DIAMOND BLADES - What are they?

Diamond blades are made up of:

Diamond crystals
These are the cutting agents and come in different grit sizes, quality and quantity

Bonding system
Bonding systems hold the diamond crystals and play important roles:
- Support the diamonds
- Allow the diamond to protrude by controlled wear to allow the blade to have a continual
refreshment of the cutting edge
- Prevents the diamond dropping out until ready
- Acts as an absorbent heat sink
- Allows control of impact and load as the diamonds grind and cut the product
- Correct bonding systems for the product being cut extends the life of the blade

Segments
These are a combination of crystals and bonding agent that are manufactured into segments
that are wider than the steel core to provide clearance while cutting. These segments vary in
diamond concentration and strength of bond. Generally softer bonds are used for harder product
being cut and harder bonds for softer products.

Steel core
The segments are attached to a steel disc that are tensioned at the manufacturing stage and
have gullets(or slots) to provide increased cooling by the introduction of air or water flow.
It is important that the steel cores are flexible enough to allow flexing of the blade while under
cutting pressure. An arbor hole is positioned in the centre of the bade and can vary in size to
suit specific machines.



HOW DO DIAMOND BLADES WORK?

Diamond blades grind their way through the substance to be cut.

There are diamond crystals exposed on the edges and sides of the segments encased in their
"bond" and these exposed diamond crystals do the grinding work as the blade rotates on the
arbor of the machine.

The bond locks each crystal in place and behind each diamond crystal there is a tail of bond that
helps support the diamond segment and lock it in place. The grinding process causes the
substance being cut to be converted into a fine powder, while the bond also wears away
exposing more diamonds to complete the work.

As the substance wears away the bond, the diamond crystals crack and fracture into tiny pieces
that also assist in the grinding process. Harder materials break down the diamond structure
faster, requiring more concentrated array of diamonds in the bond. This continuous grinding and
wearing process continues until the blade is "worn out" although sometimes a small, unusable
part of the segments or rim may remain.

It is important to understand that the diamond blade and the material must work together
(or interact) for the blade to cut effectively. The diamond type, quality and grit size must be
suited for the saw and the material. The bond material must also be matched to the material to
be cut.

 

DIAMOND BLADE TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem	Probable Causes	Solutions
Diamond Blade Will Not Cut	Diamond Blade is too hard for material being cut	Select proper specification for material being cut
	Diamond Blade had become dull as a result of being used on hard material	Dress with abrasive material until diamond becomes exposed again
Diamond Blade Worn Out of Round	Shaft Bearings are worn	as required
	Engine is not properly tuned on concrete saws, causing surges in blade rotation	Tune engine according to manufacturers manual
	Bond is too hard for material	Use proper Diamond blade specification
Uneven Segment Wear	Insufficient water in wet cutting	distribution to both sides of Diamond blade
	Saw is misaligned	check saw head alignment and shaft alignment
Diamond Blade Arbor Hole Out of Round	Diamond Blade collar is not properly tightened	Make certain that the Diamond blade is adequately secured
	Diamond Blade collar is worn or dirty, not allowing proper blade clamping	Clean Diamond blade collars, making sure they are not worn
	Diamond Blade is not properly mounted	Make certain the Diamond blade is mounted on the proper shaft diameter before tightening shaft nut.
		Ensure the pin bole slides over the drive pin
Undercutting the Steel Core	Caused by abrasive debris in cut wearing steel core	Use the Diamond blade with proper undercut protection, or provide adequate water to the steel core
Diamond Segment Cracks	Diamond Blade is too hard for material being cut	Use Diamond blade with softer bond
	Excessive force to start sawing	Use the saw without any strong force
Diamond Blade Wobbles	Diamond Blade runs at improper speed	mounting arbor
	Diamond Blade arbor hole is not identical	Check Diamond blade arbor hole to make sure they are clean, flat and or correct diameter
	Diamond Blade is bent as a result of dropping or twisting	Change to new Diamond blade
Diamond Segment Loss	Overheating due to lack of water or continuous dry cutting	Adequate on both sides of Diamond blade.
		For dry cutting allow the Diamond blade to run freely every few minutes
	Steel core is worn from undercutting	Use sufficient water to flush out the cut
	Diamond Blade is cutting out of round, causing a pounding motion	Replace worn bearing, realign Diamond blade shaft or replace worn blade mounting arbor
Cracks in Steel Core	Diamond Blade flutters in cut as a result of Diamond blade losing tension	Tighten the Diamond blade shaft nut
		Make sure the Diamond blade is running at proper tensioned speed and that drive pin is functioning properly
	Diamond Blade specification is too hard for material being cut	Use correct Diamond blade with softer bond to eliminate stresses
	Forcing or twisting the Diamond blade in the cut	Allow the Diamond blade to cut freely without forcing and keep blade straight
Loss of Tension	Steel core had been overheating as a result of Diamond blade spinning on arbor	Tighten the Diamond blade shaft nut.
		Make certain the drive pin is functioning (on concrete saws)
	Diamond Blade being used at incorrect RPM	Make certain Diamond blade shaft is running at the proper RPM
	Diamond Blade is excessively hard for the material being cut	Use softer bonded Diamond blade to reduce operating stress

Factors Effecting Diamond Blade Performance

Factors	Variance	Cutting Speed	Life of Blade
Material Hardness	Harder	Slower	Longer
	Softer	Faster	Shorter
Abrasiveness	More	Faster	Shorter
	Less	Slower	Longer
Aggregate Size	Larger	Slower	Shorter
	Smaller	Faster	Longer
Steel Reinforcement	Less	Faster	Longer
	More	Slower	Shorter
Horsepower	Lower	Slower	Longer
	Higher	Faster	Shorter
Blade RPM	Lower	Faster	Shorter
	Higher	Slower	Longer
Water Flow	Lower	Faster	Shorter
	Higher	Slower	Longer
Cutting Depth	Shallow	Faster	Longer
	Deep	Slower	Shorter
Diamond Quality	Lower	Slower	Shorter
	Higher	Faster	Longer
Diamond Grit Size	Coarser	Faster	Longer
	Finer	Slower	Shorter
Diamond Concentration	Lower	Faster	Shorter
	Higher	Slower	Longer
Segment Height	Thinner	Faster	Shorter
	Thicker	Slower	Longer
Bond Hardness	Harder	Slower	Longer
	Softer	Faster	Shorter