Title: Thin tools for the high speed cutting of granite

Authors: Berend Denkena, David Boehnke, Jens Bockhorst

Addresses: Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools, Leibniz Universitat Hannover, An der Universitat 2, 30823 Garbsen, Germany. ' Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools, Leibniz Universitat Hannover, An der Universitat 2, 30823 Garbsen, Germany. ' Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools, Leibniz Universitat Hannover, An der Universitat 2, 30823 Garbsen, Germany

Abstract: Currently stonecutting with rotating discs is known as the most productive and economic technology for the production of tiles and slabs. A big potential for further improvements is given by the reduction of the removed material. Within the application of thinner discs it is the aim to achieve the standard market quality while working with lower tool stiffness at higher rotational speeds. Investigations on the influence of the shape, the different alloys of the steel core and of different bonding systems on process forces, tool wear and cut quality will be presented in this paper. Cutting speeds up to vc = 60 m/s were applied with different disc body geometries and diamond/bonding systems respectively showing that it is possible to reduce the cutting slot width by more than 35% down to ws = 5.5 mm with thinner tools while meeting the market requirements of tile quality.

Keywords: high speed cutting; stone sawing; natural stone; granite cutting; thin tools; stonecutting; rotating discs; tool stiffness; rotational speeds; cutting forces; tool wear; cut quality; disc geometries; bonding systems; alloys; tiles; tile quality.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAT.2009.022586

International Journal of Abrasive Technology, 2009 Vol.2 No.2, pp.173 - 183

Received: 22 Feb 2008
Accepted: 01 Apr 2008

Published online: 16 Jan 2009 *

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