Slab/strip production from blocks in natural stone processing plants is mostly carried out by using circular sawblade cutting machines. An efficient sawing operation can only be maintained by selecting proper cutting parameters. Experimental studies and numerical modelling methods are significant in terms of identifying the effective forces occurring during natural stone cutting with circular sawblades. In this study, experimental investigation was performed on real marble, known as Afyon White Marble, using a fully automatic circular sawblade stone cutting machine. Then, numerical modelling of circular sawing was performed with commercially available software called PFC3D. A discrete-element model of the sawing process was developed, and various numerical models were performed for different peripheral speeds and advance rates in compliance with the actual cutting operation being carried out in the laboratory. Finally, data obtained from the experimental studies were compared with the modelling data. A comparison indicates that the reactional cutting forces obtained by means of the numerical modelling are in good agreement with the results of the laboratory measurements. Consequently, the cutting operation can be determined quickly and economically. A literature review showed that, through this study, numerical modelling of the circular sawblade stone cutting process was successfully performed for the first time. It was envisaged that this would dynamically help in the examination of distinct factors in the area of natural stone processing by numerical modelling and in the illustration of the sawing mechanism.
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