Under the right conditions and with proper maintenance and handling, significant cost savings can be achieved by running polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tooling. Understanding the basics of diamond tooling is important when contemplating its use in your own production line. First and foremost, think of it as the marathon runner, as it will yield the best results in continuous and steady cutting of homogeneous materials. Diamond tooling is not advisable as an all-round tool that will be required to meet demands of a wide range of cutting applications on a day to day basis. So, if you are machining different materials and want one tool to do it all, the diamond tool will not be able to excel as well as it will if you are machining, for instance, 3/4' MDF all day long.
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Polycrystalline diamond is manufactured in a high-pressure, high-temperature laboratory process that fuses diamond particles onto a carbide substrate, which, in turn, allows the diamond to be brazed onto a tool body. PCD has an exceptionally high wear resistance factor, in particular with abrasive composite materials that are often difficult to machine with carbide. Examples are: particleboard, MDF, OSB, high pressure laminate, phenolic, fibre glass etc. Depending on what material is being machined, it is not unheard of for a diamond tool to outrun carbide by a ratio of 300 : 1! Nevertheless, when deciding whether to switch, be conservative in your cost analysis and base your decision on the diamond bit lasting 25x longer than carbide. You won't be disappointed!
The original developers of synthetic diamond were GE (Specialty Materials Division) and DeBeers (Element 6) who pioneered this process and mastered the know-how of synthesizing diamond for industrial cutting applications. Meanwhile, there are a number of synthetic diamond tool blank manufacturers, and the quality, durability and wear resistance is not always equal.
When shopping for a PCD tool, it is important to discuss your proposed use and expectations in detail with the tool manufacturer as this allows for selection of the proper PCD grade (grain size), and optimum tool design. In particular, you want to be certain that there is no more PCD on the tool than actually needed (i.e. don't order a tool with 1.1/4' cut length when you only cut 3/4' material because that needlessly increases the tool cost.
To understand the complete picture and compare 'apples to apples' when shopping, it is important to ask the following questions:
How many times will I be able to sharpen this tool under normal wear conditions?
What will it cost to sharpen this tool?
How long will it take to turnaround a tool when sharpening?
If you neglect to get answers to these questions, you might be in for a surprise to find you were sold a 'disposable' tool that cannot be sharpened at all, or can only be sharpened once. Or, you might think you are getting a bargain when you buy the tool, only to find you are going to be expected to pay 50% of the new tool cost to get it sharpened.
These factors significantly affect the cost per linear foot machined so are important to know when doing a cost comparison or justification for PCD tooling. Below is an example of a cost comparison using a diamond saw blade versus a carbide tipped blade:
$./$. = PCD costs 19.6% of carbide when comparing $/Linear Foot (80.4% cost reduction)
Another advantage of PCD tooling, apart from the longer tool life, includes the quality of finish which is often significantly improved and therefore requires less sanding. With carbide tools, the finish starts to deteriorate from the very first cut onward, whereas the diamond tool maintains a nice clean finish right up until it becomes dull'..at which time it plummets and should be pulled for sharpening. Pushing a diamond tool to run a little longer once it shows signs of becoming dull (a good indicator is when the machine amps increase), can result in a substantially larger sharpening cost as the diamond face can shatter and require re-tipping/replacing of the cutting edge.
At first glance PCD tooling seems expensive when compared to carbide however when we compute the cost per linear foot machined, in the right application, PCD will be revealed as the only choice for discerning shops that are cost conscious. As you can see from the cost calculation above, the investment in PCD tools pays off rather quickly. Some of the top PCD applications are machining abrasive materials, composites and workflows that do high volume of the same cut and material type.
With PCD router bits, maintaining correct chip load is very important as heat buildup during the cut will damage the diamond and can lead to tool failure. Accurate tool clamping systems with close tolerances are also essential as is firm material hold down to avoid any vibration during the cut. For specific questions about PCD tooling, please contact us or give us a call at 1-800-544-
What are PCD Blades?
PCD Blades are blades for circular saws, but compared to a standard circular saw blade where the teeth are tungsten carbide tipped, PCD blades have teeth made of Polycrystalline Diamond. They are otherwise referred to as diamond PCD blades.
What is polycrystalline diamond?
Diamond is the hardest material in nature and is the most resistant to abrasion. Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) is an artificial diamond produced in a laboratory through a sintering process. It is an extremely resilient material where diamond crystals are bonded to a base material of tungsten carbide.
During the sintering process, the spaces between the PCD grains are filled with a cobalt alloy and the single diamond grains bond to each other.
This results is a material that matches no other in terms of toughness, durability and resistance, making polycrystalline diamond an excellent cutting material and perfect for use in cutting tools especially where the material is particularly abrasive. It also contributes to the diamond tool having a longer cutting lifetime. In fact, DART PCD blades will last up to 15x longer than a DART TCT Saw Blade!
Features of a PCD Blade.
Most PCD Blades typically have 4 or 8 teeth. Due to the durability of the tooth, it is unnecessary to have multiple teeth like a TCT blade. Also compared to TCT teeth, PCD teeth will take shavings meaning less dust.
DART PCD Blades feature an extra-large gullet design which improves the removal of material.
How to use a PCD Blade:
When using a PCD Blade is important to never have the blade sticking more than 1mm out of the bottom of the substrate.
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By allowing the whole tooth to be exposed below the material, the tooth will smash into the bottom of the substrate as it comes back through. This action will weaken the tooth and cause it to shatter or detach itself from the blade.
Why should I use PCD Blades?
Designed with durability and accuracy in mind, DART PCD Fibre Cement Saw Blades are suitable for a wide variety of tough materials and should be considered when sawing:
Wood based materials, for example MDF.
Composite Materials, for example, Composite Decking, Fibre Cement Board and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP).
Plastics, for example, thermosetting plastic and Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP).
Two of the main uses for a PCD diamond blade in the UK are for Composite Decking and Fibre Cement Board Cladding.
Composite Decking is a man-made product made up of a mix of wood fibres, plastic and bonding agent. Due to its long life, easy care and quality look and feel, it is becoming the go-to for decking. There are many types of composite decking, for example:
NeoTimber
Trex
WeatherDek
Milboard
Fibre Cement Board Cladding is also a man-made material. It is made up of sand, cement and cellulose fibres. Thanks to its energy efficiency, sustainability, durability and distinct design, fibre cement board cladding is becoming increasingly popular on residential buildings.
There are many types of Fibre Cement Board Cladding, for example:
Hardieplank
Trespa
Minerit
Eternit
DART PCD Blades will last up to 15x longer in these materials compared to a TCT blade, making them an excellent price/performance blade.
PCD Blades should not be used on ferrous materials, because Polycrystalline Diamond reacts to elements such as iron and cobalt, so this will cause tool deterioration.
DART PCD Blades are competitively priced in the market and live up to the trusted high quality DART standard. When choosing a DART PCD blade, you can be sure it will exceed your expectations, cut through tough materials with accuracy, and last you 15x longer than a standard TCT blade!
We love to see our DART products in action! Be sure to tag DART Tool Group on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to share how a DART PCD Fibre Cement Blade made your life easier!
Gemma Cowley | DART Tool Group
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