Manufacturing composites is a complex process that can be greatly improved through the use of diamond tools. Diamond tools offer many advantages over traditional metal cutting tools, including longer tool life, faster cutting speeds, and reduced scrap rates. Composite materials vary widely in their compositions. Some materials are soft and tacky while others are hard and abrasive. Selecting the right type of diamond tool and the right grit will make processing difficult-to-cut materials a lot easier.
Over the years, we've manufactured a wide variety of standard and custom-made diamond tools specifically for niche applications in the composites industries ranging from aerospace, transportation, nautical, consumer-goods manufacturing, sporting equipment, military and defence wearables and clean energy. With that experience, we thought we would run through a Q-and-A on some of the most frequently asked questions about diamond tools and composites.
What are diamond tools? Diamond tools are cutting tools that use diamonds as the primary wear surface. This makes them extremely durable and capable of cutting through a wide range of composite materials such as fibreglass, resins, plastics, and Kevlar®.
Why are they used in composite manufacturing? The exceptional durability, performance and accuracy of diamond tools make them ideal for composites manufacturing. The versatility of diamond electroplated or diamond vacuum brazed tooling makes them an ideal match for the variable consistencies of composite materials.
How do diamond tools work for composite materials? Diamonds are the hardest natural material known to man, making diamonds an exceptional choice as a cutting surface. The fully exposed diamond grit in electroplating and vacuum brazing processes guarantees a direct and aggressive grinding mechanism.
What are the benefits of diamond tools for composites manufacturers? There are many benefits to using diamond tools in composites manufacturing, including:
Longer tool life - Diamonds are extremely durable and can withstand high temperatures due to friction and abrasive forces that wear down other materials over time.
Faster cutting speeds - With the correct grit selection based on the application, diamond tools can cut through composites faster than traditional metal cutting tools, resulting in reduced manufacturing times.
Reduced scrap rates - The superior performance and accuracy of diamond tools leads to less scrap material and improved yields. Diamond electroplated and vacuum brazed tooling maintain their shape and accuracy throughout the life of the tool.
Ideal for machining difficult materials - Composites are notoriously difficult to cut and process because of their wide-ranging physical qualities. Resins can be tacky while fibreglass can be extremely abrasive and plastics can be brittle. understanding the physical quality of the material is imperative when designing and developing the right tool for the job.
Precision - Diamond tool maintains its shape. Tighter tolerances
What types of diamond tools are available on the market? There are many different diamond tool options for composites manufacturing. While in some cases a standard diamond tool will suffice, most often our clients opt for a custom engineered diamond tooling solution for their unique application.
Diamond cutting blades - Diamond cutting blades are perfect for cutting and machining composite materials.
Diamond router bits - Diamond router bits are ideal for creating intricate profiles in composites materials.
Diamond core bits or drill bits - Diamond electroplated or vacuum brazed core bits are the tool of choice for cutting holes or openings in composite materials.
Custom diamond grinding wheels - Diamond grinding wheels are perfect for grinding composite materials into the desired shape and size.
Diamond-coated rotary burrs - Rotary burrs create a rounded edge that is ideal for composites manufacturing with minimal chipping or tearing.
Diamond-coated end mills - These are ideal for composites manufacturing applications with large cutting depths.
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How do you choose the right diamond tool? The best way to choose the right diamond tool for your needs is to consider the specific application and materials you are working with. Factors to consider include:
The type of material being cut - Composite materials vary widely in their composition and physical characteristics. It is important to understand the materials' rigidity and abrasiveness when selecting a diamond tool.
The geometry and size of the part - The shape and design of the diamond tool are dependant on the geometry and size of the part being cut or processed. It's important to select a tool that is up to the task.
The material removal rate - In order to achieve the highest MRR (Material Removal Rate) possible, it is extremely important to select the correct grit and diamond application for the job. Both electroplated and vacuum brazed diamond tools are recommended for composites, but they are not interchangeable. It's important to understand the distinction between the two options to make an informed tooling decision.
What care and maintenance are required to keep diamond tools working at their best in a composites manufacturing environment? Diamond tools require little maintenance, as diamond composites are resistant to the high temperatures and pressures involved in composites manufacturing. Diamond tools are not affected by composites manufacturing additives, which minimize the need for frequent cleaning.
Diamond tools offer many advantages over traditional metal cutting tools, including longer tool life, faster cutting speeds, and reduced scrap rates. It can be a complex process when selecting the right diamond tool for your composite manufacturing application. Many factors need to be considered. If we were not able to answer some of your questions above, please feel free to contact our team about your specific composite application.
Under the right conditions and with proper maintenance and handling, significant cost savings can be achieved by running polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tooling. Understanding the basics of diamond tooling is important when contemplating its use in your own production line. First and foremost, think of it as the marathon runner, as it will yield the best results in continuous and steady cutting of homogeneous materials. Diamond tooling is not advisable as an all-round tool that will be required to meet demands of a wide range of cutting applications on a day to day basis. So, if you are machining different materials and want one tool to do it all, the diamond tool will not be able to excel as well as it will if you are machining, for instance, 3/4&#; MDF all day long.
Polycrystalline diamond is manufactured in a high-pressure, high-temperature laboratory process that fuses diamond particles onto a carbide substrate, which, in turn, allows the diamond to be brazed onto a tool body. PCD has an exceptionally high wear resistance factor, in particular with abrasive composite materials that are often difficult to machine with carbide. Examples are: particleboard, MDF, OSB, high pressure laminate, phenolic, fibre glass etc. Depending on what material is being machined, it is not unheard of for a diamond tool to outrun carbide by a ratio of 300 : 1! Nevertheless, when deciding whether to switch, be conservative in your cost analysis and base your decision on the diamond bit lasting 25x longer than carbide. You won&#;t be disappointed!
The original developers of synthetic diamond were GE (Specialty Materials Division) and DeBeers (Element 6) who pioneered this process and mastered the know-how of synthesizing diamond for industrial cutting applications. Meanwhile, there are a number of synthetic diamond tool blank manufacturers, and the quality, durability and wear resistance is not always equal.
When shopping for a PCD tool, it is important to discuss your proposed use and expectations in detail with the tool manufacturer as this allows for selection of the proper PCD grade (grain size), and optimum tool design. In particular, you want to be certain that there is no more PCD on the tool than actually needed (i.e. don&#;t order a tool with 1.1/4&#; cut length when you only cut 3/4&#; material because that needlessly increases the tool cost.
To understand the complete picture and compare &#;apples to apples&#; when shopping, it is important to ask the following questions:
How many times will I be able to sharpen this tool under normal wear conditions?
What will it cost to sharpen this tool?
How long will it take to turnaround a tool when sharpening?
If you neglect to get answers to these questions, you might be in for a surprise to find you were sold a &#;disposable&#; tool that cannot be sharpened at all, or can only be sharpened once. Or, you might think you are getting a bargain when you buy the tool, only to find you are going to be expected to pay 50% of the new tool cost to get it sharpened.
These factors significantly affect the cost per linear foot machined so are important to know when doing a cost comparison or justification for PCD tooling. Below is an example of a cost comparison using a diamond saw blade versus a carbide tipped blade:
$./$. = PCD costs 19.6% of carbide when comparing $/Linear Foot (80.4% cost reduction)
Another advantage of PCD tooling, apart from the longer tool life, includes the quality of finish which is often significantly improved and therefore requires less sanding. With carbide tools, the finish starts to deteriorate from the very first cut onward, whereas the diamond tool maintains a nice clean finish right up until it becomes dull&#;..at which time it plummets and should be pulled for sharpening. Pushing a diamond tool to run a little longer once it shows signs of becoming dull (a good indicator is when the machine amps increase), can result in a substantially larger sharpening cost as the diamond face can shatter and require re-tipping/replacing of the cutting edge.
At first glance PCD tooling seems expensive when compared to carbide however when we compute the cost per linear foot machined, in the right application, PCD will be revealed as the only choice for discerning shops that are cost conscious. As you can see from the cost calculation above, the investment in PCD tools pays off rather quickly. Some of the top PCD applications are machining abrasive materials, composites and workflows that do high volume of the same cut and material type.
With PCD router bits, maintaining correct chip load is very important as heat buildup during the cut will damage the diamond and can lead to tool failure. Accurate tool clamping systems with close tolerances are also essential as is firm material hold down to avoid any vibration during the cut. For specific questions about PCD tooling, please contact us or give us a call at 1-800-544-
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Precision Diamond Tools.