Vibration of Wide Band Saw Blades

Abstract

The vibration and stability of wide band saw blades is investigated using an axially moving plate model which includes the effect of in-plane stresses upon stiffness. The equation of motion is developed from Hamilton’s principle, and approximate solutions are obtained using both the classical Ritz and finite element-Ritz methods. Experimental results from a large-scale band saw are presented and show good agreement with the results of the approximate analyses. Analytical results are presented which show the contributions of axial velocity, the wheel support system, blade damping, transverse forces, and in-plane stresses to band vibration and stability. The implications of these results for optimizing the band saw design are also indicated.