Steel Friction Disks

Steel Friction Disks

Steel Friction Disks-

-Friction circular sawing employs high speed rotating steel disk which, except for small indentations (about 2'4 mm deep) or projections spaced along the periphery, has no teeth at all.

-The cutting action is produced by friction of the steel disk which heats the workpiece material to the softening point.

-When the disk is rotating at rim speeds from 5500 to 7600 m/min, the heat of friction softens and weakens a path through the steel being cut. Thus weakened steel, is pulled away from the colder metal by the friction disk. The temperature at which this occurs is below the melting point of steel.

- Friction disks range in diameter from 0.6 to 1.5 meter. They are ground slightly hollow to provide side c1earance in friction cutting through a large member.

-Cutting ability of friction disk seems to depend more upon the structure of the metal being cut and its melting characteristics than upon its hardness.

Stainless steel and high carbon steel can be cut more easily than low carbon steel.

Nonferrous metals cannot be cut satisfactorily by friction sawing, since they tend to adhere to the disk and do not break away readily as a result of the disk action.

-Friction sawing requires a coolant (e.g. water) to prevent excessive heat buildup on the rotating disk.