Diamond wires are cutting tools used in the slabbing of ornamental stones, such as marbles and granites, as well as in the cutting of concrete structures. This kind of tool consists of an AISI 316 stainless cable on which annular diamond segments (beads) are set up with a regular gap between them. Normally, diamond wire beads are processed following Powder Metallurgy techniques (MP), which enables the processing of composites with metal matrix diamond embbedded. The beads of the present work, had been produced by conventional Powder Metallurgy, using Fe-20wt%Cu alloy with addition of 1wt% of SiC as the matrix metallic bond. It was carried out shrinkage/swelling and microstructural analyses after sintering, Brinell hardness measurements, as well as the abrasion resistance of beads produced here in confrontation with that imported ones. The results indicate that it was achieved, besides generating technology in terms of diamond tools manufacture, to process beads with similar abrasion resistance and performance than those of the commercial diamond beads, what suggests a reduction in the production cost and it proves to be possible the nationalization of such technology.
Diamond composite; Fe-Cu System; diamond beads
