Investigation and formulation of cobalt content of ultra-thin diamond blades and dicing performance manufactured by fused deposition modeling and sintering (FDMS)

Achieving appropriate cobalt concentration within the matrix when fabricating ultra-thin diamond blades with fused deposition modeling and sintering (FDMS) leads to improved machining performance. This study investigates the effects of cobalt content on mechanical properties such as hardness, relative density, and holding strength of ultra-thin diamond blades by FDMS. It also examines the fragmentation characteristics, chipping size, and surface quality of diced surfaces with these ultra-thin diamond blades. The experimental findings show that increasing the cobalt content of the matrix enhances its mechanical properties and reinforces the bond between the matrix and diamond particles, thereby improving the flatness, sharpness, and overall quality of the blades. Additionally, it has been observed that ultra-thin diamond blades containing less cobalt are more effective at processing ferrite magnets, whereas those containing more cobalt perform better at machining alumina ceramics. The cobalt content of ultra-thin diamond blades has an additional impact on the surface quality and surface topology of diced surfaces in various materials. This results in microstructured surfaces with the lowest surface roughness values of 0.282 μm and 0.367 μm for alumina ceramics and ferrite magnets, respectively. In conclusion, understanding the effects of cobalt content within the matrix of diamond thin blades could assist in the availability of good formulas in FDMS, improving blade quality and dicing performance, and ultimately advancing FDMS's capability to produce high-quality diamond cutting tools for a wide range of applications.