A study of diamond wire rock cutting process analysis by FEM

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2015-11-30
Journal	Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
Authors	Mohammed Ruhul Kabir, Myung Sagong, Sung-Kwon Ahn
Citations	1
Analysis	Full AI Review Included

Diamond Wire Rock Cutting Optimization: Advanced Abrasives for Low-Vibration Tunneling

6CCVD Technical Analysis of FEM Simulation for Diamond Wire Saw Performance

This document analyzes the research “A study of diamond wire rock cutting process analysis by FEM,” focusing on the material science and engineering requirements relevant to 6CCVD’s expertise in MPCVD Single Crystal (SCD) and Polycrystalline (PCD) diamond solutions for high-performance abrasive tooling.

Executive Summary

This study successfully used Finite Element Modeling (FEM) to analyze the core mechanics of diamond wire rock cutting, providing crucial insights for tool design and operational efficiency in low-vibration tunneling projects.

Application Focus: Development of high-efficiency diamond wire saw methods suitable for sensitive tunneling environments (e.g., near existing infrastructure).
Core Finding: Cutting efficiency is directly and drastically dependent on the applied normal load (simulating wire tension) on the diamond bead.
Quantified Improvement: Increasing the normal load by 500% (from 100 N to 500 N) resulted in a 100% improvement in the rock cutting rate (1.402 m²/h vs. 0.70 m²/h).
Methodology: Explicit non-linear FEM (LS-DYNA) was utilized, modeling a single diamond bead (0.3 mm grits) against a rock base defined by an elastic viscoplastic continuum damage model (MAT_105).
Tool Design Implication: Optimization efforts must focus on developing diamond bead matrices and diamond segments robust enough to handle significantly increased normal loads (500 N+) without premature failure.
6CCVD Value Proposition: We provide the high-quality Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) plates necessary for manufacturing abrasive segments that can withstand the extreme mechanical and thermal stresses encountered at optimal cutting loads.

Technical Specifications

The following hard data points were extracted from the numerical simulations, defining the optimized conditions for the cutting process and the properties of the simulated materials.

Parameter	Value	Unit	Context
Maximum Cutting Rate	1.402	m²/h	Achieved at 500 N Normal Load
Baseline Cutting Rate	0.70 (0.82)	m²/h	Achieved at 100 N Normal Load (0.70 used in summary)
Bead Travel Velocity	25	m/s	Constant velocity based on field data
Optimal Travels Required	7	counts	Minimum travel requirement (at 500 N) to achieve rock failure
Max Applied Normal Load	500	N	Input simulating maximum wire tension
Simulated Diamond Grit Size	0.3	mm	Approximate size of abrasive particles
Simulated Bead Dimensions	10 x 2.5	mm	Length x Height of the modeled bead
Rock Compressive Strength (σ_c)	66	MPa	MAT_105 model input for simulated rock analog
Rock Young’s Modulus (E)	30	GPa	MAT_105 material stiffness input
Rock Density (ρ)	2,400	kg/m³	MAT_105 material density input
Critical Damage Value (D_c)	0.003	-	Failure criteria in the Continuum Damage Model

Key Methodologies

The rock cutting behavior was analyzed using a 2D explicit non-linear Finite Element Model (FEM) focusing on the dynamic interaction between a single abrasive bead and a rock surface.

Modeling Environment: Simulations performed using LS-DYNA explicit code, suitable for dynamic, non-linear problems like chip formation and material failure.
Material Model (Rock): The base rock (200 mm L x 7.5 mm H) was defined using MAT_105, an Elastic Viscoplastic material model coupled with Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM), enabling the prediction of crack propagation and failure.
Material Model (Bead): The bead (10 mm L x 2.5 mm H) was modeled as a rigid body with diamond grits (approx. 0.3 mm) mechanically held to its surface.
Element Formulation: 2D quadrilateral shell elements were implemented, utilizing a plain strain method on the x-y plane.
Kinematics: A constant bead velocity of 25 m/s was applied across the rock surface.
Parametric Sweep: Three primary experiments were conducted by varying the Normal Load (simulating wire tension):
- Experiment 1: 100 N load (14 travels required for failure)
- Experiment 2: 200 N load (12 travels required for failure)
- Experiment 3: 500 N load (7 travels required for failure)
Performance Metric: Cutting Rate (m²/h) was calculated using the bead travel time and the resulting area of material removal (rock failure via nodal separation).

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

This FEM study highlights the need for exceptionally durable and high-performing diamond segments capable of sustaining high loads and friction velocities (25 m/s). 6CCVD provides the engineered diamond materials and customization services required to commercialize and optimize these findings.

Applicable Materials

To replicate or extend the performance demonstrated under high-load conditions (500 N), the following 6CCVD materials are required:

Primary Recommendation: Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) Plates.
- PCD is essential for abrasive tooling due to its high fracture toughness, thermal stability, and large synthesis area capability, allowing for the manufacture of complex, durable segments for diamond wire beads.
- 6CCVD provides PCD plates up to 125 mm in custom thicknesses (0.1 µm to 500 µm) suitable for sintering or brazing into robust wire saw matrices.
Abrasive Component: MPCVD diamond provides the high purity and structural integrity required for grits, ensuring maximum wear resistance against 66 MPa rock.
Substrate Requirement: While the paper models the grit interface, 6CCVD offers thick SCD/PCD substrates (up to 10 mm) for specialized backing plates requiring extreme rigidity and low wear.

Customization Potential

The success of this research relies entirely on precise bead dimensions and grit embedding. 6CCVD ensures seamless transition from simulation requirements to physical product:

Requirement from FEM Study	6CCVD Customization Service	Value Proposition
Custom Bead Geometries (e.g., 10 mm x 2.5 mm segments)	Precision Laser Machining	We offer in-house laser cutting and shaping services to produce PCD segments in any required dimension or complex profile, eliminating third-party processing delays.
Metalization for Sintering/Brazing	Integrated Metalization Services	Custom metal contact layers (including Ti, W, Au, Pt, Pd, Cu) can be applied directly to PCD segments to optimize bonding strength within the abrasive matrix for superior performance under high normal loads.
Tolerances	Ultra-Precision Polishing	Our polishing capabilities achieve surface roughness (Ra) of < 5 nm on inch-size PCD, ensuring highly controlled contact geometry crucial for consistent FEM model replication.

Engineering Support

This research utilized complex damage models (MAT_105) and non-linear FEM simulations. Replicating these findings physically requires expertise in high-strain-rate material behavior.

6CCVD’s in-house PhD material science team specializes in translating explicit FEM data (like this LS-DYNA study) into optimized diamond tool recipes.
We offer technical collaboration and material selection consultation specifically for “Vibration-free Rapid Tunneling Technology” and high-load abrasive machining projects.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly. Global shipping (DDU default, DDP available) ensures rapid delivery of critical components anywhere in the world.

View Original Abstract

In this paper diamond wire cutting method has been proposed to cut the rock in the tunnel face. Diamond wire saw method could cut the rock from tunnel face with very minor vibration and noise. In this study rock cutting process has been simulated with FEM method by using LS-DYNA explicit non-linear finite element code. Normal load act as an prime factor when cutting the rock surface. For observing the effect of normal load on bead, several experiments has been conducted by varying normal loads on the bead. From each experiment, cutting rate has been calculated to compare the cutting rate with different load conditions. By increasing the normal load on bead, cutting rate increases drastically.

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.9711/ktaj.2015.17.6.615