SOLDERING PROCESS AND CUTTING PERFORMANCE OF MICRO SAW WIRE BONDED WITH DIAMOND GRAINS

Abstract

This paper will demonstrate that diamond grains can be bonded to W micro-wires (AD wires) with a specially developed metal solder in a continuous process capable of producing the wire of 1000 m in length. Cutting experiments using a specially designed cutting machine have been conducted. We will demonstrate that AD wire can cut WC (HV2500) and that AD wire performs superior compared to other commercial cutting wires bonded with diamond grains using either Ni plating or resin type. It has also been found that for wire diameter less than ~ 100 µm cutting life of the wire was short and failed in a torsion fracture mode. This will be explained by comparing the friction induced torsion to the twist strength of the wire.