In the processing industry, aluminum alloy as a common metal material, is widely used in aviation, automobile, construction and other fields.However, cutting aluminum alloys is often more challenging than cutting other materials (such as steel, stainless steel, etc.), especially when choosing the right aluminum cutting saw blade.

1.Characteristics of aluminum alloy 

Aluminum alloy has a relatively low density and good thermal conductivity, which makes it exhibit unique characteristics during processing.Compared with hard metals such as steel, aluminum alloy has lower hardness, but its high thermal conductivity and low melting point make it easy for aluminum alloy to generate excessive heat during the cutting process, which puts higher requirements on aluminum cutting saw blades.

-High thermal conductivity: Aluminum alloys quickly absorb heat from the cutting process when cutting, causing the tool temperature to be too high.

-Low melting point: Aluminum alloy has a low melting point and is easy to melt during the cutting process, and then adhere to the saw blade, causing poor cutting.

2.Design requirements for aluminum saw blades 

In view of the special properties of aluminum alloy, aluminum cutting saw blades need to be optimized in design and materials:

-Tooth shape: The teeth of aluminum cutting saw blades are generally wider and have smaller angles to reduce heat accumulation and metal adhesion during the cutting process.In comparison, saw blades for materials such as steel usually have smaller teeth and higher precision.

-Material selection: Aluminum cutting saw blades are usually made of hard alloy (such as tungsten steel) or special coatings to improve wear resistance and high temperature resistance to avoid tool damage caused by high temperature.

-Cooling and lubrication: In order to prevent the aluminum alloy from melting during the cutting process, aluminum cutting saw blades usually need to be used with coolant or lubricant to lower the temperature, reduce friction, and ensure a smooth cutting process.

3.Challenges when cutting aluminum alloys

Accumulation and adhesion of aluminum chips: During the cutting process, since aluminum chips are soft and sticky, they can easily accumulate on the surface of the saw blade, resulting in reduced cutting efficiency, rough cuts, and even damage to the saw blade.

Cutting heat is too high: When cutting aluminum alloy, a lot of heat accumulates in the cutting area. The high thermal conductivity of aluminum alloy will quickly transfer the cutting heat to the saw blade, causing the temperature of the saw blade to rise, and even causing the tool to wear too quickly.  

Deformation and warping of aluminum alloy: During the cutting process, especially when cutting thicker or complex-shaped aluminum alloys, stress concentration may cause the material to deform or warp, which places higher requirements on the stability of the saw blade.

4.Conclusion

Aluminum alloy cutting is more complicated than other metal materials, mainly due to its unique physical properties, such as high thermal conductivity, low melting point and strong adhesion.When choosing a saw blade for cutting aluminum, these characteristics must be taken into consideration, and the appropriate saw blade material, tooth design, and cooling method must be selected to ensure a smooth, efficient, and high-quality cutting process.At the same time, compared with saw blades made of other materials, the design of aluminum cutting saw blades pays more attention to high temperature resistance, anti-adhesion and lower cutting temperature control.