Model Updating and Structural Optimization of Circular Saw Blades with Internal Slots

Circular diamond saws rotating in high speed are widely used to cut hard materials, and narrow slots on saw blades are sometimes used to reduce the blades' vibration and noise. Sizing optimization of the internal, annular slots on saw blades is investigated in this paper. First, an accurate finite element model representing an actual saw blade is obtained by model updating. Then, sizing optimization on two types of annular slots is performed to maximize the frequency separation between the finite element analysis results and the saw blade's operational speed and to reduce the possibility of structural resonance. Optimization results demonstrate great improvements in frequency separation from the rotating speed of 500 Hz for the optimized models, and stress analyses on the optimized blade models confirm the structural integrity of the designs.