Concrete cutting is an incredibly difficult task. Many concrete cutting jobs are accomplished by using specialised equipment such as a diamond-tipped saw blade, a common tool that is used to carry out concrete cutting.
What is a diamond-tipped saw blade, and how does it cut concrete? If you want to learn more about this, we have created a guide in the article below to help you.
What Is A Diamond Tipped Saw Blade?
A diamond-tipped saw blade is a commonly used tool to cut concrete. It is distinguished by its diamond coated blade tip, though these are not the sparkling jewellery store diamonds you may be familiar with.
Instead, these synthetic diamonds are actually produced by manufacturers at lower costs. It is imperative that the diamonds be strongly attached to the blade, or else it won’t be as effective.
Because of this, there are several methods by which fine diamond crystals can be bonded to the cutting edge of the blade. These are as follows:
1). Vacuum Brazing – this process occurs by welding the diamonds to the edge of the blade inside a special furnace.
Since the diamonds are only placed on the outside of the blade, once the vacuum brazed blade wears down it does not expose any new diamonds.
Diamond blades made from this process are known to have lower price points.
2). Sintering – This is a process that makes use of pressure and heat to press the diamonds into the metal. This is known to produce stronger bonds in comparison to vacuum brazing.
3). Laser Welding – This is recognised as the most efficient attachment method, as the precision of laser welding is quite unparalleled.
This process makes use of a laser welding process to fully bond the diamond particles together with the metal’s molecular structure.
Diamond blades made from laser welding are known to last up to 35 per cent longer compared to a sintered blade.
Diamonds are actually the hardest material on earth, which is why they are capable of cutting through hard materials such as concrete.
What Happens When A Diamond Blade Cuts Concrete?
The hardness of the concrete is almost unmatched to the hardness of diamonds. In fact, when you use a diamond-tipped saw blade to cut concrete, it can easily grind the concrete into dust.
Diamond-tipped saw blades can operate at incredibly high speeds, which means the cuts are more precise and clean.
One the diamond crystals begin to smooth, they will start peeling and cracking away to expose a new layer of fresh and rough diamonds underneath (though this does not apply to diamond blades made from vacuum brazing).
Diamonds embedded in the edge of the blade also help preserve the blade itself from being rapidly worn out.
What Diamond Tipped Blade Should I Choose?
Choosing the right diamond-tipped saw blade involves the consideration of various factors, given that diamond blades come in different bonding types, diamond sizes, and cutting capacities.
The hardness of the concrete you plan to cut, for example, is an important factor to consider as this can affect the integrity of your blade.
For example, if you are planning to cut concrete that has not yet fully cured, it is best to choose a diamond blade that has a stronger bond.
This is because soft concrete can wear out diamonds more slowly, and a harder bond marks sure that the diamonds remain in place. On the other hand, a blade that has a weaker bond can wear out and lose its diamonds.
The size of the diamond crystals is also another factor to consider. If you plan to cut through very hard concrete in a short amount of time, then it would be best to use a blade with smaller diamond crystals.
Summary
In the industry of concrete cutting, diamond-tipped saw blades are a common device that is used to effectively and precisely cut concrete.
This is because diamond is the hardest material on earth, which makes it capable of easily grinding concrete to dust.
Choosing the right diamond-tipped saw blade for you means that you should consider factors that mainly revolve around the hardness of the concrete you plan to cut.
From here, you can decide what type of bonded diamond blade you will need, along with what size diamond crystals are appropriate.
For all concrete cutting needs, be it commercial or residential, call us at MEGASAW. We have over 20 years of experience providing quality concrete services in Melbourne. Our experience is your guarantee!
Please call us today on 1300 920 419 or contact us through our website.