Wire Saw - Model L850 - L850

The Model L850 Wire Saw offers the most gentle mechanical method for cutting virtually any material using either a diamond impregnated wire blade or a plain wire blade with an abrasive slurry. In addition to traditional mechanical cutting, the saw can also be used as a string saw to cut water soluble crystals. It is most useful for cutting fragile crystals, substrates with delicate layers or any material that would be damaged when using a diamond wheel saw. Very brittle materials will cut the fastest, but even soft materials can be cut since there is not the problem of loading the blade that is inherent with diamond or abrasive wheels. The Wire Saw has sample holders available to hold virtually any shape sample including a goniometer to simplify the cutting of oriented crystals.

Special Features:

• Variable speed abrasive slurry pump and reservoir with mixing motor keeps abrasive in suspension and ensures that fresh abrasive is constantly applied to the cutting area.
• Easy to replace continuous loop wire blade.
• Micrometer cross-feed mechanism provides precise sample positioning.
• 2 or 3-axis goniometers can be transferred directly from an x-ray or optical track for cutting oriented crystals.
• Counterbalanced arm allows for fine adjustments in cutting pressures.
• Optional microscope provides a capability for precise sample alignment.

Operation:

When used as an abrasive slurry wire saw the Model L850 offers the most gentle mechanical method for cutting a material. A sample is mounted to a sample holder and attached to a work table on the base of the saw. An appropriate load is applied by adjusting the counterbalancing weight and the mechanical downstop is set. The sample is then positioned in any starting position relative to the wire blade and then a micrometer is used for precise sample positioning. With the wire rotating, the arm is gently lowered until the wire blade touches the sample. Abrasive slurry is applied by hand from a drop bottle or automatically with the Model L85030 Abrasive Recirculating System. The cutting is accomplished by directing the abrasive slurry to the point of contact between the moving wire blade and the sample. The excell slurry will drain off the contoured base of the saw into a reservoir. Cutting will continue until the mechanical downstop is reached.

When used as a diamond wire saw the Model L850 uses a diamond impregnated wire blade and a water coolant in place of the abrasive slurry. Diamond wire cutting is used for cutting hard materials or when contamination from an abrasive slurry is undesirable.

When used as a string saw the Model L850 can cut water soluble crystals such as sodium chloride, by having a water soaked wick rub against a standard wire blade. The water is carried on the wire blade to the sample and cuts by dissolving its way through the crystal.

Wire Blades:

Five different wire blades are abailable for the wire saw: 0.005", 0.010" and 0.015" diameter plain wires and 0.010" and 0.015" diameter diamond impregnated wires. The wire blades will last from 0.75 to 4 hours of cutting time with the average being from 1 to 2 hours. The 0.005" diameter wires will last from 0.5 to 1.5 hours of cutting time. The life of the blade depends on many factors including wire speed, pressure, blade diameter, material being cut and type of abrasive slurry. It is important to note that the blades used with the abrasive slurry will decrease in diameter as they are used while the diamond impregnated wires will maintain the same diameter.

Abrasive Slurries:

We offer premixed abrasive slurries in boron carbide, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide and diamond for use with the wire saw. Boron carbide is most commonly used as it is very hard and it's relatively low density allows it to stay in suspension better than silicon carbide.