Efficient Computation of Band Saw Blade Stresses

The stresses in a band saw blade are difficult to measure, and are known to be significant for band sawing performance. This paper presents an approximate solution method, using the principle of minimum potential energy, for computation of blade stresses in band sawing. The method presented accounts for effects typical of bandsawing such as velocity-dependent blade tension, thermal gradients, and cutting forces. A program based on the method presented is shown to be accurate and computationally efficient when compared to a standard finite element program. This stress analysis program, together with a previous program for blade vibration analysis, can form the modeling basis for design and process optimization studies in band sawing.