The mechanics of sawing granite with diamond wire

Today, wire sawing of natural stone is undergoing widespread commercialization. In addition to rock extraction and processing with single wires, composed of a multitude of diamond-impregnated beads mounted onto a steel rope, this technology is increasingly used for slabbing of granite blocks on multi-wire machines. Evolving sophistication of stone sawing equipment dictates novel tool designs and formulations. For technologists specifying bead compositions, it is a common habit to instinctively follow the circular saw segment design guidelines. A poor tool performance is often an undesirable consequence of such an approach. To meet that challenge, theoretical models of sawing granite by means of a diamond wire saw and a diamond circular saw have been presented and contrasted with respect to diamond loading conditions. The analytical treatments are supported by scarcely available industrial quantitative assessments and qualitative observations. The evaluation of cutting forces and the identification of system characteristics affecting wire vibration and wire rotation are instrumental in both machine design and tool formulation. For practitioners working with granite, the provided knowledge is also essential to diagnose and prevent problems inherent in wire sawing, such as the high incidence of wire breakage, unsatisfactory tool life and cutting capability and eccentric bead wear.