3M Vitrified CBN Technology

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The science of a better bond.

When you’re grinding hardened steel and superalloys, you need a grinding wheel with a hard mineral and a reliable bond. 3M Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) grinding wheels with vitrified bonds stand up to the most demanding precision grinding applications. Plus, when you choose a 3M™ Vitrified CBN Grinding Wheel you get the unparalleled application support that manufacturers have come to expect from 3M Abrasives.

About Vitrified Bonds

The bond of a CBN grinding wheel is what holds the abrasive material in place. Most vitrified wheel bonds consist mainly of naturally occurring raw materials like kaolin, feldspar and glass frits – all of which are subject to variations in quality. That’s why we use fully synthetic recrystallized glasses in the bonding systems of our vitrified CBN grinding wheels.

Our partially crystallized glass bonds have higher inherent strength than bonds of naturally occurring raw materials and can be used in smaller quantities. This allows for a 10% overall reduction in bond material and a simultaneous equal increase in porosity – without any loss of wheel strength.

Cubic Boron Nitride: Engineered for Durability

Cubic boron nitride (CBN) is a highly durable synthetic abrasive mineral, second only to diamond in hardness. This durability makes it ideal for grinding hardened steel and superalloys – materials commonly used in the manufacturing of powertrain, bearing and turbine components.

3M offers a wide range of CBN abrasive products, including grinding wheels and other custom solutions. This broad offering means you can select a specific density and porosity that’s tailored to your specific application needs.

Featured Markets and Applications

Prioritized Industries
Our CBN superabrasives with vitrified bonds are trusted across multiple industries in manufacturing:

Powertrain

Bearing

Turbine

Cutting tools
Focused Applications
Vitrified CBN grinding wheels excel in applications that require a hard mineral and a reliable bond:

Cylindrical ID grinding

Cylindrical OD grinding

Surface grinding
More Superabrasives Solutions

Manufacturers spec-in a superabrasive solution when only the hardest minerals – diamond and CBN – will do the job. 3M has a full portfolio of CBN and diamond superabrasives in a range of forms, grades and materials to meet your specific needs.

Learn more about 3M superabrasives

See our newest vitrified CBN technology in action:

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Precision Structured Wheels Overview

Learn about our new 3M™ Precision Structured Vitrified CBN Grinding Wheels. These 3D printed superabrasive wheels feature a vitrified bond and unprecedented geometric flexibility.
Vitrified CBN Wheel Dressing Demo

Watch as 3M™ Precision Structured Vitrified CBN Grinding Wheels are dressed prior to use at a leading manufacturer of precision grinding machines.

Contact us.

If you’re curious about custom abrasive solutions, we can help. Fill out our contact form, start a chat or call 1-866-279-1235 and our precision grinding and finishing experts can get you what you need.

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