What You Should Know Before Picking A Supplier

Diamond grinding wheels are available in a variety of commonly used shapes and sizes, but custom tools are often needed in specialized industries, including medical, aerospace, and ceramics. Weeding through professional grinding wheel manufacturers can be a daunting task, but custom-made surface grinding wheels are necessary for these industries.

Super abrasive products are used throughout the globe and are sought after by a wide assortment of customers. This means that diamond grinding wheel suppliers should be well versed in numerous applications, from electronics and composites to the oil industry, and everything in between. Look for a company that also specializes in plated, resin bond, and metal bond products, since different CBN wheels are designed for different grinding operations.

Cutting wheels consist of five major characteristics, including grain size, material, grain spacing, wheel grade, and bond type. Grain size determines the coarseness of the abrasive while the material indicates the actual abrasive itself, whether it is made from aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, ceramic, diamond, or cubic boron nitride. Grain spacing indicates the density of the wheel and wheel grade determines how hard or soft the bond holds the abrasive. Bond type affects the coolant, finish, and wheel speeds, and can be made of anything from rubber to metal.

Diamond wheels are made with diamonds, just as the name suggests. This gemstone is perfectly suited to grinding because it can stand up to extremely hard materials without breaking down. Some of the materials that diamond wheels are used to grind include other gemstones, concrete, and carbide cutting tips.

It’s important to go with a manufacturer noted for having the industry best lead time. Reputable companies often have a product ready and shipped within 7-10 working days, so never settle for anyone who doesn’t have the capabilities to have a custom super abrasive product ready in a week. Consider that the supplier should have personalized customer service that can pass on knowledge of the products as well, helping customers select the best super abrasive for their individual needs.

Continental Diamond Tool (CDT) is a leading provider of super-abrasives that maintains small company values but boasts large company capabilities, making them a highly sought after supplier. They specialize in the manufacture and application of CBN and diamond products used for both grinding and cutting, and are experienced in a wide range of industries. They also employ skilled experts with decades of experience, all of whom utilize the latest equipment to create a quality product unmatched in the industry.

Which Type of Grinding Wheel Is Right For The Job?

You can always work with materials that are easy to shape, like pipe cleaners, but if you want to build something strong you've got to build with metal. It stands up to wear and tear, and once you shape metal it stays that way. But shaping metal is serious business, and for that you need serious tools from grinding wheels manufacturers.

Metal shaping occurs in automotive repair and rebuilding quite commonly, but there are lots of other reasons you might want to shape metal. If you want to build anything brand-new or re-build something older that’s no longer up to par, you’ll have to shape the metal. This tough material gives you the firm foundation you need for your manufacturing projects.

But metal is tough and hard to work, so you’ve got to have the tools that get the job done. Choose the right surface grinding wheels for the tasks you want to carry out. If you do the job right the first time around, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble and agony later.

When you want something high-efficiency that works quickly, you want resin bonded grinding wheels you can trust. You need something that spins true and cuts with precision, a self-sharpening tool that rarely needs maintenance. That’s exactly what you’re going to find from our resin bonded grinding wheels. They tend to stay at a low temperature even during use, decreasing your risk of burning your project. Use them for sharpening, polishing and all types of grinding work.

Your projects may need diamond grinders or CBN wheels. The plated bond is aggressive, and maintains its edge longer than other types of surface grinding wheels. These plated grinders can also be stripped and replated, prolonging use. Get your diamond grinders or CBN wheel replated by Continental Diamond Tool to affordably refurbish your tools. Use a plan to pay for the process, and you’ll have like-new tools for less.

Companies of all types shape metal, and it's used by manufacturers in medical, optics, aerospace and many other industries. With the right surface grinding tools, you’ll have large company capabilities to manufacture the items you need. The price is right to allow you to hold on to your small company values while delivering products that are worthy of a gigantic corporation. Get quality superabrasive tooling in as little as one week with our fast delivery policy, and get to work.

Your Tools Are Only As Good As Your Dresser

Your tools are only as good as the care you give them. A brand new product will work wonderfully at first, but nearly anything with a sharp point or fine edge will wear down over time. You’re probably familiar with grinding wheels for sharpening tools, but do you know how to choose and use the tools that keep your grinding wheel in working condition? The proper grinding wheel dressing stone is essential for an efficient wheel. When you’re choosing a dressing tool for grinding wheels, it’s important to understand all your options. A grinding wheel dresser diamond tool is the strongest choice. Other materials like silicon carbide or aluminum oxide are adequate for some wheels, but diamond consistently provides the best performance.

Dressing stones for grinding wheels are available in many different shapes. Choose from a single point diamond dresser with layered clusters, blade-type dressers with hand set diamonds, and grit dressers with uniform distribution of diamonds. Each dresser will give you a distinct finish. As you apply the grinding wheel dressing stick to the surface of your wheel, you’ll remove the top layer of the wheel and reveal a clean, sharp surface for future projects.

Dressing sticks aren't used exclusively on grinding wheels. The right dressing stick is important for maintaining other sharp tools as well. Diamond core drills feature a diamond tip that’s powerful enough to drill through nearly any material. The drill bit itself requires regular care to stay sharp and effective. Though the strength and capabilities of diamonds are certainly impressive, they don’t make diamonds infallible. You must regularly dress diamond core drills with an aluminum oxide dressing stick to keep them in top shape. 

With a quality dressing stick, you can keep all your important tools sharp and well-maintained. Get to know every surface in your shop so you can instantly recognize when one is becoming dull and dirty. Grinding wheels can lose their efficiency quickly. You should always have a dressing tool for grinding wheels on hand to sharpen your tools. If you’re not equipped with a good diamond dressing stick, you’ll lose time allotted to active production while you wait for the proper items to arrive.

Assess your needs and stock up on quality dressing tools for every metal grinding wheel, drill, and surface that you use regularly. Dress your tools as often as you need to to keep them in top condition and functioning like new.

Industry Uses for Diamond Saw Blades

Because of their application in the medical field, diamond saw blades improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world. In healthcare, diamond blades assist in processes ranging from sawing bones during surgery to precision work inside blood vessels. Creating the ideal prosthetic involves skilled use of diamond saw blades. There are also multiple uses for diamond blades in the dental field including restorative work. Those who need care from an optometrist or ophthalmologist benefit from diamond saw blades that play a role in creating lenses and optical measuring tools.

When it comes to the aerospace industry, diamond blades have multiple applications. For example, these tools work on composite materials, titanium, graphite, Kevlar, and reinforced plastics. Cutting, shaping, and developing these materials is an integral part of the manufacturing and innovation process for aerospace engineers.

In the IT and electronics fields, engineers use diamond saw blades to cut semiconductors. Cutting semiconductors, which are brittle, is no easy task. It requires precision and care. These specialized blades work very well on these delicate materials. Likewise, a diamond blade cuts metals, ferrites, substrates, printed circuit boards, and other materials used to produce electronics.

One of the most useful versions of this cutting tool is the electroplated blade. Superior to blades constructed using the vacuum brazing and sintering techniques, electroplated diamond blades are easy to replate when the blade wears down. This process also utilizes a powerful bonding application while allowing for the removal of the layer when it’s time to replace it. These blades have one layer of diamonds, which are not embedded in the bond itself. Instead, the diamonds are exposed from the bond. Diamond saw blades made using the electroplating process may be very thin, making them ideal for doing precision work.

Being able to remove an abrasive from a diamond blade and apply a new layer helps you protect your tool investment and save money. Rather than replacing the entire tool, you merely get the blade replated. Reapplying the diamond abrasive gives your existing tool something akin to a reboot. It’s once again ready to tackle any task, whether it’s a construction, medical, or aerospace application.

To view some of our recent projects, click here.

CDT Launches New Website

CDT is proud to announce the launch of our new company website cdtusa.net.  We look forward to sharing great information about CDT and our phenomenal products and services, but also serve as a thought leader for everything you need to know about Plated products, Resin Bond products, and Metal Bond products. 

We have more than 40 years of experience in the Diamond Tool industry and would like to help any of our customers or visitors by sharing this knowledge. As always, when your product application calls for a diamond or CBN wheel or tooling, you can call on our team of experts and we'll be happy to assist you in any way. Enjoy!

Dressing or Truing: What’s the Difference?

Any time a grinding wheel is mounted on a machine it must be trued and dressed to produce satisfactory work. These two terms are sometimes lumped together as “conditioning” but they mean different things. Inexpensive conventional abrasive wheels are relatively robust: dressing and truing can often be performed at the same time and repeated periodically. The same is not true for CBN and diamond grinding wheels.

These superabrasive grinding wheels represent a considerable investment, which should be repaid in longer life and higher productivity. However, achieving that performance demands close attention be paid to truing and dressing.

WHY TRUE A GRINDING WHEEL?

No matter how precisely manufactured, once a grinding wheel is mounted on a spindle there will be some eccentricity. Even if it's less than 0.001” it's going to affect the final size and finish of the workpiece, so to produce high-quality work the wheel must be trued.

One method of finding high spots is with a child's wax crayon. Spin up the wheel and bring in the crayon until it just touches: high spots will quickly gain a colored layer.

TRUING SUPERABRASIVE WHEELS

Conventional grinding wheels are easily trued with a diamond cutter that's harder than the wheel matrix. Diamond and CBN wheels can't be cut, and instead are effectively ground to size. While this can be done by traversing a conventional grinding wheel or sintered diamond roller across the wheel face, many machinists prefer to use a brake-controlled truing device (BCTD.)

Like the other methods, the BTCD presents an abrasive surface to the wheel, but turns more slowly. This speed differential results in a precise and controllable truing operation.

DRESS AFTERWARDS

Truing creates a smooth surface on the wheel periphery, and with no exposed grit the wheel won't cut. Dressing sharpens the wheel by removing bond material and fracturing the superabrasive grit to expose fresh edges, so dressing always follows truing.

A superabrasive grinding wheel is largely self-sharpening, although the workpiece material can cause it to dull or load-up. In such situations the grit starts to either rub against the surface or plow, (pushing material aside). Both affect surface finish, increase cutting forces and create heat, which can damage the workpiece. The solution is periodic dressing.

IMPACT OF WHEEL CONSTRUCTION

Resin and vitrified superabrasive grinding wheels have some depth to the matrix. This allows a wheel to be dressed and trued several times. However, plated and metal bond wheels have a much thinner layer of grit and can only be trued to the depth available.

Breaking Ground on New State-of-the-Art Facility

CDT is breaking ground this month on a $12 million expansion that will result in 77 additional jobs at a newly constructed New Haven, Indiana, facility.

The new 112,000-square-foot manufacturing facility will be equipped with state-of-the art equipment, allowing us to maintain our strong growth rate, better serve our customers, and potentially double our employment base.

The project includes $5.25 million in manufacturing equipment, $400,000 in research and development equipment and $100,000 in information technology equipment.

Construction started this month, with completion slated for the end of the year. 

More details at:
https://journalgazette.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A177F469847189203%40NGPA-INJG-1862FAE8B6653844%402457928-186082DE223C8686%4016-186082DE223C8686%40?search_terms=%22Continental%2BDiamond%2BTool%22&text=%22Continental%20Diamond%20Tool%22&pub%255B0%255D=177F469847189203&sort=new&pdate=2017-06-23

Why Continental Diamond Tool?

Tools That Make the Difference

Whether you work in medical tool manufacturing, aerospace engineering, concrete cutting or construction, or various other industries, you expect quality diamond saw blades — thus quality manufacturers. No matter what the job, the tools you use make all the difference. It's best to find well-made diamond plated routers, blades, tips, and holes that can easily get the job done, but don't stop there. If you're distributing the goods or introducing an industry-insider to the best in the business, make sure you pick a place with a solid reputation, excellent customer service, and quick response time.

Superabrasive tools are top-notch in a variety of industries and manufacturing endeavors. When working with materials such as fiberglass, quartz, various composites, ceramics, carbides, and other materials, diamond tip saw blades get the job done better. For the tools needed in innovative space exploration or high quality stone work, tools such as a continuous rim diamond blade provide a smooth, even, and polished finish.

Utilize a saw blade supplier with a versatile, well-stocked inventory and quick turn-around time. Our customers receive their new diamond plated router, saw blade, or tip, quicker, so they can get started creating products, technology, and innovations that may very well change the world.

Versatility is incredibly important in this industry. For that reason, it's also best to go with diamond saw blade suppliers who offer diamond blades, saws, and other tools that are capable of working with wet and dry materials. When working with marble, granite, concrete, ceramic tiles, and similar materials, the ability to work wet increases accuracy. When paired with a continuous saw, it significantly decreases the risk of chipping or mistakes, leading to flawless, polished work, whatever the need.

Creating statuary, granite or marble memorials, manufacturing tools and electronics used in space, and building tools for the medical field all require spotless, perfect work. The tools make all the difference, which is why it's essential to choose a manufacturer who guarantees quality pieces with many uses.

Bring the best to your customers. Rather than a large, jam-packed company which believes in quantity over quality, choose a smaller, more well-rounded supplier that responds with all the capabilities of a larger company. Whether you distribute to clients or companies that specialize in working with tiles, ceramic, fiberglass, or quartz, make sure that they'll have the best tools with the best reputation.

What Feed & Speed Do I Run the Wheel?

High-speed grinding wheels can increase a manufacturer’s production rates, improve product quality, and reduce production costs. Two of the most popular superabrasive products used for these purposes include the CBN grinding wheel and the diamond wheel.

CBN wheels are made with synthesized crystalline material produced in a similar way used for growing manmade diamonds. This is done with high-pressure, high-temperature techniques, so CBN wheels are similar to diamond wheels in that they are resistant to wear and noted for strength.

Abrasive grains for CBN wheels are improving each year leading to more controlled strength and shapes that were once challenges in this industry. Whether a customer chooses to use a CBN wheel or a diamond wheel, it’s important to note which elements are significant in achieving the desired result.

The wheel diameter plays an important role, since the smaller the wheel the easier it is to use and, generally, the less expensive it is. Small wheels are also easier to handle and balance. Larger wheels, however, are more suited to faster operating speeds.

All grinding wheels have a hub that has to be designed with proper mounting techniques in order for it to operate at the highest speeds. This means having the wheel mounted to a spindle that keeps it from shifting even as centrifugal force pushes the wheel into greater speeds. Any type of imbalance will affect the wheel’s stability and could result in dangerous slippage. Experienced CBN and diamond wheel suppliers will have worked out any balance issues and develop a quality superabrasive that will always be balanced and work at high rates of speed.

Coolant is also important with diamond cutting blades and CBN wheels since it keeps the wheels from overheating. Coolant also provides adequate lubrication and flushes out any particles and chips that could interfere with the wheel’s performance. Dressing is another important aspect, which is accomplished with rotary diamond technology.

Whether your needs deal with applications in the aerospace, ceramics, automotive, oil, electronics, or medical industries, it’s important to find a superabrasives supplier that has knowledgeable customer service and skilled experts that provide custom-made cutting and grinding products. Continental Diamond Tool is a leading supplier that has based its business on blending customer relationship with product performance. They boast not only superior superabrasive tooling, but offer some of the industry’s best delivery times, super responsive tech support, and all the latest bond technology. The unsurpassed quality and professionalism of this customer manufacturer makes ordering superabrasives easier than ever.

How do I dress my grinding wheel?

In the manufacturing industry, you know you often need one type of tool to maintain the maximum efficiency and life of other types of tools. Diamond dressing tools are among those essential assisting tools that keep grinding wheels true and free from buildup of particles. This dressing procedure keeps grinding tools, drill bits, chisels, and other tools with points or edges honed to their required sharpness.

VALUE OF DRESSING WHEELS

Using the appropriate diamond dressers or other diamond products on these abrasive wheels performs three important functions: (1) trues or re-balances the wheel to a concentric shape; (2) dislodges buildup of abrasive particles and bits of metal, exposing new abrasive surfaces of the wheel for more accurate grinding; and (3) cleans the wheel, renewing its edge and revealing sharper abrasive and fresh grains.

STEPS TO DRESS A GRINDING WHEEL

Here are the steps to take to effectively and properly dress a grinding wheel.

Step 1

Determine the proper dressing tool for the wheel. Make sure the grit of the dressing tool is finer by one or two sizes than the abrasive surface of the grinding wheel. Also make sure you choose the appropriate shape of dressing tool to coincide with your grinding wheel.

Step 2

Turn your grinding machine's coolant pump off (if it has one).

Step 3

Turn on your grinding machine and allow it to operate until it reaches its full RPM; you might choose to turn off your spindle motor, or keep it running, based on your personal preference or experience. Excessive need for truing might dictate keeping the motor on, rather than turning it on and off.

Step 4

Using light to medium pressure, apply the dressing tool to your wheel's abrasive section; continue applying pressure just until the wheel stops rotating.

Step 5

Repeat Step 4 until the dressing tool until the grinding wheel feels as if it is pulling the dressing tool away from you.

Step 6

Repeat Steps 4 and 5 as many times as necessary (four to five times, typically), depending on your grinding wheel's surface condition.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL TIPS

• Ensure the tool rest is the appropriate distance from the grinding wheel (typically 1/16th of an inch) to prevent damage to the tool or injury to yourself.

• Always wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying particles.

• Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing, such as long sleeves, and pull back long hair, when working near a spinning grinding wheel.

Which Dressing Tool is Right for You?

A diamond grinding wheel dresser is a vital tool in the proper care and maintenance of any grinding wheel. Regular maintenance ensures that your diamond grinding wheel will perform at maximum efficiency, trouble-free, and enjoy a long, sustainable life.

When selecting any dressing tool, including a diamond wheel dressing stick, it’s important to choose the tool that is the proper shape, size, and quality for the grinding wheel. If you don’t know which tool will work best with your application, discuss it with a supplier’s knowledgeable customer service department to determine exactly what you need.

Dressing the wheel will knock off any abrasive particles from the wheel’s surface. This ensures that it’s balanced and concentric, which minimizes any vibration it may get from having too much buildup on the surface. These particles, if left on the surface, have the potential to cover up surface abrasives, making them dull and ineffective. Exposing them by removing particles is essentially a sharpening process, since the fresh abrasive grains are each cutting tools in their own right.

A diamond grinding wheel dresser serves another important function, and that is to clean the grinding wheel. Choosing a dresser or grinding wheel dressing stick that is softer than the grinding wheel will not dislodge any abrasive particles, and can result in a loaded wheel. This is why selecting the proper dressing tools is crucial to a successful grinding wheel dressing.

There are also different types of dressers to consider. Star dressers feature long handles and serrated discs. Diamond dressers are generally preferred because of their superior strength. They also have shorter handles and are great for both dressing and truing. They are also available in single point and multi-set clusters to blade-specific type, and a reputable supplier will be able to determine which design to use based on your project. For example, a single point tool is easy to use and encourages a more pronounced rotation and higher frequency, delivering precise results.

Other benefits of a diamond grinding wheel dresser include a fast dressing of even the most complex wheels, a constant operation that boasts high-precision, and optimal dresser versatility. This type of dresser tool also means a decreased dressing cost per project, making it a cost-effective solution to all of your dressing needs.

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How do Superabrasives compare to conventional abrasives?

Superabrasives 101

If you’re in the market for superabrasives, it’s important to be familiar with common terms and product types that can help you discover which superabrasive is best for your needs. The metal bond grinding wheel is one of the most commonly used wheels, and the name denotes the metal bonding material that is most often used with a variety of grinding wheel types.

Using metal fillers, grinding wheels suppliers will manufacture the metal grinding wheel to specification. Metal bond is available with cubic boron nitride (CBN) and diamond wheels, and are generally used with coolant to prolong the wheel’s lifespan.

There are several advantages to using metal bond wheels, not least of which is its extended life. A metal bond ensures that the wheel has a fast stock removal. It also leads to a reduction in the dressing frequency and boasts more advanced form holding capabilities. Metal bonds are also extremely strong, so they are typically used in internal, form, glass, ceramic, tool cutting, and creep-feed applications.

A grinding wheel dresser, often referred to simply as a wheel dresser or grinding dresser, is an essential tool that dresses the grinding wheel surface. Dressing a wheel knocks any abrasive particles from the surface in order to make the grinding wheel concentric. This means less vibration and an improved finish. The grinding dresser is also important when cleaning the metal bond grinding wheel. One of the main benefits of using a metal bond grinding wheel is that it requires dressing less frequently than other wheel types.

Metal bond even goes beyond grinding wheels, since diamond core drills, solid diamond drills, and disintegrating core drills can all be manufactured using metal bond. Metal bond is primarily used in wet grinding. It can work well on glass, silicon, semi-conductors, refractories, and ceramics. Many industries choose to use metal bond tools because they are low maintenance but offer high productivity, making them ideal for maximum yield endeavors. They are also available in a range of tools, from the more aggressive CNC grinding down to light polishing.

When searching for grinding wheels suppliers, go with a company experienced in custom manufacturing with a wide range of superabrasives, including metal bond. A reputable company will tailor every order to each individual customer’s needs and offer a knowledgeable customer service that can help you determine the type of tools and products you need. Going with an experienced superabrasives provider will result in unmatched quality and a pleasant buying experience.

What bond is best for my application?

Types of CBN Grinding Wheels

CBN stands for cubic boron nitride. This is a type of synthetic compound as it, like all boron nitride compounds, is not found anywhere in nature. The structure of this compound is a symmetrical structure not unlike a diamond. It is extremely hard, stable under heat and has a high resistance to other chemicals. In fact, cubic boron nitride is the second hardest material, after a diamond. These properties make CBN extremely useful for industrial use. Learn more about how it can be used as an abrasive or cutting tool--particular as a grinding wheel--and perhaps you’ll discover how it could be utilized in your workplace too.

During the grinding process, you have a few options when it comes to what material to use. You should ask yourself the following questions to make your decision:

• What is the material you are cutting?

• What bond type and hardness do you require?

• What grit or mesh size is needed?

• What cutting speeds will you utilize?

• What coolants and lubricants do you plan to use?

In many cases, you may decide that utilizing CBN material just makes sense. CBN grinding wheels are extremely hard and ideal for many jobs. Very little pressure is required, meaning that there is less heat and nearly no sparks generated. This is a big change versus using a grinding wheel that is not as hard. Additionally, these wheels are reliable and long-lasting, unlike standard abrasives, the wheel face remains straight, without grooves. The durability and low need for maintenance means that CBN grinding wheels are less-costly to operate than many other products too.

Because cubic boron nitride cutting tools are so hard and durable, they are ideal for use for a number of tasks such as metal grinding and tool sharpening. Plated tools, like the CBN wheels from CDT, consist of a single layer of CBN exposed from the bond instead of imbedded--like with resin and metal bonds. This also helps the wheel to hold its form and remain durable over the long haul. This will save you time and money and help provide optimal results.

When it comes to coated abrasives like CBN grinding wheels and abrasive technology in general, Continental Diamond Tools is your number one resource. We offer a number of options to meet or exceed your needs--no matter what your application. Additionally, we are experts in the plated abrasives industry. Whether you know exactly what you want and are ready to order, or you want to just talk to a professional about what options are available, call or contact us today and let us help you find the product that will work best for you. Your satisfaction with our abrasive products is our number one concern.

What are the benefits of plated vs. bonded?

Grinding Wheels 101

A grinding wheel performs a range of abrasive machining operations in industries such as aerospace and petroleum. It can be made by pressing a matrix of coarse particles together into a circular shape, or by coating a solid material with the abrasive compound. The specific materials and shape of a grinding wheel depend on the application, although its manufacture is generally a precise process. Common types of grinding wheels include plated wheels, wheels that use resin to bond the abrasive compound to the wheel and those that use metal bonds.

Plated

A plated grinding wheel has a single layer of abrasive material that’s exposed to the surface, instead of embedding the material within a bonding compound. The abrasive material for this type of grinding wheel is typically cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamond, which are extremely hard substances. Diamond plated wheels hold their form longer than bonded wheels, and they also form a more aggressive bond.

Plating provides diamond tool manufacturers with the ability to strip the abrasive material from the core product and re-plate it with a new abrasive layer. This advantage results in a plated diamond wheel that’s in “like new” condition, which extends the life of the initial investment.

Resin Bonds

The resins that bond abrasives to grinding wheels are typically phenolic resins, meaning that they are made by reacting phenol. The resin also contains filler materials such as copper and an abrasive material like diamond or CBN. A hot press compresses this mixture into the desired form, which is then cured and machined to a precise shape.

Resin-bonded grinding wheels are highly efficient, allowing them to complete their tasks quickly. These grinding wheels are capable of prolonged use, due to their ability to sharpen themselves and maintain low temperatures during operation. Grinding wheels that use resin bonds are also easy to dress and less prone to overloading. Common applications for these wheels include grinding electrical carbon products such as carbide alloys, ceramics, ferrite and semi-conductors.

Metal Bonds

The metal bonds used by grinding wheels are typically made by sintering powdered metals along with filler materials, and adding an abrasive such as CBN or diamond. These bonds are very strong, providing a grinding wheel that holds its shape well. The durability of metal bonds also means that these grinding wheels require dressing less frequently.

Metal bond abrasive tools offer maximum productivity, and are suitable for a range of applications, from light polishing to aggressive grinding. They’re most often used in wet grinding, but they can also grind dry surfaces such as ceramics, glass, quartz and silicon. Metal-bonded grinding wheels can be used for cutting tools and forms such as refractories. They're also suitable for creep-feed applications.

CDT welcomes Dan Imgrund!

Dan Imgrund joined the company in July 2015 as our new Product Manager for Resin Bond.

His responsibilities include production, R&D and marketing of the resin bond product line.

Dan brings twenty plus years of experience in superabrasive design, production and application to CDT.

“CDT is the right fit,” Dan said.

“When I met the team, I understood how CDT can offer such great quality and delivery. The ‘can-do’ attitude is not part of the culture here, is the culture.”

CDT is committed to offering the best possible diamond and CBN products in the industry for years to come, the addition of Dan Imgrund will be a key part in providing this to our customers.

We have expanded again!

Continental Diamond Tool has recently underwent a 16,000 sqft state of the art expansion to accommodate the increase volume in Resin Bond demand and our recently developed product of Vitrified Diamond & CBN grinding wheels for the Aerospace, Medical, Automotive and Cutting Tools Industry.  C.D.T.'s recent expansion will also house our newly expanded customer service and engineering departments, as well as our growing sales staff.  Please contact your C.D.T. representative to schedule a visit.

Matt Harnish: 15 Year Anniversary

This year marks the fifteenth year of employment for Matt Harnish.  Matt started with the company in 2000, in the shipping and receiving department.  His motivation and drive to succeed eventually led him to applying to CDT's sales force.  With no experience, Matt started by making calls on his lunch break and after hours to prove his motivation, and shortly after, he was rewarded with a full time sales position.  Matt has grown into CDT's longest tenured salesmen and helped grow sales each and every year.  He has specialized in diamond plated sales, and has helped grow plated into the company's largest department.

CDT would like to congratulate Matt for his hard work and dedication to CDT.

CDT Invests in Zoller

CDT has invested in a new state of the art Zoller Presetting & Measuring device to further help support and ensure that our customers tools are perfect.  This investment is the first initial tool in expanding our inspection and quality department.

Machining capabilities growing again

News Release

New Haven, Ind. -- For the second time in two and a half years, Continental Diamond Tool, located at 1221 Hartzell Street in New Haven, has announced plans to expand its existing facilities. Founded in 1973, Continental Diamond Tool specializes in the design, manufacture, and application of diamond cutting and grinding products and services for industries including medical, oil and gas, automotive, aerospace, and electronics.

"Over the past few years, CDT has made a concentrated focus in R&D and product performance. This strategy has allowed us to gain a larger market share and double our revenue over the past few years," stated Nick Viggiano, chief operating officer for CDT. "Along with the constant advancements of current products, we are excited to introduce a new product to the market later in 2014. We feel the launch of this new product, along with our dedicated staff, gives us the ability to gain market share faster in the foreseeable future."

Continental Diamond Tool will invest $400,000 to add 7,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 7,000 square feet of office space. This additional square footage will allow for the purchase and installation of $3.375 million in new manufacturing equipment including CNC Lathes, mold presses, and inspection equipment. At present, the company employs 57 people. Over the next 5 years they plan to hire 47 additional people in manufacturing, sales, management, and clerical positions.

"Once again CDT has shown that they are a great company and a true community partner," stated Mayor Terry McDonald. "Thank you, CDT for your faith in New Haven, by yet again expanding your business here, and for your investment in the people and families of New Haven. Thank you and congratulations. We look forward to many more years of growth and partnership."

At its June 10 meeting, the New Haven City Council will be asked to consider approving a 7-year and 10-year property tax phase-in to assist the company with its expansion and investment. It is estimated that the tax phase-in will amount to a $259,781 savings over the next 7-10 years.

About Continental Diamond Tool
Founded in 1973, Continental Diamond Tool specializes in the design, manufacture and application of diamond and CBN cutting and grinding products and services for a wide range of industries. CDT has the ability for our sales and manufacturing to work together to ensure our customers experience, satisfaction. Our confidence stems from having a distributer network which is based on a "Relationship & Performance" foundation that is unparalleled in customer service and high quality performance. 

About Greater Fort Wayne Inc. 
Greater Fort Wayne Inc. is the new organization that unifies the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance and the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, serving as a single point of contact for economic growth in Greater Fort Wayne. In addition, Leadership Fort Wayne and the Downtown Improvement District are also working toward an affiliation with Greater Fort Wayne Inc. Together, we're growing a more prosperous, vibrant community in Greater Fort Wayne. To learn more about Greater Fort Wayne Inc., visit www.GreaterFortWayneInc.com.

The Mars Rover Has Diamond Plated Wheels

When NASA launched the first Mars rovers in 2004, one of their tasks was to examine what was beneath the surface of the planet. Rock formations and soil samples would show us more about the planet's composition. One question was whether there had ever been water on Mars, one of the requirements to support life. To learn about the planet's history, it was necessary to dig into the soil and grind away rock, a task that required diamond plated wheels.

As a leader among diamond tool manufacturers, Continental Diamond Tool embraced the challenge of creating a custom grinding wheels that could be used to explore beneath the planet's surface. Our diamond wheel tool was affixed to the end of the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) created by Honeybee Robotics for the rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

Working for NASA contractor, Honeybee Robotics Ltd., CDT helped to design and develop several   for testing then waited in anticipation for Honeybee engineers to choose the suitable flight model.  The custom-made grinding wheel was then attached to the working end of the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT), which was designed and operated by Honebyee Robotics Ltd.  

CDT created a soft resin bond formulation to work with the low down force the RAT's robotic arm. Our custom plated diamond wheel grinding tool successfully dug a hole in the rocky surface that was 5 centimeters wide and 5 millimeters deep. The RAT mounted to the end of the robotic arm located on each Rover (named Spirit and Opportunity) which was responsible for investigation the martian surface and arriving at the research location.

The rovers sent back both panoramic and microscopic images of their discoveries. All rocks found on Mars were covered in dust and mineral rinds; some could be brushed off, but another type needed to be ground off with tools on the RAT. Analysis of the rock and soil on Mars yielded many excited revelations. In a rock known as Humphrey, formations suggested that minerals had been carried through pores in the rock by water. Another flaky rock formation, Mimi, may have been cemented into its layers through compression, which also often involves water. Rocks in the Gusev crater seem to be a type of volcanic basalt. They contain the minerals magnetite, olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase. There are high levels of nickel, which likely came from meteors. Rocks on the plain show signs of being affected by small amounts of water.

In 2009, Sprit became stuck in soft soil over a slick bed of iron sulfate and was unable to be moved. NASA repurposed the stranded rover as a stationary research platform, monitoring for planetary wobbles that would indicate whether Mars has a liquid core. The rover's last communication came in on March 22, 2010. The Opportunity rover remains active on Mars, nearly ten years after the planned ending of its mission of 90 Martian days. Its task now is to detect signs of life in the history of the red planet. The Mars rovers stand as a testament to what is possible when science and industry work together to increase human knowledge.