Investigating the cutting with monowire system of natural stones having problematic cutting with ST and frame saw

Monowire block cutting machines are used to squaring natural stone masses and to produce plates from these blocks. The aim is to produce the most economical and highest quality production in the quarries and factories where the production is carried out. One of the most important parameters affecting the cutting costs in block production is the energy consumed during cutting, and the other one is the wear on the diamond beads by which the cut is made. Wearing on diamond bead is occuring severely during the cutting process which reduces cutting efficiency and shortens the wire's life. A very good understanding of the cutting system is required so that the operation economy is not greatly affected by this situation. This study aims to investigate the cutability of natural stones used by monowire cutting method which has various problems in slab production using ST and Gang Saw type machines. In this thesis, samples were taken from a natural stone (limestone) field in Sivas where the slab production is done by using diamond wire cutting machines. The reason why choosing of this kind of limestone is that when the stone is cut by using ST and Gang Saw type machines, the block efficiency is very low and the slab cutting can not be done without block improvement implications. Within the scope of the thesis, computer controlled fully automatic monowire cutting machine which is developed at Hacettepe University Mining Engineering Department was used. In the experiments, three different diameters of diamond beads were used. Bead diameters are 7,3 mm, 8,5 mm and 11 mm, respectively. The experiments were carried out at three different peripheral speeds (28, 30 and 33 m/sec), three different cutting speeds (12, 16 and 20 mm/min) and different cutting thicknesses (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 cm). All the data determined at the end of the study were brought together and the results were interpreted by associating with bead wear and energy consumed in the cutting processes. As a result of the study, no fracture was detected on the plates and it was determined that the plate thickness of 2 cm could be easily reached. Optimum cutting conditions were determined for Sivas Beji limestone sample. When optimum cutting conditions are determined, it is aimed to provide the maximum cutting speed which is in harmony with minimum unit energy, unit wear and peripheral speed. Optimum cutting performance was obtained in wire cuts with a peripheral speed of 30 m / sec, a cutting speed of 20 mm / min and a bead diameter of 8,5 mm, and cuts of different thicknesses were observed to have no effect on the yield of the plates.