If the performance of your diamond
blade is not up to par with your expectations, don’t just go ahead and buy
a new one, because poor cutting results are not always the blade’s fault.
The cutting performance of your diamond blade is affected by several
different factors. If any of these factors are not attuned to the
equipment you have at hand, then a less than stellar performance is to be
expected. If you’re wondering how your diamond blade’s performance could reduce
in such a short time, then you’re probably using it wrong.
Here are the important factors that affect diamond blade
cutting performance that you should be aware of.
1.
Soft vs.
hard aggregates
Cutting hard aggregates can shorten the life span of your
blade, slow down the cutting rate, and thus uses more power. If the aggregate
of the concrete you are cutting is hard, the process will cost more than when
the aggregate is soft. Thus, it is important to know the material you are
cutting and what it is composed of. Hard aggregates include quartz, while soft
aggregates include limestone.
If you need to cut concrete with hard aggregates, your
diamond blade should have segments equipped with tough diamonds and soft metal
bonds. If not, the diamond particles will easily get worn down and will, as a
result, glaze the blade, rendering it unable to cut.
If you are cutting soft aggregates, on the other hand,
your blade segments should be equipped with hard metal bonds, which will ensure
that the diamond particles are maintained while your blade is still usable.
If you don’t know whether your aggregate is hard or soft,
you can measure it using the mohs scratch test, the shore hardness test, or the
Los Angeles Abrasion-Loss test.
2.
How big
is your aggregate?
It’s not just the texture of your aggregate that matters.
The size is also important as this determines the speed at which your diamond
blade cuts, which will also affect its longevity. You will notice the difference
when you try to cut a ½ inch flint aggregate and a 2-inch flint aggregate; the
thinner aggregate will, as expected, cut more easily and thus take less time.
Cutting hard aggregates will take more cutting time and will take a toll on
your blade.
3.
How fast
do you work?
When cutting at high speeds, blades are susceptible to
distortion. This is why they have to come in a dish shape that allows the blade
to rotate at optimum speeds. However, this means that each blade has its
specific cutting speed limits. If this speed is not met, the blade will wander,
which cause it to wobble from side to side and thus will not be able to cut a
straight line.
On the other hand, there is also a maximum speed limit. It
is crucial that you do not use a blade above the maximum RPM limit as doing so
may result in injury or even death. This limit is stamped on the blade to
ensure that all users are informed of it before they begin cutting.
4.
The use
of coolants
Coolants are used to cool most diamond blades. If there is
not enough coolant, the fine particles will not be removed, and over time, this
will cause the abrasive particles to wear away a part of the steel core that
attaches to the diamond segments. Aside from that, there is the tendency to
make the core overheat, which can lead to cracks and loss of segments, two
factors that will significantly affect future performance and blade life.
Keeping these factors in mind before approaching every
cutting job will help you maintain the peak performance of your blade.
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