THIS PAPER PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A STUDY CONCERNING QUALITY ASSURANCE AND COST CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CERAMIC MATERIALS ARE APPLIED TO AUTOMOTIVE PARTS. EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSES WERE MADE OF THE GRINDING CHARACTERISTICS OF SILICON NITRIDE AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSTING-GRINDING SURFACE DEFECTS AND MATERIAL STRENGTH. IT WAS FOUND THAT A SUITABLE SELECTION OF GRINDING CONDITIONS HOLDS OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GRINDING CERAMICS WITH HIGH EFFICIENCY COMPARABLE TO THE REMOVAL RATE PER UNIT WIDTH ACHIEVED FOR METALS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ASSURING GOOD QUALITY.
