Patent ID: 8444726

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a grinding wheel having depressions on a grinding surface thereof, which comprises a plurality of grinding chips that include a substrate layer and an abrasive grain layer containing superabrasive grains, wherein the grinding chips are adhered to a core mounted to a wheel spindle that is rotatably journalled in a wheel head of a grinding machine, and the grinding surface formed on the abrasive grain layer contacts with a workpiece, which is rotatably supported on a workpiece supporting apparatus of the grinding machine, to grind the workpiece at a grinding point, wherein the method comprising the steps of: forming the grinding chip before baking whereby a substrate layer formed by mixing substrate grains with bond is overlaid on an inner surface of an abrasive grain layer and is integrally press-molded with the abrasive grain layer to form the grinding chip with an arcuate shape, wherein the abrasive grain layer is formed by mixing superabrasive grains with the bond; forming a plurality of depressions on an abrasive grain layer of the non-baked grinding chip using forming elements made of a combustible material; baking the non-baked grinding chips in an atmosphere capable of combusting the forming elements made of a combustible material and at a temperature sufficient to combust the forming elements, thereby making baked grinding chips; and adhering a plurality of baked grinding chips to the core such that the grinding chips are circumferentially arranged on a radially outer periphery of the core, wherein the depressions are inclined grooves that are inclined relative to the circumferential direction of the grinding wheel, and wherein the inclined grooves are provided on the grinding chips with such a spacing and inclination that at least one of the inclined grooves always passes through a grinding point of the grinding wheel when the grinding wheel is rotated about a wheel axis of the grinding wheel to grind a workpiece at the grinding point.