CBN is a superhard abrasive, second only to diamond in hardness. Unlike diamond, it’s chemically stable against iron. That makes it the go-to abrasive for ferrous materials — hardened steel, high-speed steel, and heat-resistant alloys.

CBN wheels come in four bond types: resin, metal, vitrified, and electroplated. Here’s a closer look at the two most common for precision grinding: vitrified and resin.

Vitrified CBN Grinding Wheel

Vitrified bond combines the strengths of metal and resin bond. Key features:

• Sharp cutting, low grinding force
• High production efficiency
• Long service life
• Easy to dress
• High grinding precision
• Low grinding temperature
• High durability of the workpiece surface

Best for:

• Titanium alloy, vanadium alloy steel
• Tungsten molybdenum high-speed steel, special high-speed steel
• Cobalt alloy steel
• Crankshafts, camshafts, precision bearings
• High-precision gears, gear shapers
• Precision lead screws, machine tool guideways

Resin CBN Grinding Wheel

Resin bond uses phenolic, polyimide, or polyurethane resin as the bonding agent. Key features:

• Good self-sharpening
• High grinding efficiency
• Lower grinding force than vitrified or metal bond

Best for:

• High-vanadium high-speed steel cutting tools
• Stainless steel
• Tool steel and die steel
• Semi-finish and finish grinding of heat-resistant workpieces

Which One Fits Your Process?

Type	Strengths	Best For
Vitrified CBN	Long life, easy dressing, high precision, low heat, sharp cutting	Crankshafts, camshafts, precision bearings, gears, guideways, high-alloy steels
Resin CBN	Strong self-sharpening, high efficiency, low grinding force	Cutting tools, stainless steel, tool/die steel, finish grinding

Not sure which bond fits your workpiece? Reach out to ZY Industrial at tanya@zyindustrial.com.