The Challenge

A diamond tool manufacturer producing circular saw blades and core bits for granite quarrying and reinforced concrete cutting was experiencing premature segment wear. The diamond retention in their cobalt-based matrix was inconsistent, leading to:

• Short tool life on hard granite (averaging only 800 linear meters per blade)
• Excessive diamond pull-out — diamonds lost before reaching full cutting potential
• High cobalt raw material costs squeezing profit margins

The Solution

LSBT replaced a portion of the cobalt binder with a bronze-copper-phosphorus matrix system that provided equivalent hardness at significantly lower cost:

• BRONZE 10/12 spherical bronze — air-atomized CuSn 10-12% powder, high sphericity for uniform cold pressing
• CUP copper-phosphorus drops — acts as liquid-phase sintering activator, lowering sintering temperature by 80°C
• CU-SF spherical copper — high-purity copper for ductile matrix phase, improving impact resistance

The Results

The new matrix formulation extended average cutting distance from 800m to 1,140m per blade on hard granite. Diamond utilization efficiency improved from 35% to over 55% — meaning more diamonds reached their full cutting life before segment wear-out.