Blades for Alumina Ceramic and Silicon Carbide
United Diamond Tools carry a range of diamond blades for cutting wear plate tiles, from sheet form ceramic to rubber encased alumina ceramic. We carry blades to cut with the cleanest possible cuts.
These blades also suit for silicon carbide, ceramic and porcelain, travertine, hard stone etc
Our range of blades are from 5"/125mm to 20"/500mm, so next time your cutting advanced impact resistant alumina ceramic, rubber composite or zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) give us a call.
We have a range of blades from our standard ceramic sheet blades to our Turbo and super Turbo ceramic blades.
Our Ultra Thin blades need to remove less material to cut, so cutting is faster and cleaner.
Because they are thinner, they have less diamond. They will wear out faster, but are a lower price initially.
They are now avaible in a range of sizes up to 14"/350mm.
Chipping can be caused by-
- Wrong blade for the material
- Material is not securely held in place
- Check saw to make sure it is not out of alignment (cutting on a slight angle)
- Check saw's condition to make sure bearings and rollers do not have any wobble or play
- Reduce feed rate ie don't push through too fast
- Insufficient water
- Blunt blade. See our dressing stones here
Rim Cutter Diamond blade |
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7"/175mm 8"/200mm 12"/300mm 14"/350mm |
Our original blade style for cutting Alumina Ceramic Blade on tile saws. With 10mm high segments and long life. Good performance cutting Alumina Ceramic tile only (little or no rubber) and with acceptable cutting speed and reasonable life. |
Super Laser Turbo Series Diamond Blade |
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12"/300mm 14"/350mm 16"/400mm 20"/500mm |
Well known, fast cutting diamond blade for alumina ceramic and silicon carbide composite (rubber and tile). Features 10mm high segments and long life. 2.8mm thick. 12"/300mm and14"/350mm blades are available with 30mm/1" centre or 40mm centre at no extra charge. Also ideal on granite and porcelain pavers. |
Ultra Thin Turbo Diamond Blades |
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4"/100mm 5"/125mm 8"/200mm 9"/230mm 10"/250mm 12"/300mm 14"/350mm |
These ultra thin blades have immediately proven themselves with Australia's alumina ceramic cutting industry. Best on tile only ( no rubber). They provide the ultimate in clean cuts. With features to stop blade flexing. And they are amazing value as well. Also ideal for ceramic, tiles, porcelain, hard stone etc. We stock two ranges of Ultra thin blades, both designed for this application. 5"/125mm - 22.23mm centre, 1.2mm thick |
"Clean Cut" Diamond Blades |
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12"/300mm 16"/400mm |
These blades feature clean cutting and reinforcement in the hub to stop the blade flexing. The soft bond means these blades can cut hard products without chipping. 2.7mm thick Best on alumina tile only (little or no rubber). Also ideal on porcelain pavers, Deuropave , DEKTON, Hard Granite, Quartzite, Glass etc 12"/300mm 50mm cutting depth (Last photo - Super turbo series blade segment next to clean cut blade segment) |
350mm "Bumpy" diamond blade |
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14"/350mm only $330 incl GST each |
"Bumpy" edge for faster cutting of alumina, hard stone, DEKTON and hard materials 2.3mm thick reduces chipping. 30mm/1" centre *** Ensure sufficient coolant to stop blade overheating *** |
Budget Options:
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Husqvarna Elite Cut GS2 has a great performance/price ratio thanks to high performance compared to low cost. Tyrolit 20035225 version: |
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Photo of (starting from outside):
Tyrolit 350mm continious rim $176 incl GST
300mm AluminaP $225 incl GST
250mm AluminaEUT $150 incl GST
200mm AluminaP $160 incl GST
125mm AluminaEUT $50 incl GST
Prices correct as of 1/7/24 but subject to change without notice.
Cutting Alumina Ceramic:
We have put together a free Cutting Alumina Ceramic Ebook made especially for UDT customers:
Download 'Cutting Alumina Ceramic: Ultimate Guide' Ebook
Download the PDF above ...or continue reading below for the information in our booklet:
Advanced modern ceramics are known as very difficult-to-machine materials. The main factors are their hardness and brittleness. But at the same time, ceramic components often need to meet high standards for dimensional accuracy and surface quality.
Over the years, we have worked with our customers and our diamond blade suppliers to provide cutting solutions to the evolving wear plate industry. As the percentage of zirconium in alumina ceramic has increased, our diamond blades have changed to respond to our customers' demands.
To achieve maximum diamond blade life and overall performance you will need to account for:
- Material Hardness
- Material Density
- Cutting Depth
- Material Shape
- Cutting speed
- Cutting Technique
- Feed Rate
- Coolant Used
- Dressing
- Equipment Type/Condition
- Material Holding Method
- Operator Experience
Any change in the above variables can significantly impact the cutting results. The material being cut can vary in composition or density even when coming from the same supplier. A slight change in the coolant feed rate, its direction, blade speed, and even the way the material is held in place can make a difference.
When first cutting alumina ceramic, try using lower machine speeds and smaller cut depths as this will help keep the piece cool, reduce the potential of chipping, and lead to overall the better results. And always avoid physical shock to your work piece.
Material Hardness:
As the percentage of zirconium in alumina ceramic (ZTA) has increased, our diamond blades have changed as well. If the bond matrix on your diamond blade is too soft for the material being cut, it will result in faster wear and shorter blade life. On the other hand, if the bond matrix is too hard, it will result in much slower cutting speeds as well as require constant dressing to expose the next diamond layer. Plan on a hardness of 900 to 1100 on the Vickers hardness test, but in the future hardness may even reach 1500.
If you are cutting alumina ceramic, it is generally recommended that you use a soft bond, thinner kerf (kerf is the width of the cut) diamond blades.
Material Density:
The ever increasing variety of new generation, ultra hard, composite, engineered materials, often with highly metallic content, changes the way we cut with diamond blades. Each material has different density, hardness and composition, so the diamond blades and cutting processes that have worked on one material may not work on another. Material being cut can vary in composition or density even when coming from same supplier.
Cutting Depth:
The thicker the material you are cutting, the greater amount of coolant and water pressure is required, and the longer the cutting time.
Material Shape:
To obtain ideal results, select your diamond blade based on the unique differences and properties of each material, it's shape, size, diameter, hardness, and brittleness. Always cut the material so to minimize the cutting area.
Cutting Speed:
Correct speed is one of the most critical factors in successful diamond tool usage. If the diamond blade rotates too slowly, it drags and creates heat. If it rotates too fast, friction and heat are generated. Heat is the worst enemy for alumina ceramic. Selecting the right RPM can be the most difficult aspect of cutting, as many machines do not have variable speeds. However, changing the blade diameter will adjust the "surface feet per minute" speed.
Alumina Ceramic diamond blades can be used either at low or high speeds, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. At very high speeds, diamonds may break (fracture), whereas at very low speeds, they may fall out. An optimum surface speed (RPM) must be selected to balance out the two disadvantages. Diamond blade life will usually increase at slower cutting speeds but the increase in labour costs and other overhead expenses will usually offset savings of diamond blades and other consumables.
If a diamond blade develops dark "burn" marks, the blade is being used is too fast or the amount of pressure is too great. Reduce cutting speed or adjust pressure accordingly.
Variable speed drives are available from W.A. Rewinds in Osborne Park.
Cutting Technique:
Multiple shallow cuts (step cuts) are better than one single deep cut. Cutting deep depths in a single pass can damage the diamond blade and stall the saw. Step cutting prolongs blade life, is safer and more accurate.
Feed rate:
Most alumina ceramic is cut on computer/CNC controlled precision cutting equipment, so feed rate can often be controlled to a very accurate and constant speed. Experimentation is often needed to find the optimum speed, but it is always slow!
Coolant:
Most diamond blades in precision diamond sawing operations must be used with coolant. There is a large variety of coolants you can select, ranging from water, to water soluble coolants, to minerals and oils. Coolant selection is determined by your specific application. Make sure your coolant is used at where the material is cut by the blade.
Some diamond tool manufacturers recommend the use of either:
- water or detergent/water mix
- soluble oil (emulsions of oil in water). One disadvantage of soluble oils is their white, milky colour can obscure vision of the cutting zone.
- light weight mineral oil (although the storage, use and disposal of mineral oil can be more hazardous than the above options).
Water (often with detergent added if practicable) is an ideal organic coolant that does not leave the material feeling oily, greasy, or contaminated. Oily tiles can be harder to glue later in the process. The amount of coolant used should increase with the hardness of the material being cut. If you see sparks, there is insufficient coolant reaching the cutting zone or it is ineffective.
We do not sell specialist diamond blade cooling fluid, but there are plenty to try that claim to increase cutting speeds and reduce blade wear eg here or here
Using the most effective coolant can allow higher blade and table speeds, greater depths of cut, increased blade life and a better surface finish.
Dressing:
Because alumina ceramic will crack if it overheats, plenty of coolant is required. The extra coolant has a side effect of allowing the blade to glaze over, keeping the diamonds below the bond surface, and reduce cutting effectiveness. Regular dressing of the blade will keep diamonds thoroughly exposed at all times. Dress a new diamond blade before usage, then frequently redress it while using it, as it will reduce chipping or cracking. Always use a recommended dressing stone, such as an 80 grit stones stocked by United Diamond Tools.
Equipment:
The equipment you will be using, as well as it's physical condition, will dictate the speed (RPM) and coolants you can use along with your diamond blades. The precision, accuracy, and repeatability of your equipment will also determine the tolerances you will be able to obtain. A rigid, true running spindle with good bearings is essential for precision cutting.
Material holding method:
The material must be held firmly for cutting. A work table that feed smoothly, without side play, is essential. Sometimes rubber mounting is necessary to remove vibration.
Operator experience:
Cutting speed and surface finish quality are often the most important considerations when cutting. A skilled operator can balance the life of the blades against their cutting rate, while maintaining surface finish quality.
Evaluating Diamond Blade Performance:
The performance of your diamond blade can be evaluated under various criteria. Your requirements dictate which of the criteria is most important.
Cutting Life - It is very difficult to estimate the life of diamond blade. It's life is affected by factors such as the application, bond type, blade manufacturer, and hardness and abrasiveness of the material being cut. Also, the following considerations play a major role in diamond blade life:
- RPM (speed) and power of your equipment
- feed rate
- use of coolant (type, force, and direction)
- operator experience
- Condition and age of cutting equipment (age will affect the precision, accuracy, and repeatability of cutting equipment).
Blade performance evaluation:
Surface Finish Quality - the quality of the surface finish is evaluated by the amount of chips generated on the face of the material. A visual inspection is the easiest way of checking surface finish quality. The most common scientific way of measuring surface finish quality is using Ra, or Arithmetic Average Roughness. It basically reflects the average height of component irregularities from a mean line. Ra provides a simple value for basing accept/reject decisions.
Break in time - a diamond blade requires time to break in before it can produce relatively chip free performance. The shorter the period of time under which this occurs, the more productive the blade becomes.
Frequency of Dressing - the less your diamond blade needs dressing, the better off you will be.
Diamond blade cost is usually a minor factor in the total cost of the job. Labour and overhead costs are more important factors. Therefore it is important to select a diamond blade that can provide the most performance and productivity, not the lowest blade cost. The blade should be purchased on the basis of cost per piece cut. United Diamond Tools supply blades that are industry leaders in this area of cutting.
If you are having problems cutting wear plate material:
Has the performance reduced, or have you never been able to produce a satisfactory performance? If it has reduced from a previous higher standard, them something has likely changed to cause the drop in performance. It is a process of elimination to locate what has changed and reinstate it. If you have you never been able to produce satisfactory performance, then every factor that contributes to cutting must be examined individually, and modified as such, to find the cutting "recipe" or procedure that achieves the results you need.
**Most importantly of all - Take notes! Note where you are starting from, what you change, and the result it gives. There will be too many details for you to remember all the variations without notes.
Measure what you are doing: What blade size are you using? What speed is your blade running at? What feed rate do you use? What lubricant do you use? Do you mix it? What pressure is it sprayed at? Do you have several machines - which ones are the problems occurring on? Similarly, are some operators having more success than others. What techniques do they use? How often do you dress the blades?
Check - that the job is firmly held down, that lubricant is delivered to the cutting zone, has your tile supplier changed the compound? If you bore out the centre hole, does this cause some dishing in the blade? Is the saw in good condition with a rigid spindle, without loose bearings? Have you changed the machine in anyway?
Trial alternatives - Can you change the blade speed? Alternatively, change the blade size. Trial thinner blades - United Diamond Tools have new alternatives. Change the feed rate, try a different lubricant or different concentration. Can you try different cutting techniques e.g. step cutting rather than cutting in one pass.
Trouble shooting:
| Material overheating | Not enough coolant |
| Excessive Burrs on Material Edges | Use a finer grit blade Reduce speeds - RPM or feed rate Ensure sufficient coolant reaching cutting zone |
| Chipping | Use finer grit blade Reduce speeds - RPM or feed Rate Use appropriate coolant for the material Material is not securely held in place Re dress the blade Check saw condition to make sure it is not out of alignment |
| Slow cutting blade | Redress blade Increase speeds - RPM or feed rate |
| Slow cutting rates | Smeared material on the blade Redress blade Increase speeds - RPM or feed rate Rotate material to minimize cutting area |
| Blade not cutting | Redress blade Increase speeds - RPM or feed rate Incorrect blade |
| Short blade life | Incorrect blade Insufficient coolant |
| Material/saw vibration | Too small flange diameter – needs to be 1/3 blade diameter Slow down feed rate Material is not securely held in place |
Grab a copy of our Cutting Alumina Ceramic Ebook
Download your FREE Cutting Alumina Ceramic Ebook made especially for UDT customers below.
Download the 'Cutting Alumina Ceramic: The Ultimate Guide' Ebook
- See our stock of diamond flap wheels for shaping alumina ceramic and silicon carbide.
- View our range of diamond cup wheels for shaping alumina ceramic and silicon carbide.
- Visit our Contact Us page for Australia wide delivery information.
Disclaimer: the information on this website is provided in good faith and believed to be reliable and accurate at this time. However, the information is provided on the basis that the reader will be solely responsible for assessing the information and its veracity and usefulness. UDT shall in no way be liable, in negligence or howsoever, for any loss sustained or incurred by anyone relying on the information, even if such information is or turns out to be wrong, incomplete, out-of-date or misleading.
Al2O3 Aluminum oxide Ceramic Wear panels Hardness HV
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-32.1112554,115.8192428
United Diamond Tools
U9, 84 Barberry Way
Bibra Lake
Perth
Western Australia 6163
Telephone: (08) 9434 6878
Email: sales@udt.com.au
