SBIR Phase I: Metal Matrix Composite Diamond Blades

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目将开发一种金属基复合混凝土切割金刚石刀片。该项目有可能满足20亿美元国内市场的独特需求。20多年来，混凝土切割技术没有改变，行业仍在处理同样的问题：刀片过热和翘曲，切割速度慢，多种刀片组合，切割声音大，刀片“歌唱”，刀片寿命短。拟议的技术解决了这些问题；它将通过与行业合作伙伴合作实现商业化，以确保更快地将开发的技术从实验室概念过渡到工业应用。这些合作将产生一条产品线，允许新的国内制造业务（目前大多数叶片都是进口的），并减少对环境的影响（有害的副产品是当今叶片制造过程的结果）。该技术使刀片寿命延长200%，切割速度更快，将降低用户的总体运营成本。最后，铝-金刚石金属基复合材料（MMC）技术将被用于其他应用，如石材抛光、石材采石场、磨损和热管理应用。与传统刀片相比，所提出的铝MMC金刚石刀片将具有更好的热性能和更长的寿命。传统的混凝土叶片在铁(Fe)-钴（Co）基体中嵌入金刚石颗粒。不同的混凝土骨料必须改变铁钴基体的硬度，才能有效切割。当不匹配时，刀片会过热和翘曲，变得无法使用。所提出的金刚石MMC刀片材料具有高导热性，可以迅速从切割区吸收热量，从而避免了这些问题，同时增加了刀片的寿命。铸造MMC叶片将包括附着在MMC轮毂上的MMC含金刚石部分，该轮毂可以根据刚度、降噪和优化热性能进行定制。第一阶段项目将侧重于设计和开发，包括1)优化分段组成，2)分段和轮毂的几何形状，以及3)优化叶片效率和寿命的MMC铸造工艺。最后，将进行现场测试，以验证和优化叶片性能。随后将进行工艺放大，以满足技术最终用户的特定产品要求。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a metal matrix composite concrete cutting diamond blade. This project has the potential to address a distinct need in a $2 billion domestic market. The technology for cutting concrete hasn't changed in over 20 years and the industry continues to deal with the same issues: blade overheat and warping, slow cutting speeds, multiple blade compositions, loud cutting and blade "sing", and short blade life. The proposed technology addresses each of these issues; it will be commercialized by working with industry partners to insure a faster transition of developed technology from lab concept to industrial application. These partnerships will result in a product line that will permit new domestic manufacturing operations (a majority of current blades are imported) and a reduced environmental impact (harmful byproducts are a result of today's blade manufacturing processes). The 200% increase in blade life and faster cutting operations enabled by this technology will reduce overall operating costs for users. Finally, the aluminum-diamond metal matrix composite (MMC) technology to be utilized will find utility in additional applications, such as stone polishing, stone quarries, and wear and thermal management applications. The proposed aluminum MMC diamond blade will have significantly better thermal properties and longer life span compared to conventional blades. Conventional concrete blades have diamond particles embedded in segments within an iron (Fe)-cobalt (Co) matrix. The Fe-Co matrix hardness has to be changed for different concrete aggregate to enable effective cutting. When mismatched, the blade will overheat and warp, becoming unusable. The proposed diamond MMC blade material has high thermal conductivity that rapidly draws the heat from the cutting zone, thereby avoiding these issues, while increasing the life of the blade. The cast MMC blade will include MMC diamond-containing segments attached to an MMC hub which can be tailored for stiffness, noise mitigation, and optimized thermal properties. The Phase I project will focus on design and development including 1) an optimized segment composition, 2) geometry of the segments and the hub, and 3) an MMC casting process optimized for blade efficiency and life. Finally, field testing will be conducted to verify and optimize blade performance. Process scale-up will follow to meet specific product requirements as required by end users of the technology.