Experimental Investigation on Diamond Band Saw Processing of Resin Mineral Composites

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2024-04-15
Journal	Materials
Authors	Jiahao Sun, Jianhua Zhang, Weizhou Gu, Yunfang Long, Chuanxin Guo
Institutions	Shandong University
Citations	1
Analysis	Full AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: Diamond Materials for Precision RMC Finishing

This documentation analyzes the findings of “Experimental Investigation on Diamond Band Saw Processing of Resin Mineral Composites” to highlight 6CCVD’s capabilities in supplying advanced MPCVD diamond materials necessary for achieving ultra-precision surface quality in demanding applications, such as high-grade CNC machine tool components.

Executive Summary

The research successfully validates diamond band sawing for rough-cutting Resin Mineral Composites (RMC), a material critical for high-end CNC equipment. However, the findings underscore the necessity of subsequent ultra-precision finishing, a domain where 6CCVD’s MPCVD diamond materials provide a distinct advantage.

Process Validation: Diamond band sawing achieved low, controllable forces ($F_f$ 3.5-5.5 N, $F_t$ 1.0-2.0 N) suitable for RMC processing.
Surface Quality Achieved: Best average surface roughness (Ra) was measured between Ra1.8 and Ra2.0 µm, achieved at high sawing speed (1600 m/min) and low feed speed (4 mm/min).
Critical Defect Identified: A significant processing defect—a step structure with a height difference of 10 µm to 15 µm—was consistently observed at the resin-mineral interface.
Implication for Service Life: This step defect causes stress concentration, increases friction/wear, and compromises RMC component performance in high-demand environments.
6CCVD Value Proposition: The identified defects necessitate ultra-precision finishing (polishing/lapping) to achieve the required Ra < 1 nm and eliminate interface steps, requiring high-quality diamond materials supplied by 6CCVD.

Technical Specifications

The following hard data points were extracted from the experimental results, focusing on process parameters and resulting material characteristics.

Parameter	Value	Unit	Context
Sawing Speed Range ($V_s$)	1120 to 1600	m/min	Experimental range tested
Feed Speed Range ($V_f$)	4 to 8	mm/min	Experimental range tested
Stable Tangential Force ($F_t$)	1.0 to 2.0	N	Stable sawing stage force level
Stable Feed Force ($F_f$)	3.5 to 5.5	N	Stable sawing stage force level
Optimal Resin Ra	1.979	µm	Achieved at $V_s=1600$ m/min, $V_f=4$ mm/min
Optimal Mineral Ra	1.877	µm	Achieved at $V_s=1600$ m/min, $V_f=4$ mm/min
Interface Step Height Defect	10 to 15	µm	Height difference at resin-mineral interface
Lateral Force Fluctuation	Up to 94.86	% higher	Observed in high mineral content areas
Diamond Band Saw Mesh	80	N/A	Grit size of electroplated diamond particles
Aggregate Compressive Strength (Granite)	202.43	MPa	RMC component material property

Key Methodologies

The experimental investigation involved RMC preparation, diamond band sawing, and detailed surface analysis.

RMC Material Preparation:
- Binder: Bisphenol A epoxy resin (grade 618A) mixed with 593 curing agent (20% mass fraction).
- Aggregate: Jinan blue granite and quartz stone.
- Interface Treatment: Aggregate surfaces treated with silane coupling agent (1:1:8 volume ratio of coupling agent:deionized water:absolute ethanol) at 20 °C for 10 min.
- Casting: Pressure plate casting process utilizing 10 °C defoaming agent (dimethyl silicone oil, 1.5% mass fraction) to reduce porosity.
- Workpiece Size: Finished RMC workpieces measured 160 x 40 x 40 mm³.
Sawing Experiment Setup:
- Machine: W-900 band saw machine.
- Tooling: Diamond band saw blade (4800 x 50 x 0.65 mm³) with continuous teeth, 80 mesh diamond particles (electroplated on spring steel).
- Measurement: Sawing forces ($F_t$, $F_f$, $F_l$) measured using a Kistler 9257B dynamometer (eight-channel mode). Vibration monitored by Kistler 8763B050BB three-axis acceleration sensor.
- Parameters: Twelve sets of combinations tested, varying $V_s$ (1120 to 1600 m/min) and $V_f$ (4 to 8 mm/min).
Surface Analysis:
- Equipment: Sensofar S neox 3D Optical Profiler (laser confocal test mode, 10x lens, NA 0.3).
- Data Processing: Raw force signals denoised using Fast Fourier Transform (5 Hz cutoff) and smoothed by neighbor averaging (500 window points). Surface roughness (Ra) calculated according to ISO 21920 standard.

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

The research clearly demonstrates that while diamond band sawing is effective for bulk material removal in RMC, the resulting surface quality (Ra 1.8-2.6 µm) and the critical 10-15 µm interface step defect are unacceptable for high-precision components like CNC guide rails. 6CCVD specializes in the MPCVD diamond materials required for the subsequent ultra-precision finishing steps needed to eliminate these defects.

Applicable Materials

To achieve the sub-micron surface quality and flatness required for high-end RMC components, 6CCVD recommends the following materials for use in precision grinding, lapping, and polishing tools:

Optical Grade SCD (Single Crystal Diamond): Ideal for manufacturing ultra-precision cutting edges or lapping plates where surface quality (Ra < 1 nm) is paramount. SCD provides the highest purity and structural integrity necessary for achieving mirror finishes on RMC components.
High-Purity PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond): Recommended for durable, large-area grinding wheels or plates used in the intermediate finishing stages. 6CCVD can supply PCD plates up to 125 mm in diameter, offering superior wear resistance and thermal stability compared to conventional diamond abrasives.
Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD): If the RMC component requires integrated sensing or electrochemical functionality (e.g., for in-situ monitoring of wear or corrosion), BDD films can be deposited directly onto the component or used in specialized tooling.

Customization Potential

The paper notes that RMC is often used for large, long-cut components (like guide rails). 6CCVD’s manufacturing capabilities directly support the tooling requirements for these large-scale applications:

Research Requirement	6CCVD Capability	Benefit to Client
Need for large-area finishing tools	Custom PCD plates up to 125 mm diameter	Enables high-throughput, uniform finishing of large RMC components.
Need for ultra-flat surfaces	SCD polishing capability (Ra < 1 nm)	Eliminates the 10-15 µm interface step defect and achieves required flatness for precision machine tools.
Potential for integrated functionality	Custom Metalization (Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, Cu)	Allows researchers to integrate electrical contacts or sensors directly onto diamond tools or RMC components for advanced monitoring.
Need for specific tool geometries	Laser Cutting and Shaping Services	Provides custom diamond wafer shapes and thicknesses (SCD 0.1 µm - 500 µm) for specialized grinding or lapping heads.

Engineering Support

The challenge of processing brittle, heterogeneous materials like RMC—specifically managing the elastic modulus mismatch that causes the interface step defect—is a complex materials science problem.

6CCVD’s in-house PhD engineering team offers consultation services to researchers and manufacturers working on similar Composite Material Processing projects. We assist in:

Tool Material Selection: Optimizing the diamond grade (SCD vs. PCD) and thickness for specific RMC finishing stages.
Process Optimization: Advising on how diamond tool properties (e.g., crystal orientation, surface roughness of the tool itself) can mitigate defects arising from material heterogeneity and brittleness.
Thermal Management: Utilizing the superior thermal conductivity of MPCVD diamond to reduce thermal damage and stress at the resin-mineral interface during high-speed finishing.

Call to Action

To overcome the limitations of RMC sawing and achieve the ultra-precision surface quality required for high-grade CNC machine tool components, advanced MPCVD diamond materials are essential for subsequent finishing steps.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

View Original Abstract

Resin mineral composite (RMC) is a new material with several times the damping properties of gray cast iron and great corrosion resistance. Due to its overall brittleness, sawing with a diamond band saw would be a suitable method. In this research, sawing experiments are carried out to study the sawing force characteristics of the material and its surface morphology during the processing. The results show that the feed force level is in the range of 3.5~5.5 N and the tangential force level is relatively low. The distribution of resin mineral components does not have a significant impact on the average sawing force but increases the fluctuation of the lateral force signal. The maximum fluctuation volume is 94.86% higher than other areas. Uneven lateral force, generated when diamond particles pass through the resin-mineral interface, is one of the causes of fluctuations. The machined surface of RMC has uniform strip scratches and a small number of pits. Maintaining a constant ratio of sawing speed to feed speed can result in approximately the same machined surface. A step structure with a height of about 10 μm appears at the interface of resin minerals. As a processing defect, it may affect the performance of RMC components in some aspects, which need a further precision machining processing.

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17081814

References

2021 - Digital Twin Control of Multi-Axis Wood CNC Machining Center Based on LinuxCNC [Crossref]
2018 - Improving machining accuracy of cnc machines with innovative design methods [Crossref]
2016 - Research on Mixed Fiber Reinforced Resin Mineral Composites
2017 - Shear bond strengths of composite resin and giomer to mineral trioxide aggregate at different time intervals
2017 - Study on Dynamic Characteristics of Resin mineral Composite Grinding Machine Bed
2019 - Mechanical Properties of Mo Fiber-reinforced Resin Mineral Composites with Different Mass Ratio of Resin and Hardener [Crossref]
2022 - Comparison on forming quality and static strength for self-piercing riveting joints of laminated plates with different sandwich materials and AA5052 aluminum alloy
2021 - Influence mechanism of multi-factor on the diameter of the stepped hole in the drilling of CFRP/Ti stacks [Crossref]