Objective To improve the surface precision of nickel-based alloy Inconel 718 during belt grinding and polishing and to avoid issues such as abrasive grains accumulation on the belt an analysis was conducted on the top structure and arrangement of abrasive grains on the belt surface. Through three-dimensional dynamic simulation the variations in grinding force and abrasive debris during the grinding and polishing process were studied. Methods Three types of abrasive grain tip shapes and arrangement spacings as well as inclinations were investigated for their grinding mechanisms on Inconel 718. Initially the grinding processes of point line and surface-shaped abrasive grains were analyzed comparing the chip morphology and grinding force of different types of abrasive grains. Based on the selected multi-grain models were developed using this type of abrasive grain. Finite element software was used to analyze the effects of gap sizes in both horizontal and vertical directions and changes in abrasive grain arrangement line inclinations on grinding force and workpiece surface quality. Results The results showed that the chip produced by point-type abrasigr ve ains was fragmented making it easier to discharge between multiple abrasive grains and less likely to clog the belt while experiencing lower grinding forces during the grinding process. It was found that ordered arrangement of abrasive grains had significant advantages improving workpiece surface precision creating uniformly sized grooves on the workpiece surface and reducing the force exerted on the belt. It was also observed that the magnitude of grinding force increased and then decreased with the increase in arrangement line inclination. Through comparison with experiments it was found that the shape of abrasive debris changes from block-like to strip-like to elongated strip-like as the horizontal gap increases. Elongated strip-like debris is more easily discharged from the gap thus achieving the effect of reducing polishing force. Conclusion The use of point-type abrasive grains and appropriate abrasive grain arrangement patterns can effectively improve surface precision after grinding and polishing and promote the discharge of abrasive debris providing new insights for the manufacturing and production of abrasive belts.