Overview

Toyo Industrial Co., Ltd. is known worldwide for product excellence. Toyo's new electric discharge-ground, long-life wheels are available in both diamond and tungsten carbide. Both materials are ideal for precision cutting of flat panel displays, microdisplays, thermal and polarizing filters, sensors, electrochromic mirrors, color filters, solar cells, optical components, microslides, cosmetic mirrors, entertainment lighting gobos, and a myriad other thin, flat glass products. Toyo wheels are also compatible with quartz, sapphire, silicon and other thin, flat, hard substrates. The cutting process is clean and fast, requiring no oil or other lubricant. Toyo's wheel uniformity and superior quality play important roles in achieving consistent scores with smooth, clean afterbreak edges and high yield. If the proper wheel selection is made, poor scoring is virtually eliminated and scrap is reduced.

Toyo Standard (Conventional) Tungsten Carbide Wheel

Standard Toyo tungsten carbide wheels are used for all-purpose, ordinary cutting. For more than four decades, Toyo standard tungsten carbide cutting tools have been well known and utilized throughout thin, flat glass cutting industries.

Toyo TAP Wheel

The unique Toyo TAP wheel provides exceptional performance for difficult projects demanding extremely tight tolerances. Its name is derived from the "tapping" sound made as it vibrates during use.

The vibrating motion of the TAP wheel produces a deeper median vent without increased pressure, to deliver superior afterbreak edges. The TAP wheel's proprietary shape (grooves in the ID of the wheel) makes this exclusive Toyo design greatly desirable for reduced friction and smooth rolling operation throughout the life of the wheel. Uniform wear results, without oil or other lubricants. Used in tandem with a tungsten carbide axle, the TAP wheel eliminates costly waste caused by poor scoring, and assures extended wheel life. Because the cutting blade runs evenly, minimal surface damage or glass chips result. The TAP wheel demonstrates high performance and is especially effective for cutting thicker or harder substrates.

Toyo Diamond Wheel

Although not yet released, analysis of the new Toyo diamond wheel has proven it to have ten times the production life of those made of tungsten carbide. They are, of course, more expensive. Valuable time and money, however, are saved by less downtime required for wheel changes. They are especially effective on float glass substrates.

Toyo "Deep Cut" Wheel

TLC introduced Toyo's latest achievement, the "Deep Cut" wheel, for the first time publicly at SID 2002 in Boston. In intense research and development for over three years, the Deep Cut wheel's exclusive technical design produces a maximum median crack almost through the entire substrate thickness without additional pressure or use of lubricants. Minimal effort is required for breakout. This wheel is projected to revolutionize the cutting of laminated substrates, especially flat panel displays, liquid crystal on glass, and microdisplays.

Choosing the Correct Wheel

Choosing the correct wheel is vitally important for achieving maximum throughput and quality. There are five major specifications s to a Toyo tungsten carbide or diamond wheel:

In conjunction with proper wheel choice for each product, optimal TLC Phoenix parameter settings (speed, pressure, penetration, etc.) must be established for every new product that is to be cut. Other variables include substrate type, thickness, hardness, thermal coefficients, etc, and whether or not the substrate has thin film or other coatings. Therefore, it first becomes necessary to determine the most effective geometric specs of a wheel for each substrate and end product.

Outside diameter, inside diameter, surface finish and hone angle of wheel must be determined through test and analysis. Once the optimum wheel choice is determined for each product, repeatable cutting results can be expected to remain constant. However, as each substrate can vary from batch to batch in draw or float processing, it is wise to test run each new substrate for each run.

Other TLC Consumable Tooling

Additional components available are wheelholders, axles, bushings, axle restrainers and conversion wheelholders for other manufacturers' glass cutting equipment.

Wheel Ordering from TLC

Due to the wide selection of Toyo wheels available, it is best to contact TLC if ordering specifications are not already established.  [See TLC Consumable Tooling Compatibility Chart]