The Harder, The Better: MAAG’s New Cutting Blade Raises Durability Standards
During strand pelletizing of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP compounds), abrasive polymer strands put extreme stress on the bed knife with its cutting blade. MAAG has responded to this challenge with its new Duration cutting blade, which was developed specifically for this application.
Until today, cutting blades for MAAG strand pelletizers have been available with three different blade designs: tungsten carbide (HM), ceramic (CE), or with a diamond-coated surface (PCD). However, when processing high-strength, fiber-filled and highly abrasive polymer strands for FRP compounds, all three material variants have not only characteristic strengths but also weaknesses.
For example, the cutting edge of HM and CE blades have a life of 100 operating hours due to the high abrasiveness of fiber-reinforced plastics. Ceramic blades are susceptible to fracture; and as a result, the cutting edge or even the entire blade must be replaced frequently. This not only affects productivity, but also the quality of the pellets produced.
This is why diamond-tipped PCD blades are often used in FRP applications. Their hard surface gives them a significantly longer service life. However, they are up to five times more expensive than carbide or cemented carbide tools.
Newly developed material: longer service life at an affordable price
MAAG responded to this challenge with its new Duration cutting edge, which expands the existing range of solutions today: The development features a new material called VS23 which increases the hardness of the surface by up to 70 percent, thereby reducing wear rate. This extends the service life by a factor of 5 to 9 compared to conventional carbide tools. VS23 represents a cost-effective alternative especially with its four cutting edges to the use of PCD blades with diamond segments on one edge only. The performance of the new blades has already been comprehensively validated in the laboratory and in practice.
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