Trouble-shooting For Saw Blade

Rapid wear

Diamond bond for the material being cut is too soft, causing the diamonds to become over‐exposed: Use a blade with a harder bond system.

Blade wears out of round which accelerates wear normally due to bad bearing, worn shaft or blade specification too hard for the material: Inspect blade shaft bearings.

A loose drive belt results in low blade speed and effective softening of the blade specification: Tighten the drive belt.

Blade speed / machine rpm are too low for aggregate: Refer to our blade speed chart and adjust accordingly.

Inadequate water supply, caused by blocked or damaged water tubes: Check water tubes and continue with steady and sufficient water flow.

Undercutting                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
The term used when the steel body wears to a knife edge leading to diamond segment loss. Caused by insufficient slurry flushing from the cut (abrasive or loose material) or when the blade is inserted too deep, i.e. cutting into asphalt base material.

Blade has no undercut protection and slurry is not removed quickly enough: Ensure the blade specification has diamond protection segments (under cut segments) to assist removal of the slurry from the cut.

Water flow is too low and the slurry is not removed sufficiently enough and thereby causing undercutting: Check water supply, as increased water flow will wash slurry from the contact area and reduce undercutting.

Blade is cutting below the asphalt into the sub‐base. Constant rubbing of loose material results in premature wear and has no beneficial effect on the cut surface: Ensure the blade is not cutting below the surface.

 

 

 

Blade will not cut

• The blade spec is too hard for the material being cut: Check the specification is correct and adjust accordingly. Dull blades can be sharpened by cutting a soft abrasive material or using a Holer sharpening block.
• Machine has insufficient horsepower for the used blade specification: Either change the blade or the machine being used.
• Machine drive belt needs re‐tensioning: Re-tension machine drive.
• Rotation of the blade is incorrect: Ensure correct direction of rotation. See the arrow on the blade for the correct direction of rotation.

Over heating                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
The most common cause of blade failure. Overheating can cause many other problems such as loss of tension, core cracks and segment loss. Overheating is evident by black or blue discolouration on the steel core.

For wet cut blades – inadequate water supply caused by blocked or damaged water guard tubes or poor water pressure. Dust suppression systems are inadequate for wet cut blades: Check water supply as increased water flow will cool down blade preventing it from over heating.

For dry cutting – excessive cutting pressure results in heat build-up: Allow the blade to do the work. With hand-held saws, use a gentle and reciprocating action and avoid cutting too deep in a single pass.

 

 

 

 

Segment loss                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

You are using a silver brazed wet blade dry: Change to a laser welded or direct sintered blade to continue dry cutting.

Material cut was not held firmly, causing it to twist or jam while being cut: Ensure the material is securely held in place while cutting.

Twisting or turning the machine while the blade is in the cut: Ensure you hold the machine steady while cutting.

Blade is too hard for material being cut, resulting in the blade hammering in the cut: Change to a blade with a softer bond.

Blade flanges are worn or deformed and fail to provide proper support, causing the blade to flex in the cut: Replace the blade flanges.

Small particles / dirt between the flange and the blade core are causing the blade to vibrate, which results in segment loss due to impact or fatigue: Ensure there is no build-up of small particles / dirt between the flange and the blade core.

Blade core has no diamond undercut segments to protect against material in sub‐base: Use blade with diamond undercut protection.

 

 

 

 

Segment cracks                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Blade spec too hard for material being cut, causing hammering in the cut: Use a blade with a softer bond.

The blade and rpm are mismatched: Check blade rpm is correct and not exceeding guideline.

 

Core cracks                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Blade is too hard for the material being cut: Change to a softer blade.

Excessive cutting pressure, caused by too high in‐feed, resulting in the blade core bending and flexing. Metal fatigue will eventually cause the core to crack. If the machine continually rides out of the cut or wanders off line, then the in‐feed is too high: Reduce in-feed (depth of cutting) as well as forward feed (speed of pushing the saw forward).

Damaged machine bearings, worn shaft or incorrect blade mounting to saw: Ensure neither of these apply. 

Wet cutting – insufficient water, generally on one side of the blade: Flush water system and ensure water is equally distributed to both sides of the blade.

Blade is worn out of round due to bad bearing or worn arbor: Replace and repair bearings or shaft as required.

Segments worn on one side reducing side clearance: Check wheels and wheel alignment on saw.

 

 

Out of round

Blade shaft bearing may be worn: Fit new bearing and ensure regular lubrication.

Blade i too hard for the material being cut, resulting in blade hammering and wearing out of round: Choose a blade with a softer bond.

Machine spindle may have a groove scored in it as a result of a previous blade slipping on the spindle: Replace spindle or shaft.

Loss of tension                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Blade core has been overheating: Ensure sufficient water supply for wet cut blades.

Blade is too hard for the application, causing the blade to deviate in the cut: Choose a softer blade.

Blade is not running at the right rpm: Refer to the blade speed rpm chart and match accordingly.

Machine bearing shaft is worn and the flanges are not of the correct and same size: Replace the machine bearing and ensure the flanges are correct and the same size.

Blade has been mounted incorrectly: Ensure blade is secure and not spinning on the spindle. Check that the drive pin is in place on all floor saws.

You are using the blades for applications they are not designed to perform: Blades are designed to perform straight cuts, avoid any grinding, scrubbing, shaping or circular cuts.

Damaged or distorted arbor hole                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Blade has been incorrectly aligned when mounting, resulting in the blade hammering: Ensure blade is mounted properly on spindle before tightening. Ensure pin holes slide over drive pin.

Flanges are not properly tightened allowing blade to spin or vibrate on spindle: Ensure flanges are properly tightened.

Saw shaft is badly worn or grooved, allowing the blade to pound: Replace the saw shaft.