High-speed circular sawing using temporary tensioning

Abstract

Workpiece feed speed can be increased while maintaining product dimension accuracy by proportionately increasing saw rotation speed. However, the required saw speed increase is acceptable only if the speed does not approach the saw critical speed. Tensioning can be used to increase critical speed, but the amount of tensioning possible is limited by saw “dishing.” This dishing makes saw leveling very difficult. This study demonstrates the concept of using temporary tensioning to overcome the dishing limitation. Normally, the saw is only moderately tensioned. However, after installation in the sawing machine, the tensioning can be increased temporarily, here by thermal means. In this way, the saw is highly tensioned while in operation, but only lightly tensioned during maintenance. The preliminary experiments presented in this study demonstrate this concept, and confirm that a workpiece feed speed increase of more than 50% is possible by using temporary tensioning.