With the rapid iterative upgrading of industries such as third-generation semiconductors, high-end optoelectronics, and precision optical components, the precision machining process is now subject to extremely stringent requirements in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and stability. Hard and brittle materials, represented by silicon carbide (SiC), sapphire, and glass-ceramics, have become the core substrates for power semiconductors, optoelectronic devices, and high-end precision structural parts, thanks to their ultra-high hardness, excellent high-temperature resistance, and stable physicochemical properties. Their application in advanced manufacturing is becoming increasingly widespread.
However, the inherent high hardness and high brittleness also make these hard and brittle materials a major challenge in precision machining. Not only is material removal difficult, but the grinding process is also highly prone to defects such as edge chipping, cracks, and subsurface damage. Therefore, achieving efficient, low-damage, highly consistent, and large-scale stable processing has become a common industry bottleneck that restricts the industrial application of high-end hard and brittle materials.
In the fixed-abrasive precision machining system for hard and brittle materials, the diamond grinding wheel is undoubtedly the core tool. Its performance directly determines material removal efficiency, workpiece surface roughness, thickness uniformity, and the overall effectiveness of subsequent polishing processes. It can be said that breakthroughs in grinding wheel technology are the key to improving both quality and efficiency in precision machining of hard and brittle materials.
Nevertheless, domestically produced high-end diamond grinding wheels still have notable technical shortcomings. Key technologies such as structural design, bond systems, and fine-grit wheel forming are not yet fully mature. Existing products commonly suffer from poor consistency in abrasive grain protrusion, unstable self-sharpening, susceptibility to clogging and passivation, and insufficient processing stability. During grinding, uneven stress distribution often leads to quality defects such as edge chipping, scratching, pitting, and deep subsurface damage in the workpiece. Moreover, in terms of accuracy, tool life, and machining efficiency, domestic wheels find it difficult to match internationally advanced levels, frequently requiring downtime for dressing and tool replacement under continuous production conditions. Although imported high-end diamond grinding wheels offer superior performance, they come with high costs, long delivery lead times, and sluggish after-sales service, which significantly raise production costs and supply chain risks for manufacturers. The industry is thus in urgent need of replaceable, domestically developed high-end grinding wheel technologies and product solutions.