IMPROVED SAW BLADES FOR GANG-SAW ARRANGEMENTS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to saw blades for cutting large hard objects such as granite and marble into slabs. The disclosed saw blades are particularly suitable for use in gang-saw arrangements. There are also disclosed herein methods for cutting an object using a saw blade.

BACKGROUND

A gang saw arrangement is an arrangement comprising a plurality of saw blades arranged parallel in a frame to cut an object into flat sections, i.e., slabs or boards. Gang saws are sometimes also referred to as head saws, frame saws, or head rigs. Gang saws are commonly used for sawing wood logs into planks. However, the object may also be a stone, such as a large piece of granite, or marble.

Each saw blade comprises a saw blade body having cutting elements, or teeth, arranged on a cutting edge of the saw blade body. The cutting elements are often slightly wider, or thicker, than the material in the saw blade body.

A problem associated with some gang saws is that the saw blades are not always cutting the object along a straight line. A deviation from an ideal cutting operation, producing non-straight cuts, may be caused by vibrations due to that the cutting elements are slightly wider than the saw blade body, thereby allowing the saw blade body some leeway to move around or wobble in the slot formed in the object by the cutting operation.

US2016082619 relates to a cutting tool for cutting stones such as marble or granite using a reciprocating multi-blade gang saw. An auxiliary cutting structure is disclosed which comprises second auxiliary cutting tips provided on lateral sides of the blade. This auxiliary cutting structure provides some support for the blade, thus stabilizing the blade and preventing the blade from departing from an ideal cutting path.

FR1555836 discloses a cutting tool comprising an auxiliary cutting structure provided on at least one lateral side of the blade and corresponding to a width of a cutting tip of the saw blade so as to prevent the blade from wobbling in a slot formed in the workpiece.

Known saw blades for gang saw arrangements are costly and takes time to produce. There is a need to reduce the cost of gang saw blades, and also to increase cutting performance of the saw blades.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide improved saw blades suitable for use in gang saw arrangements. It is a further object to provide methods for cutting objects.

This object is obtained by a saw blade for a gang saw arrangement. The saw blade comprises a saw blade body having a plurality of cutting elements arranged on a cutting edge of the saw blade, to cut an object in a cutting direction in response to a reciprocating motion of the saw blade. A plurality of distancing elements is attached to the saw blade body. The distancing elements are configured to guide the saw blade through the object. The one or more distancing elements are attached to the saw blade body by an adhesive compound.

Brazing, welding, and riveting operations all drive the cost of manufacturing a saw blade. Brazing distancing elements onto the saw blade body, such as on the edge opposite from the cutting elements, is time consuming and the metal used as brazing filler is expensive. The saw blades disclosed herein avoid the time consuming and expensive brazing operation by comprising distancing elements attached to the saw blade body by an adhesive compound. Also, by the disclosed techniques, the distancing elements can be attached on saw blade bodies in the field, and distancing elements can be serviced, e.g., replaced, without complicated machinery, which is an advantage.

This low cost and time efficient means of attaching distancing elements onto the saw blade body was previously and erroneously thought not possible, due to the strict mechanical requirements imposed on the saw blade.

According to aspects, a surface area of a distancing element is larger than 0.5 square centimetre to effectively guide the blade during the cut, and smaller than 25 square centimetres to resist saw blade deformations, and preferably between 1 and 4 square centimetres.

According to aspects, the adhesive compound may be a glue such as a one- or two component adhesive compound with high shock and shear resistance as well as good adhesion to both the saw blade body and to the distancing element. Good aging/weathering performances are also preferred features of the adhesive compound.

According to aspects, at least one of the distancing elements comprises a recess on a side of the distancing element attached to the saw blade body by the adhesive compound. The recess is arranged to receive part of the adhesive compound, thereby increasing a shear resistance of the adhesive compound bond between distancing element and saw blade body.

Thus, advantageously, the mechanical strength and wear resistance of the saw blade including distancing elements is increased.

According to aspects, at least one of the distancing segments has a tapered edge shape. The tapered shape on the edge prevents the distancing element from catching onto an edge of the object as the saw blade enters the object during the cutting operation. The tapered shape is preferably arranged at least on a cutting direction side of the distancing element. It is appreciated that the tapered shape is optional but can be expected to improve functional efficiency and wear resistance of the distancing elements, which is an advantage. According to aspects, the distancing elements are arranged with varying inter element distances in the direction of the reciprocating motion. This way the density of distancing elements contacting the object during the cutting operation is increased, since, during the reciprocating motion outer parts of the saw blade may not always contact the object. An increased stability of the saw blade cutting operation is obtained at the same time as a mechanical wear of the distancing elements is evened out over the plurality of distancing elements.

According to aspects, at least one distancing element is coin or disc shaped. Coin and disc shapes are possible to manufacture in a cost-efficient manner, which is an advantage. Rounded coin and disc shapes are also advantageous when the adhesive compound bond is formed between the blade saw body and the distancing elements. Rounded coin and disc shapes also to some degree prevent the distancing objects from snagging or catching onto the object to be cut.

According to aspects, at least one distancing element is U-shaped and arranged folded over an edge of the saw blade body opposite the cutting edge. The U-shaped distancing elements enable a larger surface area for the adhesive compound to bond against, thereby increasing mechanical strength of the adhesive compound bond. The u-shaped distancing elements also reduce the number of distancing elements in half, since a single distancing element covers both lateral sides of the saw blade body, which reduces manufacturing time considerably.

According to aspects, the distancing elements are configured with a non staining surface or are made entirely of a non-staining material. A problem with some known saw blades for gang saw arrangements is that they cause stains on the object during the cutting operation, due to, e.g., rust on the saw blade body. By configuring the distancing elements with non-staining surfaces, staining of the object is prevented since the saw blade body no longer contacts the object directly during the cutting operation, and the distancing elements are not staining the object. According to aspects, a distancing element is arranged with a surface having a hardness between 200 and 1500 measured on the Vickers scale, and preferably between 400 and 1000 measured on the Vickers scale. This hardness reduces wear of the distancing element, allowing for prolonged periods of cutting operation without replacing or servicing the saw blade.

According to some further aspects, the distancing elements are at or below the hardness of diamond, i.e., around 10000 measured on the Vickers scale.

According to aspects, a distancing element comprises a non-abrasive surface. The non-abrasive surface guides the saw blade through the object during the cutting operation and stabilizes the saw blade.

According to aspects, a distancing element comprises an abrasive surface. The abrasive surface polishes and slightly widens the cut during the cutting operation, thereby providing a more even cutting surface. By combining the cutting and polishing operation, a time efficient manufacturing process of, e.g., stone slabs is obtained.

According to aspects, the distancing elements are arranged in rows parallel to the cutting direction and aligned with the direction of reciprocating motion. Distancing elements in rows close to the cutting elements are configured with a larger grit size compared to distancing elements in rows farther from the cutting elements. This way the cut surface of the object is successively polished by finer and finer grit size abrasives. Thus, a smoother cut surface is obtained, while stabilizing the saw blade during the cutting operation.

According to aspects, a distancing element is made of a composite material comprising the adhesive compound. By integrating the adhesive compound with the distancing element, further cost reduction of the manufacturing process can be obtained.

The object is also obtained by a method for cutting an object by a saw blade suitable for a gang saw arrangement. The method comprises configuring the saw blade with a saw blade body having a plurality of cutting elements arranged on a cutting edge of the saw blade to cut the object in a cutting direction in response to a reciprocating motion of the saw blade. The method comprises attaching a plurality of distancing elements to the saw blade body, the distancing elements being configured to guide the saw blade through the object. The one or more distancing elements are attached to the saw blade body by an adhesive compound. The method also comprises operating the saw blade by a reciprocating motion, thereby cutting the object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, where

Figure 1 shows a side view of a saw blade;

Figure 2 shows a top view of a saw blade;

Figures 3-4 illustrate distancing elements attached to a saw blade body; Figure 5 schematically illustrates a cross section of a saw blade;

Figures 6A-6C and 7 show example distancing element shapes;

Figure 8 shows a side view of a saw blade;

Figure 9 schematically illustrates a section of a saw blade;

Figure 10 schematically illustrates a gang saw arrangement;

Figures 1 1 -13 show side views of saw blades;

Figure 14-15 illustrate saw blades in cutting slots during cutting operation; Figure 16 schematically shows an example distancing element; and

Figure 17 is a flow chart illustrating methods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The different saw blades, gang saw arrangements, and methods disclosed herein can, however, be realized in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the aspects set forth herein. Like numbers in the drawings refer to like elements throughout.

The terminology used herein is for describing aspects of the disclosure only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

As mentioned above, some known saw blades used in gang saw arrangements may not always produce perfectly straight cuts in the object or workpiece. This wobbling during cutting operation can be pronounced if the saw blade body is allowed a space to move or vibrate in the object as it cuts or saws into the object.

To reduce vibrations and wobbling, and to stabilize the saw blade during the cutting operation, distancing elements can be arranged on top or on lateral sides of the saw blade, i.e., on the edge opposite to the cutting edge or on the flat surfaces of the saw blade body, respectively. Figures 14 and 15 illustrate saw blades 1400, 1500 in cutting slots 1410, 1420 during cutting operation. The saw blade 1400 illustrated in Figure 14 comprises a saw blade body 101 having a plurality of cutting elements 1 10 arranged on a cutting edge of the saw blade. As the saw blade reciprocates, a slot 1410 is created in the object 140. The cutting elements 1 10 are slightly wider that the saw blade body 101 , thereby creating a slot 1410 in which the saw blade body may angle with respect to an intended cutting direction C. It is preferred to minimize the angle a at all times during cutting, since a non-zero and varying value of a gives rise to an uneven cut.

To stabilize the saw blade in the slot, distancing elements 120 may be attached to lateral sides 102, 103 of the saw blade body 101. Such distancing elements are illustrated in Figure 15. The saw blade is then restricted in the slot 1420 and is thereby prevented from wobbling. Consequently, a more straight cut in the cutting direction C is obtained.

According to prior art, distancing elements 120 are attached to the saw blade body 101 by means of brazing, welding, or riveting. Such bonding methods produce a high strength bond between the saw blade body and the distancing element able to withstand the high forces and mechanical stresses involved in the cutting operation.

According to the present teaching, the bond between distancing elements and saw blade body is replaced by an adhesive compound bond. It was previously and erroneously thought that this type of bond could not withstand the high mechanical forces involved, particularly the high shearing forces applied to the distancing elements during cutting operation. Using an adhesive compound in place of brazing or welding reduces production time and cost, thus providing for a more cost-efficient manufacturing process of the saw blade.

Indeed, the distancing elements are subject to both large frictional forces as well as severe mechanical shocks, since they are located between the blade and the object being cut. The blade is also subject to high stress levels due to blade tensioning (horizontal forces) and vertical forces resulting from contact with the object. This leads to repeated blade deformations and so repeated shearing stress forces at the interface between saw blade body and distancing elements. It has been discovered that an adhesive compound bond can be made strong enough to resist these forces even in the presence of cooling water and mud from the object being cut.

A further problem associated with saw blades in gang saw arrangements used for cutting materials prone to staining, such as marble and some types of stone, is that the saw blade body may corrode, which gives rise to rust stains on the surfaces of the cut object or workpiece. According to the present teaching, by attaching non-staining distancing elements on the saw blade body, such staining can be prevented since the saw blade body is prevented from contacting the workpiece by the distancing elements.

Figure 1 shows a side view of a saw blade 100, i.e., showing a lateral side 102 of the saw blade, while Figure 2 shows a top view of the same saw blade 100. The saw blade 100 is suitable for a gang saw arrangement 1000, as exemplified in Figure 10 below. The saw blade comprises a saw blade body 101 having a plurality of cutting elements 1 10 arranged on a cutting edge 130 of the saw blade to cut an object 140 in a cutting direction C in response to a reciprocating motion S of the saw blade. A plurality of distancing elements 120 is attached to the saw blade body 101 . The distancing elements 120 are configured to guide the saw blade through the object 140 as discussed above and illustrated in Figure 15 below. The one or more distancing elements 120 are attached to the saw blade body 101 by an adhesive compound, which will adhesive compound will be discussed in more detail below.

The saw blade is arranged to cut an object 140 in a cutting direction C by means of a reciprocating motion S. The cutting elements 1 10 are preferably conical segments attached along the cutting edge 130.

According to some aspects, the distancing elements 120 are attached on first 102 and second 103 lateral sides of the saw blade body 101 . According to some other aspects, the distancing elements are u-shaped and attached to both first and second lateral sides of the saw blade body, as will be discussed in connection to Figures 7-9 below.

According to some aspects, the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” are arranged evenly spaced D1 , D2 on the saw blade body 101 in a direction of the reciprocating motion S. Flowever, distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” may advantageously also be arranged with a non-uniform spacing, as discussed in connection to Figure 1 1 below.

The saw blade 100 is typically of a length L between 2000 mm and 5200 mm. The height W0 of the saw blade 100 is typically between 180 mm and 200 mm. The thickness of the saw blade body 1 10 can vary between 2.0 mm and 3.5 mm. It is, however, appreciated that these dimensions are just examples. Actual dimensions may vary considerably beyond these example numbers depending on application.

The cutting elements 120 are typically between 20 mm and 50 mm long, with a height of between 8 mm and 30 mm. Typical thicknesses of the cutting elements depend on the thickness of the saw blade body 101 . The cutting elements are preferably conical, as illustrated in Figure 5. To give some examples; the dimension of the conical cutting elements may be 3, 6/3,0 mm for a 2,0 mm thick blade saw body, 4, 2/3, 6 mm for a 2,5 mm thick blade saw body, 5, 0/4, 4 mm for a 3,0 mm thick blade saw body, and 5, 3/4, 7 mm for a 3,5 mm thick blade saw body.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate distancing elements 120 attached to a saw blade body 101 by means of an adhesive compound, such as a glue. A layer of the adhesive compound 310, 410 is applied between the saw blade body 101 and the distancing element 320, 420. The thickness W3 of the distancing element including the layer of adhesive should be on the order of half the difference in thickness between the saw blade body 101 and the cutting element 1 10, this way the say blade is stabilized in the slot which is created during the cutting operation and wobbling is prevented. It is noted that the adhesive compound may extend a small distance 440 beyond the distancing element, thus providing a measure of edge tapering.

In some cases, it may be advantageous to use a glue which forms a bond with minimal thickness, i.e., a glue with a relatively low viscosity.

As an example, in case a cyanoacrylate-based glue is used, a preferred thickness can be between 10 and 50 micrometres, or microns.

For a distancing element made of or comprising alumina, i.e., aluminium oxide (AI203), having a hardness on the order of 1000 Vickers, having a disc shape 15mm in diameter and 0.4mm thick, a low viscosity glue can for example be Loctite 480 or equivalent, which is a one-component ethyl cyanoacrylate- based glue with good adhesion to alumina and steel. Furthermore, it is a rubber toughened glue for enhanced shock resistance.

According to some aspects, the adhesive compound 310, 410 comprises a two-component adhesive with a glue thickness below 100 micrometres. As an exemplary illustration, for a distancing element made of or comprising alumina which is about 1000 Vickers, disc-shaped 15mm in diameter and 0.4mm thick, a two-component epoxy glue such as Araldite AW4858 with Flardener HW4858 gives good adhesion and mechanical as well as weathering resistance properties. As another exemplary illustration, for a distancing element comprising Inconel 718 (about 400 Vickers), square shaped 15mm on the side and 0.4mm thick, a low viscosity glue can be Loctite 415 or equivalent, which is a one- component methyl cyanoacrylate-based glue showing good adhesion to metals.

According to some aspects, a structural adhesive or hybrid adhesive can be used to maximize mechanical resistance, durability and ease of application.

The adhesive compound 310, 410 used to bond the distancing element 120, 120’, 120” to the saw blade body 101 is preferably not water soluble, since water is often used to cool the saw blade during cutting operation. It is also preferred to use an adhesive compound which is resistant to acidic substances, since the mud produced during sawing of some objects may be slightly acidic.

The bond between the distancing element and the saw blade body is subject to high levels of mechanical stress, and to large shearing forces as the saw blade reciprocates during the cutting operation. To increase mechanical bond strength, a recess 430 may be machined into the distancing segment 420.

In other words, at least one distancing element 120 may comprise a recess 430 on a side of the distancing element 420 attached to the saw blade body 101 by the adhesive compound 410. The recess is arranged to receive part of the adhesive compound 410, thereby increasing a shear resistance of the adhesive compound bond.

Alternatively, or complementary, a recess may also be formed in the saw blade body 101 (not shown in Figure 4).

Alternatively, or complementary, the blade roughness can be increased locally prior to gluing the distancing element using grit blasting for instance.

Figure 5 schematically illustrates a cross section of a saw blade. The conical shape of the cutting element 1 10 is clearly seen in Figure 5. The cutting element 1 10 has a width W2 at an extreme end 531 . The width is then gradually reduced 530 giving the cutting element 1 10 the conical shape. The thickness W3 of the distancing element 120 should, as noted above, be on the order of half the difference in thickness between the saw blade body 101 and the cutting element 1 10, i.e., W3 = (W2-W1 )/2. This way the saw blade is stabilized in the slot 540 which is created during the cutting operation, thereby preventing wobbling. In other words, according to some aspects, a thickness W3 of a distancing element 120, 120’, 120” substantially equals half of the difference in width W2 of a cutting element 1 10 and width W1 of the saw blade body 101 measured perpendicular to the cutting direction C and perpendicular to a direction of reciprocating motion S of the saw blade.

It is noted that the relationship between the different thicknesses result in that a surface 51 1 of the distancing segment 120 aligns 520 with the point of largest thickness of the cutting element 1 10.

According to some aspects, at least one of the distancing segments 120 has a tapered edge shape 510. The tapering is preferably arranged in the cutting direction C. Without this tapering, there is a risk that the saw blade may catch on an edge of the object 140 as the saw blade enters the object 140. By tapering, a smoother entry into the object can be obtained. It is appreciated that the tapered shape may be present on all sides of the distancing segment, not just in the cutting direction C. For instance, a round or coin-shaped distancing element may be associated with a tapered edge shape extending around the entirety of the coin distancing element.

Figures 6A-6C and 7 schematically illustrate example distancing element shapes.

Figure 6A illustrates an example coin-shaped distancing element 120A. Figure 6B illustrates an example distancing element 120B which has a rectangular shape with rounded corners. Figure 6C illustrates an example distancing element 120C which has a quadratic shape with non-rounded corners. It is appreciated that a wide variety of different shapes can be used for the distancing elements, not just those exemplified herein.

The diameter of an exemplary coin-shaped distancing element 120A may be on the order of 10-20 mm in diameter 610. The dimensions of the distancing elements are typically around 10-20 mm in length 620 and 5-15mm in height 630 in case rectangular shaped distancing elements 120B are used. A square distancing element 120C may have a side 640 between 10-20 mm. It is again noted that these dimensions are just examples. Actual dimensions may vary considerably beyond these example numbers depending on application.

According to an example, a surface area of a distancing element is larger than 0.5 square centimetres and smaller than 25 square centimetres.

According to some such aspects, the surface area of at least one distancing element is between 1 and 4 square centimetres.

It is appreciated that smaller distancing elements can also be used. For instance, small grains of a hard material may be deposited onto the saw blade body by means of, e.g., gluing. Examples of such distancing elements will be discussed below in connection to Figure 16.

Figure 7 shows a distancing element which is arranged to be mounted over an edge of the saw blade body and thus to be arranged on both lateral sides of the saw blade body. The saw blade body 101 fits in the slot 730 created by first 710 and second 720 sides of the distancing element 120’.

Figure 8 shows a side view of a saw blade 800 comprising the u-shaped distancing elements 120’ illustrated in Figure 7. Thus, according to aspects, at least one distancing element 120’ is U-shaped and arranged folded over an edge 131 of the saw blade body 101 opposite the cutting edge 130.

Figure 9 schematically illustrates a section of a saw blade comprising the u- shaped distancing segments 120’ arranged folded over the edge 131 of the saw blade body 101 . Flere, the adhesive compound 910 is applied on both lateral sides and also at the edge 131 of the saw blade body in order to reinforce the bond between the distancing segment 120’ and the saw blade body 101 .

Similar to the example in Figure 5, it is noted that a surface 91 1 of the distancing segment 120’ is aligned 920 with the point of largest thickness of the cutting element 1 10. However, the cutting element 1 10 in Figure 9 is shown without the conical shape.

It is appreciated that one or more recesses may be machined into the u-shaped distancing segment 120’ in a manner like the example discussed above in connection to Figure 4. These recesses increase resistance to shear forces.

It is also appreciated that the u-shaped distancing elements 120’ may be combined freely with the other distancing elements disclosed herein on the same saw blade body 101 .

As noted above, any distancing element 120, 120’, 120” shape may comprise tapered edges, regardless of whether it is u-shaped, coin shaped, or rectangular shaped.

A gang saw arrangement 1000 in which the disclosed saw blades can be used is illustrated in Figure 10. A plurality of saw blades are arranged in a frame (not shown in Figure 10). The saw blades reciprocate to cut the object 140 in the cutting direction C.

Figures 1 1 -13 show side views of some further example saw blades 1 100, 1200, 1300.

According to some aspects, with reference to Figure 1 1 , the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” are more closely spaced D2’ in a middle section M of the blade saw body 101 compared to in an outer section O of the blade saw body 101 . This way more distancing elements contact the object 140 during the cutting operation, which increases the stabilization effect on the saw blade.

A discussed above, a problem associated with some saw blades is that the saw blades stain the object 140 which is cut. The stains may for instance be caused by rust on the saw blade body. According to some aspects, the distancing elements are configured with a non-staining surface. Thus, the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” distance the saw blade body from the object 140, providing a space in-between saw blade body 101 and object 140. If the distancing elements are provided with a non-staining surface, the problem of staining the work piece is alleviated. The distancing elements may be produced of different materials. It is appreciated that the distancing elements need not be homogenous, i.e., be made in the same material throughout. Instead, the distancing elements may be constructed with a core in a less expensive material, and a surface coating having the required properties in terms of, e.g., hardness and/or staining properties.

Hardness may be measured using e.g. the Vickers hardness scale, in a known manner. Hardness may also be measured in the Rockwell scale, and a translation between the two hardness measures is often straight forward. It is appreciated tat Vickers hardness may vary within a range for a given material depending on how the measurement is made and under what circumstances. For instance, work hardening may affect the hardness of a material. The hardness values given herein are approximate values measured prior to use of the saw blades.

The distancing elements are preferably manufactured with a hard surface, to prevent excessive wear during the cutting operation. According to some aspects, a distancing element 120, 120’ is arranged with a surface having a hardness between 200 and 1800 measured on the Vickers scale and preferably between 400 and 1600 measured on the Vickers scale. 120, 120’.

It is appreciated that any hard material may be applicable in a distancing element, even very hard ones. Thus, according to some aspects, a distancing element 120, 120’ is arranged with a surface having a hardness below 16000 measured on the Vickers scale, i.e., a Vickers hardness associated with, e.g., diamond. According to some such aspects, a distancing element 120, 120’ is arranged with a surface having a hardness above 200 and preferably above 400 measured on the Vickers scale.

The material used in the distancing elements can be selected from a wide variety of different hard materials. The distancing elements need not be homogenous, rather, they can be constructed in a sandwich structure with a core material and a surface material. According to some aspects, at least one of the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” is at least partly made of aluminium oxide, such as alumina (AI203).

According to some aspects, at least one of the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” is at least partly made of a metallic alloy, such as Inconel 718.

According to some aspects, at least one of the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” is at least partly made of a ceramic material.

According to some aspects, at least one of the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” is at least partly made of steel or stainless steel. Steel or stainless steel may be suitable as a core material of the distancing elements.

According to some aspects, at least one of the distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” is at least partly made of diamond.

Alumina, which can be used in a distancing element, is associated with a hardness on the Vickers scale of about 1600, with a rather large variation from about 1400 to about 1800.

Diamond, which can also be used in a distancing element, is associated with a hardness on the Vickers scale of about 10000, but the hardness of different types of diamond can vary from about 7000 to 16000 on the Vickers scale.

Both non-abrasive distancing elements and abrasive distancing elements can be used, with different results. Non-abrasive distancing elements mainly distance the saw blade from the object, thereby stabilizing the saw blade during the cutting operation and preventing staining from the saw blade body, while abrasive distancing elements provide the additional effect of polishing the surface of the object as it is being cut.

Thus, according to some aspects, a distancing element 120, 120’, 120” comprises a non-abrasive surface.

According to some aspects, a distancing element 120, 120’, 120” comprises an abrasive surface.

It is appreciated that non-abrasive distancing elements may be combined with abrasive distancing elements on the same saw blade body. Figure 12 shows a side view of an example saw blade where abrasive distancing elements 120 are arranged in rows 1210, 1220, 1230 parallel to the cutting direction C and aligned with the direction of reciprocating motion S. The distancing elements in rows 1230 close to the cutting elements 1 10 are configured with a larger grit size compared to distancing elements in rows 1210 farther from the cutting elements 1 10.

This arrangement in rows with varying grit size on the abrasive elements provides a gradually refined polished surface on the object 140. The cutting elements 1 10 may generate some scratch marks on the object 140. These scratch marks are at least partially removed by the relatively coarse grit abrasive distancing elements arranged in the row 1230 closest to the cutting elements. The next row then polishes the surface with a finer grit, and the third row applies an even finer polish due to the even finer grit size of the distancing elements in the last row 1210. The end result is a polished surface of the object.

Figure 13 illustrates a saw blade 1300 where distancing elements in rows 1210, 1220, and 1230 have been offset in relation to each other. This creates a more even distribution of distancing elements, which results in an improved stabilizing effect on the saw blade 1300.

Figure 16 illustrates another example of a distancing element 120”. Flere smaller sized grains or grits 1620 have been mixed with or dispersed in a carrier substance 1610. The carrier substance may be the adhesive compound itself, or it can be another substance such as a further adhesive compound.

The carrier substance may also be a metal powder, in which case the distancing element can be produced by, e.g., sintering together the metal powder with the smaller sized grains 1620.

Thus, according to some aspects, a distancing element 120” is made of a composite material comprising the adhesive compound mixed with a wear resistant powder made of a hard material. This way the distancing element can be dispensed directly on the saw blade body, which simplifies production of the saw blade by combining the fabrication of the distancing element and the attachment onto the saw blade body into a single manufacturing step.

It is appreciated that a saw blade body may comprise any number of different types of distancing elements, i.e., some abrasive elements for polishing and guiding simultaneously, and some non-abrasive elements mainly for guiding and stabilising the saw blade.

According to some aspects, grains 1620 of a hard material, such as Tungsten Carbides, having a dimension of about 0.5mm measured along a cross-section of the grain can be dispersed in an adhesive compound 1610 and used as distancing elements. Diamond grits or grains can also be used with similar effect.

According to some further aspects, a distancing element can be produced by sintering diamond grits of between 1 to 100 microns with a powder from, e.g., cobalt, bronze, nickel, steel or iron.

Figure 17 is a flow chart illustrating methods. There is illustrated a method for cutting an object 140 by a saw blade suitable for a gang saw arrangement 1000. The method comprises configuring S1 the saw blade with a saw blade body 101 having a plurality of cutting elements 1 10 arranged on a cutting edge 130 of the saw blade to cut the object 140 in a cutting direction C in response to a reciprocating motion S of the saw blade. The method comprises attaching S2 a plurality of distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” to the saw blade body 101. The distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” are configured to guide the saw blade through the object 140, wherein the one or more distancing elements 120, 120’, 120” are attached to the saw blade body 101 by an adhesive compound 310, 410, 910. It should be noted that the S2 step comprise both the surface preparation step (degreasing step or blasting and degreasing) and the gluing step itself.

The method also comprises operating S3 the saw blade by a reciprocating motion S, thereby cutting the object 140.