The Effect of Clamping Distance on the Vibro-Acoustic Emission During Angle Grinder Cutting

Abstract

This study investigates the clamping distance and vibroacoustic emissions generated during the cutting of five different metals (Mild Steel, High Carbon Steel, Aluminum, Copper, and Zinc) using an angle grinder. The experiment focused on measuring noise and vibration levels across three modes of operation: background, idle, and production noise. Additionally, measurements were conducted at selected clamping heights of 100, 200, and 300 mm to assess the impact on noise and vibration emissions. The measurements were performed using a sound level meter (model 2310 SL) with a resolution of 0.1 dB and an IEC 61672 type-2 factory-calibrated vibration meter with a resolution of 0.1 m/s². Noise and vibration were measured 300 mm from the source of noise at 1000 mm above the floor, and vibration was measured on each work piece. The results revealed significant differences in the noise and vibration levels for the different metals. The mean noise level was lowest for Zinc (97.8 dB) and highest for High Carbon Steel (114.7 dB) during cutting, with Copper exhibiting the lowest noise level (82.0 dB) and High Carbon Steel the highest (116.8 dB) during idle conditions. Regarding vibration, Mild Steel exhibited the lowest vibration level (26 m/s²) and High Carbon Steel the highest (50 m/s²) during cutting, while Aluminum showed the lowest vibration level (19.3 m/s²) and High Carbon Steel the highest (25.9 m/s²) during idle conditions. These findings indicate that material properties, as well as clamping distance, significantly affect both the noise and vibration emissions during angle grinder cutting. The study highlights the need for appropriate material selection and clamping height optimization in order to mitigate noise and vibration exposure in manufacturing environments.