Diamond & CBN Usage Principals

Material Holding Methods

02 Jun

Table of Contents

How to Select the Right Material Mounting or Fixturing Method for Your Application

How to Select the Right Material Mounting or Fixturing Method for Your Application

Assess Material Dimensions

Evaluating & Comparing Diamond Blades

Large, Flat Materials

Small or Irregularly Shaped Materials

Complex Geometries and Custom Fixtures

Consider Desired Cut Depth

Shallow Cuts
Deep Cuts
Specialized Fixtures

In addition to standard mechanical clamps, specialized fixtures may be necessary for certain applications, particularly when dealing with deep cuts. These fixtures can be custom-designed to match the specific requirements of the material and the cutting process. Advantages of specialized fixtures include:

Evaluate Material Properties

Evaluate Material Properties

Hardness

Brittleness

Shape and Geometry

Determine Application-Specific Requirements

High-Precision Applications

High-Speed Operations

Achieving a Smooth Surface Finish

Adaptability to Complex Processes

Environmental Considerations

Comparison of Different Material Mounting Methods for Diamond & CBN Tools

MECHANICAL CLAMPING/FIXTURING
TAPE MOUNTING WITH VACCUM CHUCK
DOUBLE SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE
WAX/GLUE MOUNTING TO MEDIA
WAX/GLUE MOUNTING TO MEDIA

Mounting Method

Attributes

Advantages

Disadvantages

Ideal Applications

Mechanical Clamps/Fixtures
  •  Strong hold
  • Adjustable Padded jaws available
  • Suitable for large and hard materials
  • Provides robust and stable support
  • Even pressure distribution
  • Adjustable for precise positioning
  • Suitable for high-speed operations
  • Can cause damage if too tight
  • Not ideal for delicate or brittle materials
  • Requires proper maintenance and setup
  • Large, flat materials
  • Hard materials
  • High-precision applications
  • High-speed operations

Wax Mounting
  • Conforms to shapes
  • Variable thickness
  • Cost-effective
  • Gentle hold
  • Accommodates irregular shapes
  • Can hold thicker materials
  • Very inexpensive
  • Readily available
  • Suitable for very small and micro parts
  • No lip effect
  • Can be mixed to control tool wear
  • Occasional chipping at exit
  • Possible vibration
  • Limited by material dimensions
  • Best at lower speeds and feed rates
  • Small or irregularly shaped materials
  • Soft or delicate materials
  • Applications requiring gentle hold
  • Lower speed operations

Tape Mounting
  • Easy to apply and remove
  • Flexible
  • Suitable for lightweight materials
  • Quick and simple application
  • Even hold without pressure points
  • No special equipment needed
  • Minimal residue if high-quality tape is used
  • Limited holding power for heavy or thick materials
  • Affected by temperature and humidity
  • Not suitable for high-speed operations
  • Lightweight and small materials
  • Temporary mounting needs
  • Applications with minimal vibration and lower speeds

Custom Fixtures
  • Tailored to specific shapes
  • Precise alignment
  • Material-specific design
  • Maximum stability for complex shapes
  • Precise positioning
  • Supports multi-directional cuts
  • Can be adapted for various materials and shapes
  • More expensive
  • Longer setup times
  • Requires custom design and fabrication
  • Complex geometries
  • High-tolerance applications
  • Multi-step machining processes
  • Irregular shapes needing precise alignment

Soft Fixtures (Foam/Silicone)
  • Cushions material
  • Distributes pressure evenly
  • Absorbs vibrations
  • Protects brittle materials
  • Minimizes chipping and cracking
  • Good for delicate surfaces
  • Reduces vibrations
  • Limited support for very hard or heavy materials
  • Can wear out and need replacement
  • Not suitable for high-speed operations
  • Brittle materials
  • Delicate or sensitive surfaces
  • Low-vibration requirements
  • Lower speed operations

Vacuum Fixtures
  • Suction-based hold
  • Even pressure distribution
  • Suitable for flat surfaces
  • Strong hold without physical clamps
  • Even distribution of force
  • Quick setup and release
  • Requires flat, non-porous surfaces
  • Limited holding power for irregular shapes
  • Dependent on reliable vacuum source
  • Flat, non-porous materials
  • Quick changeover applications
  • Situations needing even hold without physical contact

MECHANICAL CLAMPING/FIXTURING

Advantages of Mechanical Clamping

Challenges of Mechanical Clamping

Key Considerations for Mechanical Clamping:

Magnetic Chucks:

Material Holding Methods
Pneumatic Clamping

Pneumatic Clamping:

Specialized Fixtures:

V-Blocks:

V-Blocks
Rotary Chucks

Rotary Chucks:

Advantages:
Disadvantages:

Holding Fixture / Chuck Padding and Tape Mounting with Vacuum Chuck

Material Holding Methods
Vacuum Chuck

Double-Sided Adhesive Tape

Double Sided Adhesive Tape
Best Practices for Using Double-Sided Adhesive Tape:

TAPE MOUNTING

Dicing Blade Operations
Dicing Blade Operations

Selecting the Right tape for your application

Standard Tapes:

UV Release Tapes:

Holding Mediums for Tape and Wafer: Film Frame and Ring

Using Film Frame

film frame
Ring

Using Ring

Wax/Glue Mounting to Media

Wax Glue Mounting
Advantages
Characteristics of Waxes:
Disadvantages:
Best Practices for Wax/Glue Mounting:

Innovative Uses and Alternatives:

Colleting Devices

Advantages of Colleting Devices:

Considerations for Choosing Colleting Devices:

CBN diamond tools offer high-performance precision cutting solutions, ideal for grinding, machining, and processing hard materials like steel and ceramics.

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Knowledge Center

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Ayan Sadyk is a materials scientist and process engineer with over two decades of experience in the industrial diamond tooling sector. His expertise lies in integrating ultra-thin diamond blades, CBN wheels, and advanced cutting systems into precision manufacturing workflows for applications in optics, semiconductors, and technical ceramics.

With a background in materials behavior and surface integrity, Mr. Sadyk brings a data-driven, application-specific approach to cutting and grinding process development. He has worked closely with manufacturers and R&D facilities across Eastern Europe, North America, and the Middle East, helping optimize tool life, surface finish, and process stability.

As an author, he focuses on bridging materials science with tooling innovation—writing on topics such as blade wear mechanisms, thermal effects in hard material sectioning, and adaptive process design.

author-avatar

About Ayan Sadyk

Ayan Sadyk is a materials scientist and process engineer with over two decades of experience in the industrial diamond tooling sector. His expertise lies in integrating ultra-thin diamond blades, CBN wheels, and advanced cutting systems into precision manufacturing workflows for applications in optics, semiconductors, and technical ceramics. With a background in materials behavior and surface integrity, Mr. Sadyk brings a data-driven, application-specific approach to cutting and grinding process development. He has worked closely with manufacturers and R&D facilities across Eastern Europe, North America, and the Middle East, helping optimize tool life, surface finish, and process stability. As an author, he focuses on bridging materials science with tooling innovation—writing on topics such as blade wear mechanisms, thermal effects in hard material sectioning, and adaptive process design.

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