Abstract: A method for separating slices from a hard brittle workpiece involves subjecting the workpiece to an advancing movement and pressing it onto wires of a wire web of a wire saw, the wires being under a defined wire tension and making contact with the workpiece over a cutting depth along a cutting contour. The wires are lifted off the cutting contour an number of times while the wire tension is kept substantially unchanged, with the aid of rolls of a roll system. The roll system comprises at least one roll that is moved onto the wire web and back, the roll system comprising at least two moveable rolls which flank the workpiece. A wire saw is suitable for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method for separating slices from a hard brittle workpiece involves subjecting the workpiece to an advancing movement and pressing it onto wires of a wire web of a wire saw, the wires being under a defined wire tension and making contact with the workpiece over a cutting depth along a cutting contour. The wires are lifted off the cutting contour an number of times while the wire tension is kept substantially unchanged, with the aid of rolls of a roll system. The roll system comprises at least one roll that is moved onto the wire web and back, the roll system comprising at least two moveable rolls which flank the workpiece. A wire saw is suitable for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method is for simultaneously cutting off a multiplicity of wafers from a hard, brittle workpiece which has a longitudinal axis and a peripheral surface. The workpiece is guided, by means of a translational relative movement, directed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, between the workpiece and a wire web of a wire saw with the aid of a feed device, through the wire web which is formed by a sawing wire. The workpiece is rotated about the longitudinal axis while the wafers are being cut off. There is also a wire saw which is suitable for carrying out the method and has a device for holding and for rotating the workpiece about the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A wire saw for cutting shaped articles from a workpiece, having at least two wire webs made from sawing wire, which are used for cutting off the shaped articles and which lie one above the other at a distance h and are tensioned between wire-guide rollers. The wire webs are formed by one or more adjacent and parallel wire segments. In this wire saw, no wire segment covers any other wire segment congruently when the wire webs are viewed from above. The invention also relates to a process for cutting a workpiece with the wire saw.

Abstract: A wire saw has rotatably mounted two or more wire-guide rollers, around wh a sawing wire is wound, two adjacent wire-guide rollers forming the boundary of a wire web, which has a certain width. The wire saw has at least one drive, by means of which the wire-guide rollers are caused to rotate. The wire-guide roller, which forms a boundary of the wire web, is supported on an elongated support which is connected at one end to a machine frame and has an opposite, freely suspended end. There is also a method which can be carried out with the wire saw. The wire saw has the support passed through the wire-guide roller in its longitudinal direction and forms a fixed unit with the machine frame. A wire-guide roller forming a boundary for the wire web is designed as a sleeve which sits on a support roller.

Abstract: A device and method for unwinding or winding a sawing wire from a reel or to a reel which rotates. The sawing wire runs from the reel or toward the reel over a pulley and in so doing, assumes a defined axial position on the reel. In the method, the reel is moved along its rotational shaft while the sawing wire is unwound or wound up. The sawing wire however remains aligned perpendicular to the rotational shaft of the reel in the region between the reel and the pulley. There is a pivot arm which is moved concomitantly by a carriage system. The pivot arm has an end piece connected to one of the clamping elements. Thus it is possible to move the pivot arm from a reel-holding position into a reel-release position.

Abstract: A wire saw for cutting wafers from a workpiece, has a cutting head in which at least two adjacent wire-guiding rollers are mounted rotatably in each case between a moveable bearing and a fixed bearing. These are adjacent wire-guiding rollers, together with a wire wound around them, form a wire web. Each wire-guiding roller and the moveable bearing and fixed bearing assigned to it form a wire-guiding-roller unit, which can only be removed from the cutting head as an entire unit. There is also a repair station and a maintenance and testing station for the wire-guiding-roller unit and a method of exchanging the wire-guiding-roller unit.

Abstract: A wire saw for, and a method of, cutting off slices from a workpiece. The re saw has a cutting head, which contains a plurality of wire guide rollers and around which a multiplicity of wire sections lying parallel to one another and forming plane wire webs are moved, a holding arm which carries the workpiece, and a feed, by means of which the wire sections of one of the wire frames cut through the workpiece while an auxiliary sawing medium is supplied. In one embodiment of the wire saw, the feed guide is arranged at the side of the cutting head and the holding arm can be swivelled parallel to the wire web. In another embodiment, holding arm is swivellable parallel to the wire web and the feed has a feed guide which guides the cutting head with the wire web toward the workpiece.

Abstract: A sawing method and a wire saw for cutting wafers from a workpiece comprises a guidance system for the guidance of wire segments into the intended cutting planes, having at least one measuring device and at least one controlling device, the measuring device detecting an incorrect position of the wire segments in relation to the intended cutting planes by measuring the distance to a measurement point whose spatial position is dependent on the incorrect position of the wire segments, and the controlling device effecting, if necessary, a compensating movement by means of force transmission, which compensating movement brings the wire segments into the intended cutting planes.

Abstract: A spacer for automatic parallel aligning and clamping of the blades in a gang saw which uses spacer plates which are trapezoidally enlarged toward their top and bottom edges. The supporting inner surface of the frame portion is designed as clamping mouth bevelled to fit the spacer configuration.