Metallic bodies made of steel, aluminum, aluminum resin composite, bronze, and copper are applied. For example, the aluminum and bronze blanks are turned to the proper dimensions on a lathe as bodies for resin bonded wheels [METZ86, p. 62]. The turning operation is a big portion of the manufacturing costs, because dimensional accuracy ranges from 0.01 to 0.1 mm [METZ86, p. 62].
The body for electroplated wheels is precision machined. After use, electroplated wheels are generally returned to the tool manufacturer, stripped and re-plated. Commonly, low alloy carbon steels are used or tempering steels or ball bearing steels for higher wheel speeds [KLOC07, p. 195]. Soft steels are easier to machine, but hardened and annealed steels are more wear resistant during clamping operations [KLOC07, p. 195 f.].
Grinding wheels with large diameter or large width are made from aluminum alloys to reduce weight [KLOC07, p. 196]. Breaking point and expansion are similar because the ratio of Young’s modulus to density are similar for steel and aluminum [KLOC07, p. 196].