Asen [ASEN08] has patented a wheel body made from a fiber composite, specifically with carbon fibers, glass fibers, or synthetic fibers. Different fiber structures are undergoing investigation, in particular uni-directional, orthotroph (fibers in different orthogonal directions) or transversal-isotrop [KRAF08]. The fiber structure affects body strength and isotropy.
Vitrified and resin bonded abrasive layers are glued to the fiber composite body, whereas electroplated layers need an additional thin, metallic ring on the fiber composite body [ASEN08]. The mass of a fiber composite body can be as low as 1/10 of the mass of conventional metal bodies and has therefore lower energy consumption, needs shorter time to revert rotation, and is easier to change [ASEN08]. In grinding tests, tools with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) bodies proved to have a significantly lower contact stiffness than tools with steel bodies, which is advantageous for vibration damping [TAWA12].
Disadvantages of carbon fiber reinforced polymer bodies are the possibility of softening, unclear recyclability, and low performance in detecting the initial cut by acoustic emission. Machining of glass fiber body materials can emit hazardous particles. Furthermore, fiber reinforced resin bodies do not resonate well enough for today’s Acoustic Emission systems for process monitoring [KRAF08].