The diamond wire is a relatively new member of the diamond tool industry.

In the middle of the eighties it was first used for the quarrying of soft types of granite in quarries.

Due to constant development the diamond wire can be used for quarrying all sorts of granite and marble materials.

Its field of application has expanded beyond the use in quarries, too. It is used more and more on stationary machines for block shaping, processing and on contour wire saws. Nowadays block processing has reached a new technology level; the multi wire system (up to 60 wires on one machine).

The diamond wire is not only useful for the rough processing of blocks. It can (and increasingly is) also be used for production of complicated profiles in the field of monument design as well as of decorative objects for the construction industry.

The diamond wire consists of

• a carrying wire out of steel
• diamond beads
• a rubber or plastic coating

The steel wire works as a carrier for the beads and the rubber or plastic coating. For this we only use special high load open twisted wires, whose engi­neered structure ensures a perfect wire rotation with appropriate pre-twisting.

The beads equipped with a diamond mantle segment carry out the actual cutting work. The base of these beads is a cobalt alloy, which has already proved its performance on our segments for diamond circular saws. This base has been modified in order to achieve optimum free cutting and long life characteristics for the wire saw. Embedded into this metal alloy is a diamond quality, which was chosen specifically for the use on diamond wire due to its extreme fractural strength and high quality crystal structure.

The rubber or plastic coating protects the carrier wire from corrosion and from the grinding effect of the material to be sawn. It is also responsible for the fixed sit of the diamond beads on the wire.

The use of new developed plastics or elastomer and their subsequent treatment techniques guarantees the high resistance to aging, the necessary wear and abrasive resistance and the indispensible wire flexibility even under extreme conditions of application.

The components of our repair kit are:

• hydraulic handheld press
• pneumatic press
• pressing tools for hydraulic and pneumatic press
• wire cutter
• compressed air grinder
• brass brush
• connectors for steel wire for dia. 4 and 5 mm

The diamond wire gives a whole lot of advantages compared to the conventional methods of granite quarrying. Some of them are:

• high cutting speed
• high yield of material due to small cut
• reduction in cutting-to-size of blocks due to its good precutted shape
• high cutting flexibility, all types of cuts are possible
• significant reductions of noise level

Economical advantages as well as its flexible application possibilities have lead to it, that diamond wires are also used on wire block saws. The following outstanding advantages compared to alternative processing methods can be mentioned:

• high cutting accuracy
• low reworking costs
• high cutting flexibility
• low investment costs
• high application flexibility
• significant reduction of noise level
• easy tool change

As crucial advantages can be mentioned:

• economical production of demanding objects
• very high flexibility
• very high profile accuracy
• very high quality surface finish

1. Check rotation of the diamond wire, (“peg”- or colour marking method)
2. Check if there are no obstacles in the danger area of the machine.
3. Examine diamond wire before and after sawing for outer visible defaults.
   • Only use wire without bends, cracks and without extreme uneven wear of the beads (± 0,4 mm). Cut out loose beads or damaged connections with additionally extremely worn beads on the right and left side of the coupling and replace by new connections or repair pieces of wire. The diameter of the beads on the repair pieces has to be smaller or the same as the diameter of the existing beads, in order to avoid a blocking of the wire in the cut.
   • Use only repair pieces of the same diamond wire quality.
   • For crimping and cutting of diamond wires use only special tools and connectors, which are usually used for diamond wires.
4. Pre-twist diamond wire sufficiently. Pre-twist at least once a metre that way, so that the core wire threading is turned tighter. Avoid bends and tight radius when pre-twisting. Pre-twist again after each opening or splitting of the wire.
5. Check cutting direction of the wire. Run diamond wire only in the cutting direction marked by directional markers on the rubber or plastic coating.
6. Check wire tension
7. Check the fixing of the work piece.
8. Install deflection pulleys with sharp workpiece edges and small wrap radius.
   • Guide too long, unguided wires by pressure wheels.
   • Secure all deflection, pressure and driving pulley firmly against loosening, in that process deflection and driving pulleys have to be aligned.
   • Break sharp workpiece edges.
9. Keep the safety distance to the diamond wire saw during cutting.
   • When working in the danger area of the wire saw stop the diamond wire.
10. Pay attention to sufficient water supply at the entrance of the wire and in the cut.