Gin Saw Wear Test

Most current gin saw manufacturers use a 1074 steel or similar equivalent to manufacture their blades and the saw teeth are punched on the edge. There are indications from other industries using similar applications that cryogenically treating the gin saw blades after the teeth are punched may significantly increase their useful life. New multiple paired sets of standard gin saws were obtained from their manufacturer. These paired sets were split with one half subjected to cryogenic treatments and the other half treated according to current industry practice. Both halves were installed in cooperating commercial gin plants with gin stands that are operated side by side in the number one and number two ginning position. These paired gin stands were operated normally during the cotton ginning season and were monitored for saw tooth wear, ginned fiber properties, and energy consumption. This test was conducted in three cooperating commercial gin plants across the cotton belt.