In the course of human evolution, every skill, technique, and knowledge acquired is in a bid to survive. This drive to survive has seen humans invent a skill or technique, hone the skill/technique, and continuously seek ways to improve their skill/techniques. Cutting is one of the many skills and techniques that has been with humans for millennia. 

During this period, this technique was performed using different tools and equipment, although the tools/equipment also experienced improvements. Tools like stone, steel blades, wires or strings, etc., have been used for cutting. Each tool and equipment have its merits and demerits.

However, the tool that has garnered much interest with time is wire. Wire cutting or wire sawing implies using thin wires to cut through materials. This technique is used in cutting through complex and sophisticated materials; thus, it offers more functionality than other tools used in cutting/sawing. This article will provide information on the various uses of wire sawing and the evolution (development of wire sawing)

Evolution of Wire Sawing

In the early years of wire sawing, Humans used a thin strand of wire made from twisted thread vines or thin metal strings to cut soft materials like trees. We discovered this method to offer more precision and neat cuts than other cutting techniques because of the thin surface area of the wire; thus, many began adopting this technique, and it played a valid role in civilization.

Fast forward years later, humans have improved wire cutting by using a thin thread of materials that offer more strength and flexibility while retaining the qualities that made wire sawing stand out. Wires sawing is now used in industries, mines, refineries, and more to cut harder materials like diamonds, crystals, concrete, and more dense materials. 

The beauty of this technique is that the wires used during cutting are very different from those earlier. They now vary depending on the material they will be used in cutting, and machines like the hydraulic press are used to offer speed and agility when cutting. These machines are added because wire sawing involves rotating the wires along the cut object, which is slower if done manually. The machines automatically rotate the cutting wires at higher speeds, making the process more efficient.

Uses of Wire Sawing

As mentioned above, wire sawing has evolved to be used in various sectors, given its benefits compared to other sawing techniques and devices. These are some of the sectors where wire sawing is used:

  1. Mines: This is one sector where it is most used, given that wire sawing offers the benefit of cutting with little to no waste. Hence, wire saws are used in cutting hard materials into smaller and conveyable pieces before they are transported to where they will be processed.
  2. Plumbing: It is used in cutting pipes
  3. Lumbering: Wire sawing is used to cut down trees of different densities, hardness, and strengths.
  4. Construction: As mentioned, wire saws are used in construction companies and on construction sites for cutting concrete, metals, and more, depending on the site’s demands.

Conclusion

Wire sawing offers various benefits; thus, it is adopted in many sectors. This article has provided comprehensive information on the development and uses of wire sawing.

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