Experimental study on the formation mechanism of saw marks in wire sawing

Saw marks generated by the wire sawing process significantly deteriorate the flatness and surface quality of wafers. In this paper, the influence of sawing parameters on the geometric of saw marks is systematically studied. Based on the observation results of the saw marks morphology, the formation mechanism of saw marks is analyzed. The experimental results indicate that the cross-sectional shape of the saw marks approximates a triangular wave, and its peak-to-valley value increases with the rise of the feed rate, the wire speed, and the wire reciprocation period. The wavelength of saw marks approximates the feed distance during each wire reciprocation period. The formation of saw marks can be ascribed to the periodic lateral force originating from the twisting of the wire during the wire reciprocating. The lateral force is only about 2.7–6.2 % of the feed force, and its magnitude increases with the increasing feed rate and reciprocation period, and the decreasing wire speed. This study provides new insights for a deeper understanding of the formation mechanism of saw marks.