How do I calculate the torque and horsepower needed to saw mat.?

[barthautala]

For example, I want to know what motor specs I need to design a saw that will cut through a fiberglass rod.

Are there equations for this? For instance, number of teeth on the blade coupled with a cross sectional area of the material are some data that could be used?

 

[handleman]

I really doubt any equations for this would exist. There are just too many variables involved. Here are some more:

Required feed rate, cutting speed, or cycle time
Type of saw (circular, reciprocating, band, etc)
Will saw start/stop often, come up to speed and stay, etc

My suggestion: find an existing saw that's similar to the one you want to design. Make sure it cuts like you want. Size your motor accordingly.

 

[barthautala]

I agree that there probably arent any EXACT ways of doing it.

I was curious if someone had experience doing this or knew how companies like Barringer or Kaltenbach accomplish this. Im guessing they do it with the good old educated guess from experience and test method.

 

[Pud]

I may be wrong, but I have only seen the stuff cut with a grinding cut-off wheel, although I assume a diamond-tipped saw would be ok.


Cheers


Harry

 

[MintJulep]

The Mark's Handbook chapter on Shop Processes (It's chapter 13 in my ancient copy) discusses the derivation of power required for both metal cutting and wood cutting operations.

I suspect that FRP falls somewhere in between.

I have a faint recollection of going through the metal cutting exercise in a lab course sophomore or junior year.

 

[tomwalz]

If you really want it I have a lot of info on saw blade design; chip load, feeds and speeds, gullet design, etc. Way too much to post here. I am slowly putting it into a book and on the Internet but for now maybe you better contact me and I’ll be happy to send it.

We’re on the blade side, specifically the cutting tip material on the blade and blade design. Don’t forget blade life. An advanced carbide grade can give at least twice the life in a highly fibrous material.

When we design and test new blades we basically follow handleman’s plan.

Tom


Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com

 

[eromlignod]

I'd recommend a cold-saw blade with carbide teeth. Fiberglass is not that hard to cut, but it dulls tooling terribly.

Don
Kansas City

 

[tomwalz]

I got some of it up.

Try chip load and feeds and speeds,

http://site.longlifetools.com/technicalinfohome.htm

Tom

Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com

 

[Compositepro]

Fiberglass really needs abrasive tooling (usually water cooled). Other tools must be kept very sharp to prevent fiber pull-out and over heating, which means service life is very limited.

 

[tomwalz]

Typically we deal with fibrous plastic materials in applications such as extruded sections for windows and similar.

You can cut fiberglass with a tipped saw. Use a 10 degree hook with good side clearance. Use a nano-grain carbide with something like a CO/CR or Ni/Cr binder to instead of Co. Add a fair amount of Ti as TiC or TiCN to increase lubricity and to lower thermal transfer.

Depending on how clean you need the cuts consider a scoring saw to prevent chipout.

ATB is the safest way to start but you might have better luck with a California triple chip or a modified California triple chip.

Depending on what you mean by fiberglass the major problem is the filler in the bonder and the tension as the tip comes out of the cut in each individual fiber. An addition of TaNbc can also be advantageous.


Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com