Diamond wheels offer multiple benefits when it comes to grinding carbide-tipped saw blades. Diamond wheels provide the consistency needed when you are looking for repeatable top, face, and side grinding on your manual and CNC machines. It’s imperative to have the correct wheel on the grinder so that you can achieve your operational goals.
Before deciding to change to a different diamond wheel in your saw grinding operations, consider the result you are looking to achieve. Usually, the answer revolves around having a wheel that cuts cool and removes carbide quickly. The goal should be to produce more products, rather than hyper-focusing on wheel price. Just because a wheel is cheaper, doesn’t mean that it will save you money in the long run.
A diamond wheel is necessary for grinding carbide. Since the introduction of synthetic diamond to the grinding industry, its use has expanded exponentially. As time has passed, the diamond particles have become less resistant to shock and more uniform in size. Improvements in the coatings that hold the diamond particle in the bond have also contributed to the extended wheel life.
Here at Eagle, we offer multiple bond types for specific applications. When it comes to carbide-tipped saw blades, however, resin is the bond of choice. Metal bonds are useful on non-metallic surfaces like glass or ceramics, but not when it comes to carbide. Metal bonds are simply too aggressive.
Eagle’s engineers can formulate resin bond wheels in numerous grades and hardnesses. Our diamonds also come in multiple grit sizes and offer different coarseness options. 60/80 mesh is the coarsest, whereas a 2,000-grit will offer a mirror finish for saw blades or plastics. We commonly manufacture grits as fine as 1,000-1,200, however, we can manufacture up to 2,000 for specialty applications.
A finer grit wheel offers a smoother finish on carbide saw blades. It also lengthens the life between sharpening, improves the quality of the cut, and requires less power than saws with rough grinds, but a finer grit also means that material cannot be removed as quickly. When grinding saw blades, you want to eliminate as much lateral movement as possible. Make sure the blade is clamped close to the tip being ground. Pushing a wheel too hard can cause issues with deflection in the machine or cause the wheel to push off the tip. Using a wheel too hard for the type of infeed and material removal can also cause the same issue. It is important to have a conversation with an engineer to carefully select the formula that will work best for your operation.
There is a pronounced difference in the “grindability” of various grades of carbide, with some being more damaging on a diamond wheel than others. Increased cobalt content in the carbide makes the carbide softer, wearing the diamond wheel faster. It is important to consider the concentration of the diamond wheel as well. An increase of diamond particles improves grinding performance. The extended life of the wheel will benefit your operational profitability. An increase of diamond concentration up to 125 greatly improves the grinding performance. Wheels with 50 or lower concentration of diamond should be carefully considered.
It should be noted that speed, traverse rate, and diamond concentration play a large part in carbide grinding success. These variables should be closely evaluated and monitored over time. Keeping a record of facts and figures over time can assist your engineer in identifying any changes to the grinding wheel that need to be made.
If your current supplier’s diamond wheel is wearing quickly, they may be caused by the following things:
Keeping a record of facts and figures over time can assist your engineer in identifying any changes to the grinding wheel that need to be made.
Diamond wheels offer many benefits when grinding carbide saws, but you cannot get the best results if your wheel formulation or grinding process is not ideal. If you are unsure where to begin or are experiencing issues with your current supplier, reach out to us. We offer no-pressure advice and are happy to answer your saw grinding questions.
Whether you are looking for general guidance or are ready to get a quote, we are dedicated to helping you find the right solution – and if we can’t provide the exact wheel you need, we will let you know. Eagle values communication and we will never lead you on. We hope you’ll explore the ways our team can help your business realize its potential.