Choosing the Right Blade for Fiberglass Cutting Applications

Fiberglass is a synthetic fiber manufactured primarily of glass. It is used to insulate homes, swimming pools, boats, fountains, and in a variety of other applications. Glass fibers are mixed with a resin to create a composite that is sprayed into place.

In addition to providing insulation, fiberglass is also used to strengthen surfaces without increasing weight.

Chopper guns create short chop fibers that are mixed with resin and sprayed on to surfaces to strengthen and insulate. The Carbon steel blades used in chopper guns are tiny and inexpensive.

Custom choppers require custom blades. This type of chopper is often used to create large chop sizes used in insulation manufacturing. Custom chopper machines provide ample opportunity to design blades to suit the cutting material and production demands.

Both chopper guns and custom choppers are found in wet and dry environments. During wet chopping, the fiberglass is sprayed with a liquid as it comes through the chopper head. In dry chop environments, the fiberglass is chopped after it has been dried.

There is always space for improvement, no matter how long you've been in business. “ Oscar De La Hoya

Selecting a Blade Material

Carbon steel blades can be used in both wet and dry chop applications in a variety of runtime environments depending on your chopping needs. Chopping blades manufactured of carbon steel provide are typically lower cost and some varieties of Carbon steel can increase lifetime in wet or dry applications.

Stainless steel blades are often the standard for wet chop applications. If corrosion is a concern, there are a variety of stainless steel options that can meet your needs and improve your blade life. Coatings can also be added to either Carbon or stainless blades improve lifetime and cut quality. Common coatings are Titanium Carbide and Ceramic, both strengthen the blade edge increasing lubricity and blade lifetime, Ceramic also reduces friction in your chopping application to prevent buildup on the blade.

Tungsten Carbide blades provide the longest life and the highest-quality cuts for the most precise cuts. Tungsten Carbide is often only used when a fine cut is required, although higher in cost, the increased run time and precise cut quality make Tungsten Carbide a good choice for more specialized applications.

The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. “ Helmut Schmidt

How to Improve Cut Quality and Blade Life

Upgrading blade material improves cut quality and blade life. Some choppers elect to change blade material to meet each cutting specification and material. These choppers generally keep several chopper heads ready, each fitted with application-specific blades.

To maintain the same blade material while improving performance, consider using a coated stainless steel, Carbon steel, or Tungsten Carbide blade. Titanium Carbide coatings add strength to the blade edge to increase the overall life of the blade. Ceramic coatings also add strength while reducing heat and friction.

To find the ideal mix of performance and blade life, work with an experienced industrial blade manufacturer. The experts at American Cutting Edge have developed optimum blade designs for a wide variety of fiberglass chopping applications. We will work with your operators and engineers to find your ideal chopping blade.