Diamond saw blades are used in concrete cutting, and they are usually the best option for clean, accurate and professional cuts in the concrete. Various technologies and options are available regarding diamond saw blades and their price; do you know how to choose the perfect one for your diamond concrete cutting requirement and what factors to consider to gain maximum benefits?

Diamond saw blades are made using synthetic crystals; they can cut through anything. The blade rotates at high speed, exposing crystals to cut through materials. Before you begin the cutting process, it is vital to understand how diamond blades work and how choosing a blade with the right cutting quality matters.

This blog will be helpful for you to know how diamond saw blades work, their advantages and limitations, and the factors affecting their performance. Continue reading to have a successful cutting experience on your work site.

What is a Diamond Saw Blade?

A diamond saw blade is a ring-shaped steel disc with a diamond edge. The edge can have either a segmented, continuous or serrated rim configuration. The blade core is a precision-made steel disc that has slots called gullets. It provides faster cooling by allowing water or air to flow between the segments, which makes the blade flex.

How Does it Work?

The diamond blade does not cut; It grinds and the diamond crystal performs the grinding task. The blade rotated through the material and exposed the surface of the diamond grind to the material. The metal matrix bond holds the diamonds in its place, trailing behind each exposed diamond’s ‘bond tail’ that helps to support the diamond.

Types of Diamond Blade

• Segmented Rim: It is known as the dry-cutting blade and offers the roughest cut. It is ideal for concrete, limestone and brick.
• Turbo Rim: It is used in wet as well as dry applications. Its serrated edges make it cut faster through tile or natural stone.
• Continuous Rim: It demands water during the cutting. It offers the slowest cut, making it perfect for marble, porcelain and granite.

Diamond Blades and Building Material

Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring material available on our planet. In a diamond blade, synthetic diamond materials are mixed with other materials such as iron or steel to make the right blade with excellent diamond segments with the cutting edge.

Diamond blades are used to cut hard materials, a fundamental procedure in the construction industry. However, it depends on the technical need.

The blades are suitable for cutting various materials, such as concrete, granite, asphalt, brick, ceramic, and other relevant building materials.

Advantages of Blade

Diamond saw blades are incredibly sturdy and have an outstanding lifespan. Due to the nature of these blades and the variety of choices, users can apply them to different materials that need to be cut. Moreover, when a right edge is used, the lifespan of the blade increases.

The blades cut swiftly and smoothly, which produces the minimum noise at the site. Also, it generates less heat during the drilling procedure using proper coolant. All these qualities guarantee a comfortable and efficient cutting procedure.

Limitation of Diamond Blade

Diamond has low thermal stability and chemical reactivity with iron elements, and carbonation occurs at 700 to 800 degrees Celsius, which is generally not applicable to steel production.

Researchers do not advise using diamond-cutting tools made out of high-melting temperature metals. Also, the diamond grinding tool is time-consuming and costly.

Factors Affecting the Performance of Blade

The following points affect the performance of concrete cutting blades and should be considered when selecting a blade.

Compressive Strength

Concrete varies in compressive strength and is measured in Pounds per Square Inch (PSI). The majority of concrete roads are around 5000 PSI, while the driveway is about 3000 PSI.

Size of Aggregate

Larger aggregates make a blade cut slower and smaller aggregates allow the blade to cut faster. The most common aggregate size are:

Size	PSI
Pea Gravel	Less than ⅜” in diameter
¾”	Sieved Size
1-½’’	Sieved Size

(Source: https://www.mkdiamond.com/pdf/prop65/MK_blade_manual.pdf)

Type of Sand

Sand determines the abrasiveness of the concrete. Sand can either be sharp or round; crushed sand is generally sharp, while river sand is round.

Hardness of Aggregate

Many different types of rocks are used as aggregate. Usually, complex aggregates break down the cutting diamonds faster, which means the bond must be softer to expose new diamonds. Softer aggregates do not break down the cutting diamonds promptly; therefore, it requires a more rigid bond to hold the diamonds in the palace to utilise their full potential.

The Mohs scale measures the hardness of aggregate, generally from one to ten. Most aggregates have a hardness scale which ranges from  two to nine.

Mohs’ Range	Description	Application
8-9	Critically Hard	Trap rock, Basalt, Chert
6-7	Hard	Granite, Quartz, River Rock, Trap Rock
4-5	Medium/Hard	Granite, River Rock
3-4	Medium	Limestone, Sandstone, Marble, Dolomite
2-3	Soft	Soft Limestone

(Source: https://www.mkdiamond.com/pdf/prop65/MK_blade_manual.pdf)

*Mohs scale was introduced by the German geologist Friedrich Mohs in 1812. It characterises the scratch resistance of various minerals using the ability of more rigid material to scratch the softer material.

Reinforcing Steel

It tends to make a blade cut slower. Less reinforcement allows the blade to cut faster. Rebar, a process known as steel reinforcement bars, can result from various steel grades. It holds the concrete construction by establishing a significant binding with the steel and prevents it from falling.

Cured or Green Concrete

The drying and curing of concrete significantly affects how the concrete will interact with a diamond blade. Green concrete is freshly poured concrete, so it is softer and more abrasive than cured concrete. A harder bind with protection should be used in this application until it is fixed and appropriate for a more delicate bond.

However, the definition of green concrete varies; it includes the moisture in the aggregate, climate conditions, water temperature, and the amount of water in the mix. It is considered green for 48 hours after the application.

Conclusion

CA Drillers provides diamond sawing with a diverse quality of blades. Our experts help you choose between blades from the basic economy level to the professional. The only difference between the both is the content of the diamond in it.

We offer diamond sawing services to industrial as well as construction applications. The blades we use in diamond sawing services are designed per industrial standards, ensuring the highest level of cutting performance.