A primer on diamond saw blades

Diamond Saw Blade Usage

Diamond blades differ from other types of blade because actually grind through the material rather than cut through. The grinding action exposes new diamond at the right moment just before the old diamond wears away. The newly exposed diamonds again will wear, chip, or break out of the metal bond in the segment, while the metal bond gradually wears away to expose new diamond. This process is repeated over and over until there is no diamond remaining and the blade is worn out.

Ideally and to get the maximum life out of a diamond blade, the metal should wear away at just the right time to expose new diamond for optimum cutting performance.

• If the metal wears away too quickly, the diamonds are exposed to soon and get torn out of the metal bond before they are fully worn. The result is a very short blade life.
• If the metal wears away too slowly, the diamonds wear away before new diamond is exposed. This is often referred to as a "glazed blade". Without exposed diamond the blade will not cut.

Abrasive materials like green concrete and asphalt will wear the metal bond very fast, so blades for these materials have a much harder metal bond to resist this abrasion.

The opposite occurs on a hard clay paver. The clay paver is not abrasive enough to wear the metal bond fast enough to expose fresh diamond, therefore a different and much softer alloy is needed for cutting these types of materials.

The single most important factor for the life of the blade is to match it to the job application and the type of equipment it is being used on.

Diamond Saw Blade Types

There are three main types of diamond saw blade, each with different characteristics and usages.

SEGMENTED

Segmented blades typically have medium to hard bonds for a range of wet and dry cutting applications. These blades offer a relatively smooth cut combined with a fast cutting speed however some chipping may occur. They are durable and have a long blade life compared to other blades.

The spaces between the segments (gullets) improve air flow, dissipate heat, and remove slurry from the cut, helping to optimise the blade's cutting performance. The size and shape of the gullets vary from blade to blade and will depend on the type of material the blade is designed to cut.

CONTINUOUS RIM

Continuous rim blades have softer bonds for cutting hard materials such as tile, porcelain, granite, stone, glass, and other materials that can chip easily. These blades don't have individual segments but instead have a solid, continuous rim or edge. Most continuous rim blades are designed for wet cutting applications, providing the smoothest, chip-free cuts.

TURBO RIM

​Turbo blades typically have soft to medium bonds for a variety of general purpose to specific cutting applications. Turbo blades feature a continuous rim with an edge that is serrated. This serrated edge is designed to give the blade faster cutting speeds while maintaining a smooth cut, combining the best qualities from both segmented and continuous rim blades.

Diamond Cup Wheel Types

Diamond cup wheels are available in three types:

SINGLE ROW

These are economical cup wheels for flat grinding with fast material removal ideal for removing imperfections in cured concrete.

• Extreme diamond count.
• Maximum material removal.
• Dry grinding.

UNIVERSAL (DOUBLE ROW)

Long life cup wheel for flat grinding with a smooth high quality finish ideal for removing imperfections in cured concrete.

• Extreme diamond count.
• Smooth high quality finish.
• Dry grinding.

TURBO

For light grinding, shaping and finishing in concrete, stone and general masonry. Improved cooling for increased cup life.

• Extreme diamond count.
• Ideal for removing formwork seams and imperfections in concrete and stone.