Page 197 - oxcatalog-2019

This is how a diamond blade works

What is a diamond blade?

A diamond blade is composed of two fundamental elements: a steel plate and a diamond-impregnated
segment. The latter may have a number of appearances: the segmented rim, the continuous rim, the castellated rim, or the integral
segment, which means that the segment is fully integrated into the core blade.

Segmented rim Turbo segmented rim Semi continuous rim Continuous rim

The steel plate is of very high quality, treated, hardened steel. Slots separate the segments which contribute to the cooling of the blade
during sawing by allowing the water (wet cutting) or the air (dry cutting) to flow between the segments. They also allow the blade a
certain amount of flexibility during cutting. The segments contain a mixture of diamonds and metal powder. During the manufacturing
process, the metal powder and diamond mixture is compressed at a very high temperature in order to obtain a solid metal alloy which
holds the diamonds. The segment or rim is slightly wider than the steel blade to allow the attacking edge to penetrate the material
without the steel blade rubbing against it.

In a diamond tool properly suited to the material to be cut, the equilibrium between the work of the diamond and the abrasion-resistance
of the bond is optimum; the diamond is held in place until it is destroyed and new crystals appear.

It is in this equilibrium that all the quality of the diamond tool resides. A blade intended for cutting hard, dense (less abrasive) materials
requires a softer metal matrix. This wears out more rapidly, by replacing the worn diamonds relatively quickly so that the blade continues
to cut. A blade intended for cutting soft, abrasive materials must have a hard, abrasion-resistant blade in order to retain the diamonds
longer.

Brazed
Wide slots or narrow slots
Segments
Laser welded
Backing

Bore
Sintered on steel
Steel core

Integral

The OX Book 2019 Edition 1 Page 197