MK Diamond CX-3 - Manual (Page 32)

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Types of Cutting
There are two basic types of cutting-Dry or Wet. The choice of which type of blade to use depends
on:
• The requirements of the job
• The machine/tool utilizing the diamond blade
• The preference of the operator
In the case of DRY cutting, the overwhelming popularity and quantity of hand-held saws and the
flexible nature of MK Diamond blades to professionally handle most ceramic, masonry, stone and
concrete materials, make the DRY cutting blade a very attractive tool. When using a DRY blade,
the user must be aware of distinct operating practices to ensure optimum performance. DRY cutting
blades require sufficient airflow about the blade to prevent overheating of the steel core. This is best
accomplished by shallow, intermittent cuts of the material with periods of “free-spinning” (for several
seconds) between each cut, to maximize the cooling process.
For WET cutting applications, MK has the exact blade to compliment both the material to be cut and
the wet cutting machine to be used. During cutting operations, liberal amounts of water act as a
coolant to support the cutting effectiveness and longevity of the WET blade. Additionally, using water
adds to the overall safety of cutting operations by keeping the dust signature down.
Know All You Can About the Material You Wish to Cut
Diamond blades do not really cut; they grind the material through friction. Diamond crystals, often
visible at the leading edge and sides of the rim/segment, remove material by scratching out par-
ticles of hard, dense materials, or by knocking out larger particles of loosely bonded abrasive mate-
rial. This process eventually cracks or fractures the diamond particle, breaking it down into smaller
pieces. As a result, a diamond blade for cutting soft, abrasive material must have a hard metal
matrix composition to resist this erosion long enough for the exposed diamonds to be properly uti-
lized. Conversely, a blade for cutting a hard, non-abrasive material must have a soft bond to ensure
that it will erode and expose the diamonds embedded in the matrix. These simple principles are the
foundation of “controlled bond erosion”
THEORY OF DIAMOND BLADES
CX-3
®
THEORY