Vimfun Diamond Wire Saw has expanded its endless (closed-loop) diamond wire cutting systems into infrared optics fabrication, giving manufacturers of germanium, silicon, sapphire, and chalcogenide optics an alternative to inner-diameter (ID) saws and reciprocating wire saws for slicing high-value crystal materials.

Unlike reciprocating systems, where the wire changes direction and typically tops out around 20 m/s, Vimfun's closed-loop wire runs in one direction continuously at speeds up to 80 m/s. The constant direction and stable tension eliminate the reversal marks that reciprocating saws leave on brittle materials, and the higher linear speed cuts 3–4 times faster than ID slicing on comparable workpieces. Kerf width starts at 0.35 mm — a meaningful number when the material being sliced is optical-grade germanium.

The wire itself differs from conventional resin- or nickel-encapsulated diamond wire. Vimfun's loops carry polyhedral diamond grit with cutting edges exposed rather than buried in the bond, at higher particle density per unit length. In practice this means less applied force to achieve the same removal rate, which translates to shallower subsurface damage and less material sacrificed in downstream grinding and polishing.

"Every millimeter of kerf and every micron of subsurface damage is material our customers paid for and can't use," said [NAME, TITLE] at Vimfun. "For quartz or glass that's a cost issue. For germanium at today's prices, it decides whether a lens blank line is profitable."

Vimfun machines hold a cutting tolerance of ±0.03 mm and cover workpieces from small precision optics up to large-format blocks — scaling capacity is a matter of increasing loop circumference rather than redesigning the machine. Systems include automatic wire tensioning, wire-break shutdown protection, and support for both water-based and oil-based coolants; optical glass and germanium are typically cut with white mineral oil.

The company's equipment is currently running in production and R&D facilities across 20+ countries, including the United States, Germany, France, Korea, and Singapore. Vimfun exhibits at Photonics West (San Francisco) and Laser World of Photonics (Munich).