developed for this application • Excellent technical

BEST BBW • Excellent quality consistency performance
• Extended wheel life

Wheels in grit size 1000 and finer are used to prepare the surface for
the final lapping operation in order to reach the required surface quality.

20 ROLLING ELEMENTS
DRESSING BALL WHEELS
Wheels are dressed by diamond blocks to guarantee the constant depth of the grooves.
The diamond dressing device is applied across the wheel face while the machine is in operation. The
dressing infeed is designed to retain the depth of the grooves formed by the balls themselves, at a
value of approximately 1/3 of the diameter of the ball.
At this value, the balls are 1/3 inside the wheel, 1/3 in the rill plate and 1/3 un-obstructed. This ratio
ensures that the ball is ground correctly while running in the grooves at suitable speed.

ROLLING ELEMENTS 21
DIAMETER GRINDING OF CYLINDRICAL AND
TAPERED ROLLERS
CYLINDRICAL ROLLER BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring

Roller Roller

Inner Ring Inner Ring

Internal Internal
Raceway Raceway
External External
Raceway Raceway

Diameter grinding is carried out after rollers have been heat treated.
Centreless throughfeed grinding is performed on the diameter of cylindrical rollers. For taper
rollers a special steel profiled worm wheel is used to carry the rollers.

Cylindrical roller Taper roller

22 ROLLING ELEMENTS
 Cost benefit

19A 80 - 1J 14 R915 19A 120 J14 R915

Rough Semi-finish Finish

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

ROUGH
(Ra = 0.6)
• High material removal rates
• White aluminium oxide
• Faster grinding
SEMI • High conformance in grinding
• Efficient & cool cutting
FINISH zone
(Ra = 0.35) RUBBER • Improved wheel life with lower
• Good cutting action with desired
wheel wear
surface finish (Ra)
• Improved surface finish
FINISH
(Ra < 0.2)

ROLLING ELEMENTS 23
DIAMETER GRINDING OF SPHERICAL ROLLERS

SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring
Roller
Inner Ring

Internal
Raceway
External
Raceway

The diameter of spherical rollers is rectified after hardening using an

Outside Diameter grinding wheel.

Spherical roller

24 ROLLING ELEMENTS
 VITRIUM 3

BEST
Cost benefit

NQ 60/80 L/M8 VT3

BETTER
32A 100/120 L/M VT3
GOOD
38A 100/120 L/M8 VT3

Performance

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• High performance ceramic • Free cutting action

BEST • Engineered microstructure • Long life

ceramic grain • For low, medium and high force
• Latest grain technology
NQ

32A / 25A • High performance • Fast cut rate

BETTER aluminium oxide

GOOD 38A • White aluminium oxide • Good cut rate

• Good form holding

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Latest generation high • High speed operations

BEST performance vitrified bond • Form holding
VT3

ROLLING ELEMENTS 25
FACE GRINDING OF CYLINDRICAL
AND SPHERICAL ROLLERS
CYLINDRICAL ROLLER BEARING SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring

Roller Roller

Inner Ring Inner Ring

Internal Internal
Raceway Raceway
External External
Raceway Raceway

The faces of cylindrical and spherical rollers are rectified after hardening using a double disc
grinder. The faces are ground to reach tight parallelism and surface finish quality requirements.

Cylindrical roller Spherical roller

FACE RECTIFICATION

26 ROLLING ELEMENTS
 RAPID PREP

BEST

V TX 80/100 K/L B493

Cost benefit

BETTER

38A 80/100 K/L B80X

GOOD

A/38A/19A 80/100 K/L B24/B24X

Performance

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• High performance • Free cutting action

BEST • Engineered microstructure • Long life

grain • For low, medium and high force
RAPID PREP • Latest grain technology

• White aluminium oxide • Fast cut

BETTER 38A • Cool cut

• Conventional tough aluminium • Long life

GOOD 19A / A oxide • Good cut rate

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Optimized organic bond for new • Higher MRR

BEST VTX B493 generation Vortex grains • Higher G-ratio
• Good surface finish

GOOD • Organic bond for conventional • Versatile bond

B24X/B80X grains • Free cutting for larger Rollers

GOOD • Organic bond for conventional • Good cut rate

B24 abrasives

ROLLING ELEMENTS 27
FACE GRINDING OF TAPER ROLLERS

TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring
Roller
Inner Ring

Internal
Raceway
External
Raceway

Rectification of the faces of taper rollers is performed using a disc grinder form 35.

Taper roller

FACE RECTIFICATION

Rough grinding Rough

Rollers Finish

finish grinding

28 ROLLING ELEMENTS
 Cost benefit

BETTER

38A 240/280 K B24/B48

Performance

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

BETTER 38A • White aluminium oxide abrasive • Good cut rate

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

BETTER B24 / B48

• Organic bond for white
• Versatile free cutting bond
abrasives

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Single point dresser made of
synthetic diamond (CVD or MCD)
or natural diamond, preferably an
octahedron. Diamonds of many
different grades and dimensions
are available to best suit the
application.

ROLLING ELEMENTS 29
SUPERFINISHING CYLINDRICAL AND TAPER
ROLLERS

CYLINDRICAL ROLLER BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring

Roller Roller

Inner Ring Inner Ring

Internal Internal
Raceway
Raceway External
External
Raceway Raceway

Superfinishing is the final process that uses abrasive wheels in roller manufacturing. It is a low
pressure operation designed to remove the damaged material produced by previous grinding
operations and minimize friction when bearings are in use. The rolling surface of rollers are the
parts which are superfinished.
The most common operation in roller superfinishing is centreless thrufeed. The rollers are fed
by two cylinders and a number of stones are pushed onto the rollers which flow under them. The
stones vibrate to help abrasion and self dressing.
The number of stones (or stations) in a thrufeed machine ranges between 4 and 12, but 6 is most
common. (see diagram below)
Stone specifications are selected for stock removal at the first station, and surface finishing at
the last station. The first station uses coarse white alumina then finer green silicon carbide on the
latter stations. The very last station for polishing uses fine grit organic bonded stones to achieve a
polished, high shine result.

STATIONS
TOP TIP
Specifications for roller
superfinishing are softer
and more open than for STONES
races as the contact area
ROLLERS
is larger and oscillation is
replaced by vibration.
Roller Thrufeed

30 ROLLING ELEMENTS
PRODUCT SELECTION GUIDE

CYLINDRICAL & TAPERED ROLLERS

SMALL SIZE DIAMETER 3-10 mm LARGE SIZE DIAMETER 11-20 mm

BEST BEST
30AS 600-500 F8 V6448P15AF11 30AS 400 H6 V6448P15AF11
ROUGHING
BETTER BETTER
SA 600 -500 F/G V S5 or W SA 320 F/I V S5 or W

BEST
SEMI- 30AS 1000-800 F8 / H6 V6448P15AF11
FINISHING BETTER BETTER
MVC 1000-800 H/L VM14 S5 or W SA 600-500 F/G V S5 or W

BEST
30AS 1000 F8 V6448P15AF11
FINISHING
BETTER BETTER
MVC 1200 H/L S5 or W SA 1000-800 D5 V S5 or W

BEST
POLISHING
19C 1800 G

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

EFESIS • Special combination • Very good compromise

BEST Technology
between stock removal
30AS and surface finish

SA • White aluminium oxide • High stock removal

BETTER
MVC • Green silicon carbide • Very good finish

FINAL TREATMENT (S5 - W - F11)

Sticks and stones can be impregnated with sulfur, wax or paraffin. The sulfur treatment (S5)
improves the cutting ability of the abrasive and improves the final surface roughness. Due to health
and environment regulations and industry standards, new treatments based on wax and paraffin (W
and F11) are now available.

ROLLING ELEMENTS 31
SUPERFINISHING OF SPHERICAL ROLLERS

SPHERICAL ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring
Roller
Inner Ring

Internal
Raceway
External
Raceway

SMALL SIZE 20 mm LARGE SIZE 100 mm

BETTER BETTER
ROUGHING
SA800 D0VEA S5 CSA 400E5 600F/G VS5

BETTER
FINISHING
SA 1000 E2 VM S5 or SA1000 D5 V S5

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

CSA • White aluminium oxide • High stock removal

BETTER
SA • White aluminium oxide • Very good finish

32 ROLLING ELEMENTS
TROUBLESHOOTING
TROUBLESHOOTING BY SPECIFICATION ADJUSTMENT
TECHNICAL FAILURE GRAIN FRIABILITY GRIT SIZE HARDNESS STRUCTURE
Stone glazing Increase Coarser Decrease More open

Stone loading No effect Coarser Decrease Less open

Surface finish too rough No effect Finer Increase Less open

Surface finish too smooth No effect Coarser Decrease More open

Poor stone life Decrease Finer Increase Less open

Low stock removal Increase Coarser Decrease More open

TROUBLESHOOTING BY MACHINE SET-UP

STONE WORKPIECE
TECHNICAL FAILURE FEED PRESSURE COOLANT
OSCILLATION ROTATION
Stone glazing Increase Increase Decrease Clean

Stone loading Increase Increase Decrease Clean

Surface finish too rough Decrease Decrease Increase No effect

Surface finish too smooth Increase Increase Decrease Clean

Poor stone life Decrease Decrease Increase No effect

Low stock removal Increase Increase Decrease Clean

ROLLING ELEMENTS 33
NOTES

34 ROLLING ELEMENTS
 BONDED ABRASIVES &
cBN TOOLS FOR GRINDING
BEARING RINGS

BEARING RINGS 35
FACE GRINDING OF INNER AND OUTER RINGS

BALL BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring
Roller
Ball
Internal Inner Ring
Raceway
Internal
External Raceway
External
Raceway Raceway
Inner Ring

After heat treatment, the ring faces are made flat and parallel. This operation is performed for all
types of bearings.
This is done by grinding the sides of the rings on a double disc grinding machine which enables
high quality grinding at high production rates.

ROTARY THROUGH-FEED STRAIGHT THROUGH-FEED RECIPROCATING PART HOLDER

MANUFACTURING PROCESS DEPENDS ON RING DIMENSIONS

SMALLER RINGS LARGER RINGS

36 BEARING RINGS
 BEST
Cost benefit

VTX60/80 I/J B493

BETTER
38A 60/80 K/L B80X
GOOD
A/19A 60/80 K/L B24/B24X/B50

Performance

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Patented grain technology • High material removal rates

BEST • Highly porous & permeable for • Faster grinding
maximizing coolant diffusion in
RAPID PREP
VTX the grinding zone

38A • Conventional tough aluminium • Good cut rate

BETTER
oxide abrasives

19A • Conventional white aluminium • Good free cutting

GOOD
oxide abrasives • Good cut rate

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Optimized bond for porous and • Cooler cut

BEST permeable structures (Vortex)
RAPID PREP
B493

BETTER B80X • Good performance bond with • Good grain holding

conventional grains • Open structure

GOOD B24 • Organic bond for conventional • Versatile bond

grains

Multi point dressers are

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS: recommended for disc grinding
wheels

BEARING RINGS 37
CENTERLESS GRINDING OF OUTER RINGS

BALL BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring
Roller
Ball
Internal Inner Ring
Raceway
Internal
Raceway
External External
Raceway Raceway
Inner Ring

Centerless throughfeed grinding of the outer rings is performed to ensure the right ovality and to
remove surface defects from the hardening process

38 BEARING RINGS
 VITRIUM 3

BEST
Cost benefit

SG/NQ 60/80 J/K VT3

BETTER

38A 60/80 J/K VT3

GOOD

A/19A 60/80 J/K VT3

Performance

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Engineered microstructure • Free cutting action

ceramic grain • Long life
BEST
• Latest grain technology • For low, medium and high force
3NQ • Engineered grain boundaries

• Medium ceramic content • Good cutting effect

BETTER • Tougher grain • Longer wheel life
SG • Dilution with strong abrasive

GOOD • White aluminium oxide grain • Free cutting

38A
• High friability abrasive

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Latest generation high • High speed operations

BEST performance vitrified bond • Form holding
VT3

New Geneartion Vitrium3 bond VT3 is an excellent upgrade to

traditional VS3 bond.

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Diamond Fliesen tools are recommended for
this application. D30 CVD needle blade is the
first choice for dressing the wheels in work.

BEARING RINGS 39
CENTERLESS FEED (REGULATING) WHEEL
Feed wheel (or regulating wheels) ensure
non slippage and correct alignment. GRINDING WHEEL
They require a long lasting coefficent REGULATING WHEEL
of friction provided with the high
performance rubber R90 bond. WORK

BLADE WORK REST

Feed wheels with a high technical specification are essential for centerless grinding.
As the throughfeed speed increases it is necessary to use a harder wheel to maintain the correct
alignment of the part to the grinding wheel.

GRADE AND STRUCTURE AVAILABILITY:

Grade is a simple progression of hardness scale. R, S, T & U should always be the first choice of
hardness. Structure is automatically chosen from the grade.

40 BEARING RINGS
 RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATIONS

Standard operation A 80 RRE

Improved life or sizing A 80 SRE

Fast throughfeed rates A 120 RRE

Irregular shapes A 120 SRE

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Single point diamond dresser for the
rubber feed wheels. D53 single point
diamond dressers with PCD plates have
been specially designed for conditioning
centerless regulating wheels.

BEARING RINGS 41
SHOULDER GRINDING OF
TAPER BEARING INNER RINGS

TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring
Roller
Inner Ring

Internal
Raceway
External
Raceway

The raceways are pre-shaped by turning, and the dimensional requirements in terms of roundness
and tolerance are obtained by external grinders for the external raceways

Grinding wheel

42 BEARING RINGS
 TOP TIP
Use of VT3 allows softer grades compared to previous generation Norton bond.
Softer wheels can be used to prevent burn with higher productivity.

VITRIUM 3

BEST
Cost benefit

SG/NQ 100/120 K/L VT3

GOOD

32A/38A 100/120 J/K VT3

Performance

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Engineered microstructure • Free cutting action

ceramic grain
BEST • Extremely durable
• Latest grain technology • For low, medium and high force
NQ • Engineered grain boundaries

GOOD 38A • White aluminium oxide • Good cutting efficiency

abrasive

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Latest generation high • Precise profile: reduce cost

performance vitrified bond • Cool cutting: improve part
BEST • Exclusive chemistry that delivers quality
VT3 new grain adhesion science • High speed: increase
• Strongest bond, allows more open throughput & productivity
structures with same strength

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Single point dresser made of cynthetic
diamond (CVD or MCD) or natural diamond.

BEARING RINGS 43
OUTSIDE DIAMETER GRINDING OF INNER
RING RACEWAY

BALL BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring
Roller
Ball
Internal Inner Ring
Raceway
Internal
External Raceway
Inner Ring External
Raceway Raceway

The raceways are pre-shaped by turning, and the dimensional requirements in terms of roundness
and tolerance are obtained by external grinders for the external raceways

Grinding wheel

Internal ring
raceway

44 BEARING RINGS
 TOP TIP
Use of VS3 allows softer grades compared to previous generation Norton bond.
Softer wheels can be used to prevent burn with higher productivity.

VITRIUM 3

BEST
Cost benefit

NQ 100/120 K/N VT3

BETTER
SG/SGL/NQ 100/120
GOOD K/L/M VT3
38A/32A 120 K/L/M VT3

Performance

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Engineered microstructure • Free cutting action

ceramic grain • Extremely durable
BEST
• Latest grain technology • For low, medium and high force
NQ • Engineered grain boundaries

• Ceramic abrasive • Very sharp

BETTER with tough Monocrystaline • Durable
aluminium oxide
SGL • Free cutting

• Monocrystalline aluminium • Good form holding

GOOD oxide • Good cut rate
38A / 32A
• Free cutting

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Latest generation high • Precise profile: reduce cost

perfomance vitrified bond • Cool cutting: improve part
• Exclusive chemistry that delivers quality
BEST new grain adhesion science • High speed: increase
VT3 • Strongest bond, allows more open throughput & productivity
structures with same strength
• P15A for more porous structures

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Single point dresser or diamond profile roller dressers which are
particularly suitable for complex profles in mass production.

BEARING RINGS 45
INNER RING BORE GRINDING

BALL BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring
Roller
Ball
Internal Inner Ring
Raceway
Internal
External Raceway
External
Raceway Raceway
Inner Ring

A critical operation in producing bearing rings is Internal Diameter grinding (ID grinding) to make
the bore straight and smooth. Perfect macrogeometry (linearity, roundness, conicity) is required to
allow the bearing to work without vibration. The finish provided is also critical to minimize friction
and allow the final superfinishing operation.
In most cases, grinding is performed in a single operation with only one wheel. Vitrified bonds are
most commonly used in these applications.

TAPERED BEARING CYLINDRICAL BEARING BALL BEARING

Bearing section Bearing section Bearing section

Grinding wheel
Grinding wheel Grinding wheel

46 BEARING RINGS
PRODUCT SELECTION GUIDE FOR MATERIAL 100Cr6

VITRIUM 3

BEST
Cost benefit

NQ/SG 100/120 J/L VT3

BETTER

32A/38A 80/100 K/L VT3

Performance

TR22 is for Sulphur treatment

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Engineered microstructure • Optimize cost saving and

ceramic grain maximise performance
BEST • Latest grain technology • Extremely durable
• Engineered grain boundaries • Free cutting action
NQ
• For low, medium and high force

• Microcrystaline aluminium oxide • Very sharp

BETTER 32A • Tough grain • Durable
• Cost economical option

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Vitrified durable bond • Form holding

• Latest generation bond • Longer wheel life
BEST • Features an exclusive grain • For low, medium, and high force
VT3 adhesion science that delivers
an entirely new grain adhesion
science

BEARING RINGS 47
Grit size is determined by surface finish requirement:

GRIT SIZE SELECTOR GRIT SIZE

Surface finish Ra, microns 46 60 80 100 120 150

0.80

0.70

0.50

0.40

0.35

0.25

0.20

0.17

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS:
We recommend the use of single point dresser of maximum 0.25 carat or cup dresser.

48 BEARING RINGS
cBN GRINDING TOOLS FOR INNER RING BORE
AND OUTER RING RACEWAY
Vitrified cBN tools are characterized by a high wear and temperature resistance. These properties
combined with adjustable porosity make this type of tool unique for grinding long chipping
materials such as 100Cr6 in a soft or hardened state.

TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Outstanding grinding results, combined with long lifetime can be
obtained with the following specifications:
• B64 VSS 2846 G5AC V360 – B091 K 200 VSS

B cBN
64 Grit size
VSS Bond family vitrified
Structure / porosity
Type of ceramic bond
Grade of hardness
Manufacturing data
200 cBN concentration

BEARING RINGS 49
OUTER RING RACEWAY GRINDING

BALL BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring
Roller
Ball
Internal Inner Ring
Raceway
Internal
External Raceway
External
Raceway Raceway
Inner Ring

Internal grinding of outer rings is designed to

Bearing section
mould the race way to the shape of the rolling
elements (balls or rollers).
The technical objectives are:
1. Roughness / surface finish
2. Race width
3. Race deformation
4. Race profile / radius

Grinding wheel

50 BEARING RINGS
PRODUCT SELECTION GUIDE FOR MATERIAL 100Cr6

BEST
Cost benefit

NQ 100/120 J/L VT3

BETTER

XGL 100/120 K/L VS3

GOOD
38A/32A 100 K/L VT3 TR22

Performance
TR22 is for Sulphur treatment

GRIT DESCRIPTION
TIER GRIT TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Engineered microstructure • Optimize cost saving and

ceramic grain maximise performance
BEST • Latest grain technology • Extremely durable
• Engineered grain boundaries • Free cutting action
NQ
• For low, medium and high force

• Ceramic aluminium oxide • Very free cutting

BETTER
• Sharp grain • Durable
XGL

GOOD • Monocrystalline aluminium oxide • Very sharp

38A / 32A
• Tough grain • Durable

BOND DESCRIPTION
TIER BOND TYPE FEATURES BENEFITS

• Vitrified durable bond • Form holding

• Latest generation bond • Longer wheel life
BEST
• Features exclusive grain adhesion • For low, medium, and high force
VT3
science that delivers an entirely
new grain adhesion science

TOP TIP
If the dressing operation is made by a diamond roller, select a grinding wheel one grade
softer than in the case of a single point diamond dresser.

DRESSER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Diamond profile roller dressers, also known as rotary truers, are
recommended in plunge for bobine wheels or for special profiles.
Single points dressers are recommended for straight wheels.

BEARING RINGS 51
SUPERFINISHING OF INNER AND OUTER RACEWAYS
Superfinishing is the final operation performed using abrasives in bearing manufacturing. It is a
low temperature and low pressure operation designed to remove the damaged material produced
by the grinding operation and minimise friction during usage.

BALL BEARING TAPERED ROLLER BEARING

Outer Ring Outer Ring
Roller
Ball
Internal Inner Ring
Raceway
Internal
External Raceway
External
Raceway Raceway
Inner Ring

In superfinishing of ball bearing races, the most common configuration is plunge. The ring rotates
at high speed while the stones oscillate and are pushed against the race.

Outer ring raceway Inner ring raceway Hub bearing raceway

superfinishing superfinishing superfinishing

KEY:
Abrasive Directional movement of
Workpiece abrasive and workpiece

52 BEARING RINGS
For this application, the number of stations is usually one (single operation) or two
(roughing + finishing). Two stations usually provide better quality and cycle times, single
station reduces abrasive costs.

With a single station process one stone provides

both the cutting action and the finish. To achieve the
best surface finish the superfinishing cycle is divided
into two parts which have different values of ring
rotation speed, infeed pressure and stone oscillation.

With a double station process two operations are

involved:
1. ROUGHING: the first stone provides most stock
removal, removing defects left by
grinding and delivers an improved
surface finish. Select a coarse grit BALL BEARING
abrasive in white aluminium oxide.
2. FINISHING: the second stone removes a smaller
amount of material to produce the
final desired finish. Select a fine grit
silicon carbide abrasive.

Stones are self-dressing, retaining their sharpness when working directly on the part.

Parameters measured are:

• Total stock removal
• Surface finish (Ra, Rt and equivalent)
• The level of noise during the process

Coolant used is almost always 100% oil - the presence of water has a negative impact on the
surface finish obtained.

BEARING RINGS 53
The abrasives used are white aluminium oxide and green silicon carbide.
White aluminium oxide provides a better cut, while silicon carbide delivers a better surface
finish. The grit size varies according to the surface finish required, which depends on the level
of performance of the bearing. Performance is most often connected to the size (diameter) of
the bearing. When a very fine finish and excellent shine is required, special polishing abrasive in
organic or vitrified bond are used on the final station.
Superfinishing stones are often impregnated with a number of substances including sulfur, wax
and paraffin, to increase performance and improve surface finish.
The table below is a guide to help choosing the right grit size for surface finishing and stock removal.

GRIT RA (MICRONS) STOCK REMOVAL (MICRONS)

400-500 0.5-0.6 18
500 0.4 16
600 0.2 14
800 0.12 12
1000 0.1 6/8
1200 0.05 4
1500 0.025 2
1800 0.02

The diagram below shows the correspondence between grit dimensions, FEPA (European)
standard and JIS (Japanese) standard:

1800
1500
1200
1000
800 600 500 400 360 320 280 240
FEPA

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60
µm
JIS
800 700 600 500 400 360 320 280 240
1000
1200
1500
2000
2500
3000
4000
6000
8000

TOP TIP
Norton 30AS stones combine the cutting capabilities
of white aluminium oxide and finishing qualities of
green silicon carbide.

54 BEARING RINGS
PRODUCT SELECTION GUIDE
ABRASIVE CHARACTERISTICS
PRODUCT MARKING FEATURES The friability of the grain indicates if prone to fracture.
White
High Poorer
aluminium SA High removal
oxide
SA
Norton EFESIS Good removal, Stock
Technology
30AS removal Surface
30AS 30AS good finish
LA & grain finish
White friability
“softer” than SA, MVC
aluminium LA
better finish
oxide
Low Better
Green
silicon MVC Very good finish Abrasive properties at constant grit size
carbide

DOUBLE OR MULTIPLE STATION

SMALL SIZE RING DIAMETER MEDIUM SIZE RING DIAMETER
APPLICATION
20 mm ------------- 50 mm 50 mm ------------- 100 mm

Roughing SA800 G/J VS5 SA 500/600 D/H V S5

Finishing MVC15008 H/J VEAMS5 MVC800/ 1200 G/J VEAS5
Polishing MVC18008 G5VCAM S5/W

SINGLE STATION
SMALL SIZE RING DIAMETER MEDIUM SIZE RING DIAMETER
TIER
20 mm ------------- 50 mm 50 mm ------------- 100 mm

Better SA1000 D5/K10 V S5 SA 600/800 D/L VS5

Best 30AS800/1000 L3 V6448 F11 30AS800/1000 M3 V6448 F11

FINAL TREATMENT (S5 - W - F11)

Sticks and stones can be impregnated with sulfur, wax or paraffin.
The sulfur treatment (S5) improves the cutting ability of the abrasive
and improves the final surface roughness. Due to health and
environment regulations and industry standards, new treatments
based on wax and paraffin (W and F11) are now available.
S5 Sulfur impregnation
W Wax impregnation
F11 Paraffin impregnation

BEARING RINGS 55
NOTES

56 BEARING RINGS
 COOLANT

Correct use of grinding fluids is critical in achieving satisfactory results.

Quite often, difficult grinding problems can be solved by the optimization of
coolant. Grinding fluids serve four important functions:
1. Lubrication: reduce grinding forces
2. Cooling: remove heat from the grinding zone
3. Cleaning: proper coolant application removes chips
4. R
 ust prevention: chemicals used in the coolant help protect ferrous
surface from oxydation.
COOLANT 57
SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO COOLANT APPLICATION
Coolant optimization can be done within a systematic approach of the grinding process.

CONSUMABLE
EQUIPMENT
(Coolant Type &
(Pump, Piping & Filtration)
Concentration)

INPUT

TOOLING COOLANT APPLICATION

(Nozzle & Connecting Piping) (Pressure, Flow & Angle)

COOLANT SYSTEM
MEASUREMENTS COOLANT INTERACTIONS
- Jet coherence (turbulent/ (In the Grinding Process)
coherent) - Coolant - work
- Targeting - Coolant - abrasive
PROCESS - Power (pressure) - Coolant - bond
- Forces - Coolant - chip
- Temperature - Coolant - machine
- Debris removal - Coolant - fixture
- Flow

TECHNICAL OUTPUT ECONOMIC BENEFITS

- Improved surface finish - Higher productivity
- Improved MRR - Reduced scrap and rework
OUTPUT - Improved surface quality costs
- Improved wheel life - Lower abrasive costs
- Improved shape holding - Improved machine capacity

58 COOLANT
COOLANT BEARING OPERATIONS

BEARING PART PARTICULAR GRINDING MODE COOLANT

Ball Ball grinding Disc rough grinding Emulsion or oil

Ball Ball grinding Disc finish grinding Oil or emulsion

Sides of spherical and

Roller Centerless Emulsion
tapered rollers

Face of cylindrical and

Roller Double disc grinding Emulsion
spherical rollers

Sides of spherical Outside Diameter

Roller Emulsion
rollers Grinding

Roller Sides of tapered rollers Disc grinding Emulsion

Outer ring -
Rings Centerless Emulsion
Outer surface

Outer ring and inner

Rings Double disc grinding Emulsion
ring - Sides

Inner ring - Internal Diameter

Rings Emulsion or oil
Bore Grinding - traverse

Outer ring - Internal Diameter

Rings Emulsion or oil
Inner raceway Grinding - plunge

Inner ring - Outside Diameter

Rings Emulsion or oil
Outer raceway Grinding

Rings Raceways Superfinishing Oil

GENERAL RULE
Emulsion: better for cooling
Oil: better for surface finish

For material removal prefer emulsion, for finishing prefer oil.

COOLANT 59
DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
In 2014 Saint-Gobain Abrasives launched this new sustainability plan aligned
with our business values and vision. This 6 point plan of operational policies and
practices underpins our commitment to sustainable development as a global leader.
We have made significant progress in advancing sustainability with a number of
major accomplishments in each area which we have detailed below.

Our commitments to 
sustainable development
OUR VISION
Be the global leader of reference in Abrasives, at the leading edge
of innovation and service.
Delivering the most comprehensive
Abrasive Solutions to our customers.

OUR VALUES
Comprehensively and strictly apply our Saint-Gobain
Principles of Conduct & Action.

Conduct Action
• Professional commitment • Respect for the law
• Respect for others • Caring for the environment
• Integrity • Worker health and safety
• Loyalty • Employee rights
• Solidarity

60
 1. Pursue an ambitious policy to constantly
improve workplace health & safety

Safety is our number one priority: Reduction of workplace hardship:

lost time accidents have reduced exposure to noise, repetitive tasks,
five fold in 10 years safety, ergonomics…

All operators individually assessed at Reduction of exposure

least 3 times Per annum through the to chemicals
SMAT program (Senior Management
Audit Tool) Annual world-wide EHS day
- 9213 individual SMAT’s in 2013

1.
21,343 hours of training on Saint- Our commitments
Gobain Safety Standards to sustainable development

2.
Continuously encourage the 
personal development of
our employees

Saint-Gobain awarded Top Employer 60+ training courses proposed by

2014 in China, France, and Italy, Saint-Gobain Abrasives University
plus Top Employer in Europe and Saint-Gobain Training

Special focus on diversity, training Systematic employee satisfaction

and career management surveys

2.
Our commitments
to sustainable development

61
 3.
Be a responsible & sustainable player
internationally & within our local
communities

Founder member of FEPA and oSa, Saint-Gobain are endorsers of the Caring
actively promoting the safety of abrasives for Climate statement and the CEO Water
Mandate for Water Resource Protection
Sustainable development policies (as part of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals)
audited by VERITAS
Third party supplier charters, timber
Sponsors of local communities social regulations, CSR evaluations and audits,
through initiatives such as mobility, Adhere process, minerals policy…
heating of local schools…
Saint-Gobain is a member of the
Extensive roll out of international United Nations Global Compact
standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001

Internal testing & certification based

on the following safety standards:
EN12413: 1999 ( Bonded Abrasives )

3.
EN13743: 2002 ( Coated Abrasives ) Our commitments
EN13236: 2001 ( Super Abrasives ) to sustainable development
EN13236: 2001 ( Diamond Blades )

4. Minimize the environmental footprint

of our operations with five priorities

Increase the energy efficiency Optimize our water resources

of our production
Strict waste segregation policy
Increase the use of recycled
raw materials in our plants

Reduce CO2 emissions

4.
Our commitments
to sustainable development

62
 5. Implement solutions to fossil energy
for our operations

Develop R&D programs notably

regarding green electricity, biogas
and syngas made from biomass

5.
Our commitments
to sustainable development

6.
Continuously develop eco-valorized
products bringing additional value to
our customers

The first abrasives manufacturer High performance abrasive products

to produce FSC® products & solutions that help to reduce
environmental impact and user
Use of natural resins and recycled exposure:
grains - low noise
- low vibration
- low dust

Our commitments
to sustainable development

63
 Typical cost reductions
Abrasives & Machinery
On average abrasives and cutting tools only cutting tools 27%
account for about 3% of total manufacturing 3%
budgets. Norton Bonded products optimised Variable Costs
with Norton’s proprietary PSP (process solutions Workpiece Fixed Costs
materials
program) helps to optimise your total 17%
cost and improve your productivity.
Labour
For information on how to achieve the greatest Buildings 31%
overall cost savings, see the example below or go to & administration
www.saint-gobain-abrasives.com/psp-eu.aspx. 22%

Decreasing the price of abrasives

1%
A 30% price reduction will only reduce costs
per part by 1%.

1%

%
Increasing the life of abrasives
Even a 50% increase in product life will only reduce costs
per part by 1%.

15
Increase overall productivity through PSP
With a 20% decrease in cycle time per part there will be a
reduced total cost per part of more than 15%.

OUR COMMITMENT: SAFETY, QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENT PRESERVATION

SAFETY
The personal safety of workers using abrasive cutting and grinding wheels is our primary
concern. All Norton abrasive wheels are developed, manufactured and safety tested in
accordance with the European standard EN12413, safety requirements for bonded abrasive
products. In addition, all Norton products meet stringent requirements of the Organization for the
Safety of Abrasives (oSa). Saint-Gobain Abrasives is a founding member of the oSa organisation.

QUALITY
Saint-Gobain Abrasives is fully ISO accredited:
ISO 9001:  certifies Quality Management system is in accordance with requirements of quality standards.
ISO 14001:  certifies Environmental Management system is in accordance with requirements
of environmental standards.
OHSAS 18001: health and safety at work certification.

Connect us on -

Grindwell Norton Ltd. –

Abrasives Marketing Group
Leela Business Park, 5th Level,
Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 059
Norton Abrasives Helpline:
1800 3000 8199 (Toll Free)
Mon - Sat, 10:00 am - 06:00 pm
www.nortonabrasives.com/en-in Norton is a registered trademark of Saint-Gobain Abrasives.