E.

MCCLARENCE 2010-09-10

Industrial Diamond Cuts

Through the Competition
 

GFD (Gesellschaft für

Diamantprodukte mbH), a
German developer and
manufacturer of diamond-
based tools have applied
its diamond coating
technology to develop what
the company says is the
ultimate razor blade. The
product combines the
hardest material in the
world with the sharpest
possible cutting edge.

The plasma sharpened diamond

coated carbide blades are
achieved by applying a
nanocrystalline diamond coating
to a carbide blade, which is then
polished by a plasma sharpening
process until the cutting edge is  
sharpened to a few nanometres.
“This simple-sounding procedure
Plasm a Sharpening
is the result of years of research
and development,” says Dr Behind GFD’s new blade is
André Flöter, managing director ‘Diamaze PSD’ or Plasma
of GFD. Sharpened Diamond, the
company’s trademarked
  technology. After the carbide
blades are coated in a diamond
GFD is currently exploring
film, which can vary between 5µm
potential alliances in the wet
and 25µm in thickness, the Plasma
shaving market to develop this
Sharpening Process then
product for the consumer market.
increases the sharpness of the
“Potential partners should be
blades to an almost atomically
well versed in marketing in the
sharp cutting edge. It is even
middle to upper price segment,”
possible to create a Diamaze PSD
Dr. Flöter says. “Initial talks are
blade that is sharper than the
underway. Thankfully one does
original carbide blade.
not have to be a millionaire to be
able to enjoy the new razor. If  
one adds together the costs of  
disposable razors over the  
period of one year, then our Fig.1  Shows  a  blade  before  and  after  
diamond blade could certainly be the  Plasma  Sharpening  Process  
a reasonably priced alternative.”
 
 
 E. MCCLARENCE 2010-09-10

 
GFD’s razor blades are said to last particular application and until Fig.  2.  Shows  the  un-­‐coated  carbide  
1,000 times longer than the recently, the high cost of blade,  the  nanocrystalline  diamond  
conventional steel blades and typical synthesising diamond material. It coating  over  the  carbide  blade  and  
increases in lifetime are 10 times to was not until the early 1980s that the  finished  product  once  it  has  
40 times when compared with researchers began using a new been  sharpened  using  the  patented  
carbide or ceramic blades. procedure to manufacture diamonds plasma  process.  Photo’s  courtesy  
artificially as a thin layer using of  GFD.  
Diamond’ s qualities are chemical vapour deposition  
advantageous in many applications processes and at a reasonable price.
and industries, but in blades, their
extreme hardness is key. Coating GFD says it is one of the first
carbide blades with diamond companies in the world to master the
supports optimising the sharpness of industrial plasma sharpening of
the cutting edge and increases diamond coatings on a scale relevant
durability particularly for tools, which to production. The company has
is a major application area for many worked with Professor Hans-Jörg
companies including GFD. The Fecht, a renowned expert on
roughness of the cutting edge is very nanomaterials from the University of
low and therefore frictional effects Ulm. This collaboration coupled with
are minimised. For GFD, the coating public research funding, has enabled
results in an extremely smooth GFD to develop products in the area
surface and is achieved by using a of cutting technology based on
special, fine-grained, diamond layer. artificially manufactured
The typical surface roughness nanocrystalline diamond coatings,
ranges between 20-40 nm Rms. which can be used in industrial
manufacturing. GFD develops and
GFD is a in the micro-structuring of produces cutting blades various
diamond and is a manufacture of industries with benefits being that
diamond coated, hard metal blades they have lower long-term blade
with plasma sharpened cutting edges costs, considerable reduction of
and plasma sharpened turning tools machine down time and setup costs,
and drills. The blades are sold under extreme sharpness, long lifetime and
the brand name Diamaze PSD improved yield.
(Plasma Sharpened Diamond).
Diamaze PSD blades can be used
Diam ond as an for cutting a large variety of materials
engineering m aterial including metal foils and carbon
fibres, composite materials and
In spite of the diamond’s numerous paper, wood and textiles. It products
useful properties: a conductor, an span manufacturing, plastics and
electrical insulator, chemical stable, packaging, pharmaceutics and
transparent and an excellent cutting medical technology, aviation and
instrument, diamonds have played a space travel. GFD products are
backseat role as a manufacturing/ manufactured and distributed by their
engineering material. Reasons for subsidiary company Diamaze
this include the rarity and expense of Microparts SA, based in Switzerland.
naturally occurring diamonds with the
right combination of properties for a