Band Saw Blade Steel Bar
Using the correct band saw blade steel bar for your material helps to ensure smooth cuts and long blade life. However, the quality of your cuts depends on several factors.
Tooth shape, TPI, and lubrication all impact how well a band saw blade performs. Choosing the right tooth shape can help to avoid issues like seam weld breakage.
Bimetal
A bimetal band saw blade is the most common type of metal cutting blade found in fabrication shops. It consists of a tooth surface material on the front of the blade that’s bonded to a flexible alloy steel backer through an electron beam welding process. These blades can withstand operating temperatures up to 1,100 degrees F and cut materials with hardness levels up to Rockwell C 40/45.
Bi-metal band saw blades are most commonly used for cutting steels, but can also be effective in cutting cast Band saw blade steel bar iron and other metals with a lower carbon content. They are less expensive than carbide tipped or coated band saw blades and have a better cost-benefit ratio for fabrication shop owners.
One of the primary challenges facing fabricators who use bimetal band saws is the potential for tooth stripping. When a blade strips, it’s because the tooth geometry is not properly matched to the material being cut. This can be because of factors like the tooth size, pitch or the material’s hardness and toughness.
In order to avoid tooth stripping, a metal cutting blade must be carefully selected, broken in and used and cared for properly so it can perform well for a long period of time. WIKUS offers a refined bi-metal portfolio, optimized for your specific application requirements, as well as an extensive range of services to help you select the right blade and ensure optimal performance.
Carbide Tipped
Many fabrication shops use carbide tipped band saw blades to cut nonferrous materials in production applications. Carbide tipped bandsaws have tungsten carbide tips bonded to the tooth faces and provide the strength, toughness and wear resistance necessary for cutting hard materials. These types of bandsaws typically operate at high blade speeds ranging from 1,000 SFPM to 7,000 SFPM depending on the type of material being cut.
A well-trained or experienced operator is essential to maximizing the performance of a carbide tipped blade. A skilled operator is able to install the blade properly to avoid breaking teeth, break-in the blade for higher rates without damaging the tooth geometry and run the job with proper sawing parameters that will ensure a smooth finish. In addition, a trained operator will perform preventative machine maintenance to keep the blades running in optimal condition.
Whether you are cutting steel, high-nickel alloys or stainless grades, LENOX provides a variety of bimetal blades to meet your quality and productivity requirements. Advanced bimetal blades utilize a diffusion bonding process that produces a grooved tooth geometry separating two cutting surfaces. This allows for greater tooth penetration, better chip removal and a smoother surface finish. The tooth geometry also spreads the cutting forces over a broader area and reduces the chance of fracture. The result is a bandsaw blade that is more resistant to fracturing and lasts longer than conventional bimetal bandsaws.
Skip Tooth
One of the main reasons for blade failure in metal fabrication is tooth stripping. This occurs when the teeth are overwhelmed by forces when cutting structural shapes and bundles. Manufacturers combat this issue by enhancing bi-metal band saw blades with special alloy steels and heat treatments that make them stronger, harder, and more durable.
Another important factor in selecting a blade is the number of teeth per inch (TPI). A higher TPI produces smoother cuts with finer saw marks. A lower TPI creates coarser cuts that leave visible saw marks. A good rule of thumb is to match the TPI to the material you’re cutting.
You also have the option of selecting a blade that has a specific shape, such as regular (which has a straight zero rake), hook (which has a 10-degree positive rake to quickly cut a range of non-ferrous metals) or skip (which has a straight rake and shallow gullets to handle large sections of wood).
No matter what kind of blade you choose, you must always conduct a proper break in before using it on real work. If you don’t, the teeth will wear more rapidly and produce poorer quality cuts. In addition, you may experience excessive heat generation that can damage the blade and your machine. Properly breaking in a band saw blade allows you to use it for longer and saves time and money in the long run by decreasing the need for replacements.
Hook Tooth
A band saw blade steel bar designed for cutting a variety of materials including wood, nonferrous metals, and composition material. These band saw blades are typically induction hardened, which makes them more durable than carbon band saw blades and helps them maintain their edge longer. These blades can be used on a wide range of saw sizes, from very thick to thin stock, and they are available with various tooth counts.
The primary cause of band saw blade failure in fabrication shops is teeth stripping, which occurs when the forces on a tooth exceed its fracture strength. To Tinplate Sheet supplier prevent this from happening, a shop should change the geometry of its blades by adding a rake angle and reducing the tooth thickness.
When a rake angle is added, it spreads the cutting force over a larger area, making it less likely to fracture the tip of the blade tooth. This modification also reduces the amount of frictional heat that is transferred to the workpiece.
Other ways to avoid teeth stripping include using a metal brush to remove chip debris and keeping the blade sharp by regularly grinding it with a masonry wheel. Shops can also use a lubricant to keep the blade cool and clean, and they should treat their blades with care when transporting them between jobs. They should not be dropped or left in a hot machine, and they should be sprayed with a rust prevention product before storing them for extended periods of time.
