Diamond cup wheels come in various shapes, sizes, and specifications depending on application requirements. Diamond cup wheels have an extensive range of applications. These include grinding stone and concrete and removing paints, epoxy, glues, wallpaper, and other surfaces. As such, choosing the right diamond cup wheel for your application requires that you have pre-informed knowledge of the attributes of this critical diamond manufacturing tool.
Whether as a supplier or distributor of diamond tools, this article will expose you to five things you should know about the diamond cup wheel for the concrete surface.
Table of Contents
- 1. What are Diamond Cup Wheels?
- 2. Uses of Diamond Cup Wheels for Concrete Surfaces
- 3. Choosing the right diamond cup wheel for concrete surfaces
- 4. Diamond Cup Wheel Use and Maintenance for Optimum Performance
- 5. Custom-made diamond cup wheels are always better
- Final Thoughts
1. What are Diamond Cup Wheels?
Diamond cup wheels are essential tools that have gained popularity in home improvement, repair of surfaces, and construction processes. Thus, diamond cup wheels are diamond tools with metal bonding and diamond segment joined by welding through a cold-pressed metal wheel body. A diamond cup wheel earns its name from the cup-like shape in which it appears. The primary purposes of the diamond cup wheel are to disintegrate sturdy building materials such as granite, concrete, and marble. However, as we have explained earlier, this article will focus on diamond-cup wheels for concrete surfaces.
Figure 1: A piece of a diamond cup wheel used on the wet concrete surface
2. Uses of Diamond Cup Wheels for Concrete Surfaces
Using a diamond cup wheel for concrete surfaces requires knowing about these tools to make the right choice. These valuable tools smoothen concrete surfaces and level down high spots to achieve a uniform surface. They are equally useful when constructing a swimming pool as you need them to keep the pond surfaces in the correct shape, depending on your choice.
Figure 2: Top view of the final grinding of the concrete floor by a construction worker
Also, diamond cup wheels handle tasks depending on the segment you use. You will need diamond cup wheels with many large diamond segments for a heavy-duty project to which concrete surfaces belong.
3. Choosing the right diamond cup wheel for concrete surfaces
When choosing the right diamond cup wheel for concrete surfaces, you must be meticulous with leveraging techniques. For instance, the specific tool for restoration, stabilization of cracks, and correcting roughness on concrete surfaces differ.
Also, the diamond cup wheel comes in various styles and sizes. The size of their diameter will play a significant role in the type of task they can handle and their efficiency.
Thus, these are the factors to consider when choosing a diamond cup wheel for concrete surfaces:
●Type of materials
While making concrete surfaces, the material in use determines the strength of the concrete. Therefore, the strength of the concrete also determines the type of diamond cup wheel. For instance, hard concrete surfaces need a soft diamond cup wheel. Ideally, a diamond cup wheel becomes blunt when grinding through concrete. Thus, a soft bond in the diamond cup wheel wears out quickly. That would expose the new diamond below and enables it to partake in the entire grinding process.
In contrast, softer concrete surfaces require a hard diamond cup wheel. Consequently, the diamond bond must wear out as slowly as possible to hold the diamond for an extended period. That will improve the diamond’s efficiency and extend the cup wheels’ shelf life.
●Grinding Purposes
Grinding serves different purposes. Sometimes, we use it to correct irregularities and establish a high level of smoothness on surfaces. In this instance, you should go for diamond cup wheels that work to achieve this. Also, you might need grinding to improve surface resistance or noise cancellation. The build, the design, and the size of the diamond segment will all determine the type of diamond cup wheel to use. Thus, it’s advisable to go for a customized diamond cup wheel as you are much more in control of the outcome of the design. Fortunately, NC Cutting Tools can help in this regard.
Figure 3: A worker grinding concrete surface using a grinder with a diamond cup wheel
●Condition and age of the base concrete
You need to have prior knowledge of the status of the base concrete. The diamond cup wheel use largely depends on the concrete surface’s age and compressive strength. From experience, older concrete surfaces are harder to penetrate as concrete adds more strength as age advances. You should try to understand if the concrete is already delaminated, disintegrating, or in perfect condition. The type of diamond cup wheel will be like the one we describe in the kind of material above.
●Grinding Phases
A concrete application usually has two grinding phases, that is, coarse and fine grinding. The diamond cups wheel to use for each phase differs. While coarse grinding requires diamond-cup wheels with intense sturdiness, fine grinding needs to lower the diamond-cup wheel’s toughness.
Also, coarse grinding works best when the diamond grit is between 35 – 50. This range has a lower diamond concentration that optimizes its efficiency.
However, fine grinding requires grit of 80 – 120 with higher diamond concentration. Here, diamonds last longer as the hard bond enables precise processing.
●Intended degree of concrete surface profile
You need to understand the surface profile that will provide enough tooth for the coating to adhere to. Also, the thickness of the overlay or coating needs to hide the surface you want to coat. Check if your overlay manufacturer specifies the surface preparation method that is most appropriate for their system. Diamond cup wheels with harder bonds fit perfectly for in-depth concrete surface profiles, while softer bonds work best for shallow profiles.
●The shape of the diamond segment
Everything matters when it comes to choosing the right diamond cup wheel for concrete surfaces, including the shape of the diamond segment. For instance, square segments offer a long leading edge ideal for irregular or uneven concrete floors. On the other hand, finer grits work perfectly with diamond cup wheels with a round head. It has a subtle leading edge that works best on fine surfaces.
4. Diamond Cup Wheel Use and Maintenance for Optimum Performance
Like every other tool, the diamond cup wheel requires adequate maintenance to function optimally. Some factors that contribute to diamond cup wheel durability include the wheel’s speed, feed rate, work speed, and the application of a coolant during use.
●Wheel Speed
The type of concrete surface you are working on will determine the speed to use. As a rule of thumb, wet surfaces require 4000 to 6000 of/min (20 to 30 m/s). There will be a reduction in the efficiency of the diamond cup wheel should the speed go below 4000 SF/min. In contrast, keeping the speed above 6000 SF/min will lower the diamond cup’s shelf life. If you are working on concrete floor surfaces with the grinder having 150 grit size and 75 – 100 concentration, you should set the speed at average. It implies that anything between 3500 and 4500 SF/min (18 to 23 m/s) produces the best performance. Working at 4500 SF/min (23rn/s) without a coolant can damage the diamond cup wheel.
Figure 4: Wet grinding using a diamond cup wheel at optimum speed
●Work Speed
When working on a wet or dry concrete surface, you must keep the working speed optimum. Lower working speed will reduce the diamond cup’s efficiency, while too high speed will hasten wear and tears, resulting in damage. It also mars the quality of the work.
●Feed rate
It is the cutting depth of the diamond cup wheel. The diamond cup wheel can crack, burn, or chip depending on the feed rate. That condition will prevent the diamond cup wheel from achieving the workpiece’s ideal size, finish, or overall output. You must follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for the feed rate. Often, the size of the grit determines the depth of the cut.
●Use of Coolant
Grinding dry concrete surfaces sometimes produces intense heat that may reduce the efficiency of the diamond cup wheel. Coolant can improve the performance of a diamond cup wheel and user productivity. However, we recommend following the proper wheel speed, feed rate, and work speed rather than using coolants. Alternatively, you can go for a resin-bonded diamond cup wheel as it generates less heat than those without resin.
5. Custom-made diamond cup wheels are always better
When you order ready-made diamond cup wheels online, they often do not have the capacity to carry out the application you intend to use them for. Thus, you might eventually need to go for other ones. Instead of plying trial and error route, you can have diamond cup manufacturers such as NC Cutting Tools design your diamond cup wheel following the ideal specifications. It includes shape, size, design, the concentration of diamonds, and many more.
Figure 5: Manual grinding machine with diamond cup cutting wheel in the hand of a working
For customized diamond cup wheels with any specifications and designs, you can talk to NC Cutting Tools specialists for free estimates and advice.
Frequently Asked Questions on diamond cup wheels for concrete surfaces
Here are some of the common questions people ask regarding diamond cup wheels:
How do I choose a diamond grinding wheel for concrete surfaces?
Concrete grinding exists in coarse and fine grinding (polishing.) Coarse grinding requires a diamond cup wheel with a soft bond and between 35 – 50 grit high diamond hardness. Fine grinding requires a hard diamond bond between 80 – 120 with higher diamond concentration for high precision.
How long does a grinding wheel last?
The shelf life of your diamond wheel cup largely depends on your choice of manufacturer. That’s why going for customized tools generally has an edge, as you can determine the specification and the materials in use. Overall, a diamond cup wheel with resinoid bonding can last up to 2-3 years with adequate maintenance.
How do you install a diamond cup wheel?
The installation process generally involves removing the locking flange and the spacer on the shaft. Next, engage the gearbox lock button while tightening the grinding wheel with your hands. The drive spindle rotation will ensure that the cup is tight enough. After that, engage the lock button right on the housing. Alternatively, you can check the manual for the diamond cup wheel installation.
Final Thoughts
By now, you must have been familiar with all you need to know about the diamond cup wheel for the concrete surface. As a reminder, going for customized diamond tools will save you a lot of stress and prevent you from wasting your hard-earned money on low-quality tools that cannot handle the job effectively. Check NC Cutting Tools for featured products. You can book a session with our specialists to explain your unique needs. We have been the leading manufacturer of diamond tools for more than 20 years, and we know what you need. Contact us now to understand how we can be of help.
