1. Wet diamond blades are used with inadequate water or even dry

During the cutting process, if there is no adequate water flowing on both sides of the diamond blade and in the cut, excessive heat may be generated and there may be some abrasive slurry remaining in the cut.

If the wet diamond blade is laser welded, the abrasive slurry can wear away the blade’s steel core just beneath the segment. This problem is often called undercutting. Serious undercutting can cause the segment to break from the steel core.

If the wet diamond blade is silver brazed, the excessive heat can cause the silver solder which connects the segments to the steel core to be melted, and then the segments may break off.

So adequate water is critical to the wet cutting job, for it can avoid overheating of the diamond blade and can wash out the abrasive slurry. Overheating can also make the diamonds on the segments become blunt. If a wet diamond blade is used without any water (dry), it may take just a few seconds for the blade to be damaged.

2. Dry diamond blades are not used properly

Laser welded diamond blades can be designed to cut some materials without water. However, if dry laser welded diamond blades are used dry arbitrarily, the segment may still break off the diamond blade.

As dry cutting utilizes the air as its coolant, dry diamond blades should be used in the intermittent and shallow sawing mode to allow the air to flow around the blades to dissipate the heat. You can read our how to use diamond blades in dry cutting article for more information. If a dry diamond blade is used in continuous or deep cutting, the blade may be overheated and may lose its segments.

Not all materials can be cut dry. Some very hard materials, e.g., concrete with strong reinforcement, should still be cut with water. Wet cutting can improve cutting efficiency, control dust, and extend the diamond blade’s life.

3. Problems related with the saw machine

If the saw machine’s blade shaft or shaft bearings are worn, the diamond blade may jump up and down in the cutting process. This can lead to segment loss. Replacing the shaft or shaft bearings can resolve the problem.

Some other reasons can also make the diamond blade flutter and then cause segment loss. These reasons include: the diamond blade is mounted on the shaft incorrectly; the nuts or bolts which hold the flange and blade shaft together are not wrenched tight; there is dirt, sand or other materials between the blade steel core and the flange.

4. The material being cut slips and jams the diamond blade

This situation is typically seen in masonry or tile sawing applications and may cause segment loss. To avoid this, the operator should make sure that the material is seated securely on the saw machine, and that he holds the material firmly through his entire cutting process.

1. Choose proper dry-use diamond blades

If you need to perform dry cutting, you should first choose the proper diamond blade which can be used dry. Diamond blades for dry use are normally different from the ones only for wet use. For sintered diamond blades, continuous rim diamond blades are usually only for wet cutting. Most of other sintered diamond blades can be used dry. For welded diamond blades, silver brazed diamond blades cannot be used in dry cutting, while dry-use laser welded diamond blades can. You can read our diamond saw blades introduction article for more information. Dry-use laser welded diamond blades are designed different from the laser welded diamond blades that are only for wet use.

Dry diamond blades usually can be used wet. But if a wet diamond blade is used with inadequate water or even dry, the diamond blade may be overheated and damaged, and even worse, the segment on the blade may break and fly out, and may hurt the operator or the people nearby.

So tell your diamond blade supplier that you need dry cutting, and let him/her choose proper dry diamond blades for you.

2. Operate dry diamond blades properly

After obtaining a right diamond blade for dry use, if the operator fails to operate properly, the excessive heat generated in the dry cutting process may still damage the diamond blade, and the operation can be very dangerous.

Unlike wet cutting using water as the coolant, dry cutting uses air to cool the diamond blade. During dry cutting, the operator should perform intermittent and shallow cuttings to allow the air to flow around the diamond blade.

• Intermittent Cutting: The operator should not do long time continuous dry cuttings. Instead, after some time of dry cutting, he should take the pressure off the diamond blade, and let the blade run freely and to its full speed to allow the air to keep it cool. The duration of each dry cutting operation can be a few minutes to a few seconds depending on the hardness of the material being cut. The harder the material, the more often the diamond blade should be allowed to cool.

• Shallow Cutting: The operator should also perform shallow cuttings to avoid the diamond blade’s overheating. When deep cut is needed, he can do several passes of shallow cuttings (step cut) to achieve it.

• Do not force diamond blade into the material: The operator should allow the diamond blade to cut at its own speed. Forcing the blade may cause overheating and blade damage.