Wikus Sägen manufactures precision saws. To what extent does electroplating play a role in this?
We produce diamond- and CBN-coated band saw blades in the electroplating department. Diamonds cut almost all materials and alloys. Diamond-coated band saw blades are used in applications such as glass, graphite, hard carbon firing, ceramics and silicon.
What is CBN?
A type of diamond that is mixed with boron nitride. It is somewhat harder than diamond and can also be used to cut hardened SS steel. CBN is used where I can't get any further with carbide. CBN also has the advantage that it is not so temperature-sensitive. This means that you can continue working with CBN when diamonds reach their limits. Industrial diamonds are transparent yellow, CBN is brownish-red.
What is the process for coating saws?
We electrolytically nickel plate the diamonds on the steel strip. This gives us mechanical adhesion between the diamond and the carrier. The process is otherwise carried out in regular galvanic baths with the usual pre-treatments for steel.
Diamond-set special saws are called diagrit bands...
Yes, exactly. It's a product that needs to be explained to the customer. Cutting trials and performance tests often precede the introduction. A lot of consultation is involved. A solar manufacturer from the north uses the saws to cut wafers, for example. The more precisely the wafers are cut, the less reworking is required later and there is less material loss. Diagrit belts are also used in semiconductor production and in the construction industry for granite, sand-lime bricks, marble and other materials. Durability counts here.
How many employees work in your electroplating shop?
Seven employees in total. Around 750 employees work for Wikus at eleven locations worldwide. The electroplating division is our smallest division. The largest produce bi-metal and carbide saws.
How many saw bands run through your baths every year?
Around 3,000 pieces. The variety of products is enormous. We are broadly positioned and can make anything from 10 to 100 mm. There are also customer requests. The band saw blades are made of band and stainless steel. Coating is only done with diamond or CBN.
What are the challenges in the electroplating sector?
The coating thicknesses, which range from 50 to 850 μm. We use coarse diamonds for stones and fine diamonds for glass, for example. The dwell time in the bath ranges from two to around 40 hours, depending on the diamond size. We are limited in terms of coating thickness when depositing nickel. We only coat the top two millimetres of the saw tooth. The rest of the saw band is masked.
About the person
Andreas Luz
is Production Manager Electroplating at Wikus Sägenfabrik in Spangenberg. The trained electrician worked for two years as an energy system electronics technician before joining Wikus and completing his training as a surface coater. In 2015, he became team leader and later production manager. In 2023, he completed his training as a master electroplater.
