By Todd Gerlach Since its introduction in the early 1990’s, the diamond chain category has evolved over the span of nearly three decades. In the early years, diamond chains were modeled after the basic architecture of woodcutting saw chain and typically suffered from excessive chain stretch and limited diamond life. As the years progressed, so did the technology and design. Through advancements in materials, component features and manufacturing processes, modern diamond chain as we know it today is more durable, performs better, stretches less and lasts longer than ever before. Although performance and cutting efficiency have improved steadily over time, one fundamental characteristic has remained. Sawing with a diamond chain power cutter typically requires significant physical effort by the operator to cut effectively. This can lead to operator fatigue and loss of productivity, which has generally confined this cutting method to a relatively narrow set of applications. As the concrete sawing and drilling market continues to expand, safety and ergonomic requirements become more stringent and new applications emerge that require use of a power cutter with diamond chain, it is becoming increasingly important that the issue of operator effort and fatigue is addressed. With focus on safety and productivity, a new generation of diamond chain has entered the market. The basis of this innovative design is no longer traced back to the origins of the woodcutting saw chain; rather it is an all-new chassis architecture that is specifically engineered to better support and stabilize the diamonds in the cut. This enhanced, more rigid interface between the diamond segments and work piece serves to extend the life of the diamonds by significantly reducing vibration and impact loads in the cut, thereby minimizing diamond fractures and pullouts. The result is a far softer, freer cutting segment formulation that does not sacrifice diamond life. So, what does this mean to the operator on the jobsite? A revolutionary diamond chain that requires less feed load and cuts smoother and straighter. In typical diamond chain cutting applications, an operator’s effort is consumed by several different modes. First is most obvious, the feed load the operator applies directly to the power cutter to engage the chain in the workpiece. The second and perhaps less obvious mode is cutting vibration. This high frequency response from the chain is transmitted through the handles of the power cutter...