Can Surface Coating of Circular Saw Blades Potentially Reduce Dust Formation?

Abstract

Coating of steel is a frequently applied approach to increase the resistance of moving machine parts towards abrasion, surface oxidation, and corrosion. Here, we show that plating circular saw blades with certain metals can help to reduce the electrical charging of wood dust during cutting, which has significant implications for occupational safety, healthcare, and lifetime of filter systems. With the example of beech wood planks, machine net energy consumption EV (J cm−3) and cumulated field strength E→V (kV m−4) as caused by electrically charged particles were compared for cutting of 10- and 20-mm deep grooves (800 mm length) using saw blades of different toothing (24, 60 teeth) and surface coating (Cu, Ag, and Cr). To ensure uniform feed per tooth (fz = 0.063 mm), saw blades were operated at different rotation speeds (4000 vs. 1600 rpm). The results demonstrate that the extent of electrostatic sawdust charging can be manipulated to a certain extent by the type of saw blade plating. Coating with chromium turned out to be most effective in shifting the electrostatic charge of the wood particles towards neutralization. Lowering of rotation speed using circular saw blades of higher toothing was an additional measure significantly reducing electrostatic charging of wood dust. Hence, cutting with a chrome-coated blade with 60 teeth can be specifically recommended as the reduction of electrical saw dust charging is not associated with higher machine power consumption.

The Influence of the Coating on the Saw Blade on the Energy Intensity of Cross-Cutting of Wood

“…Based on the change of the input factors that interacted in the cutting process (feed speed (vf), minimum overhang, and type of circular saw blade), feed rate (vf) appeared to be the most important determinant of energy performance in the cutting process and, thus, cutting input power. Here, we show that plating circular saw blades with certain metals can help to reduce the electrical charging of wood dust during cutting, which has significant implications for occupational safety, healthcare, and the lifetime of filter systems [26]. From the measured values, we can note that the PVD coating MAXIMIZER (AlTiN) has a positive effect on the energy intensity of the wood cutting process and reduces the size of the cutting power when sawing beech and spruce trees.…”