This paper describes the research on abrasive machining conditions and their influence on microhardness and residual stresses distribution in the technological surface layer of 20MnCr5 steel. The roughness of ground samples was also measured. Samples underwent a vacuum carburizing process (LPC) followed by high-pressure gas quenching (HPGQ) in a 4D quenching chamber. Processes were realized with a single-piece flow method. Then, the flat surfaces of samples were ground with a Vortex type IPA60EH20VTX alumina grinding wheel using a flat-surface grinder. The samples were ground to three depths of grinding (ae = 0.01; 0.02; 0.03 mm) with grinding fluid supply using either flood method (WET) or minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) method. The condition of the technological surface layer was described using microhardness and residual stresses, as well as some selected parameters of surface roughness. The results obtained revealed that changes in microhardness as compared to microhardness of the material before grinding were lower in samples ground with grinding fluid supplied with MQL method. At the same time, the values of residual stresses were also better for samples ground using MQL method. Furthermore, the use of grinding fluid fed with MQL method produced lower values of surface roughness compared to the parameters obtained with WET method. It was concluded that for the tested scope of machining conditions, the MQL method can be a favourable alternative to the flood method of supplying grinding fluid into the grinding zone.
Keywords: MQL; microhardness; residual stress; surface grinding; surface roughness.