European launch for Compcut series

To launch its range of Compcut composite plate saws into mainland Europe, Sharp & Tappin last week exhibited at JEC World in Paris for the very first time.

The Sharp & Tappin range of Compcut composite plate saws has won positive acclaim in the UK market for precision, accuracy and consistency, demonstrating high standards for cut quality, parallelism and perpendicularity. At JEC World, the company highlighted its Compcut 200 model, a compact unit that has proved popular across the UK with R&D companies, university departments and composite test centres.
Says Sharp & Tappin’s CEO Ben Sharp: “We’ve been encouraged by the response from the UK market to our entire Compcut range, and sales have been very buoyant, particularly with the Compcut 200 model, which has fulfilled our goal of offering a high-quality, entry-level plate saw. It is this market reaction that has encouraged us to start exploring the potential for sales within mainland Europe.”
To underpin the company’s confidence in the performance of its composite plate saw, a Compcut 200 unit was working on the Sharp & Tappin stand throughout the show, cutting samples across a wide range of different composite materials. Visitors were also encouraged to bring along their own composite material/samples to cut on the demonstration machine.
For further information www.sharpandtappin.com

Jig saw blades unveiled by Lenox

A new range of ‘Jig Saw Blades’ designed to deliver optimal performance when cutting a variety of materials, including metal, has been introduced by Lenox.

When end users were asked what they look for in a blade, clean cuts, long blade life and durability were the top priorities. For common metal-cutting applications, such as sheet metal or steel tubing, Lenox bi-metal Jig Saw Blades feature ‘Power Blast Technology’, a high-speed blasting process that strengthens the blade to reduce breaks, as well as proprietary T2 Technology to provide fast, efficient cutting. For tough metal cutting applications, like steel plate or stainless steel, the updated offering features Lenox Power Arc curved Jig Saw Blades. The curved profile of the blade optimises the angle of attack for fast cutting and provides up to two times longer life than the company’s previous generation blade.
“At Lenox, we continue to advance our product portfolio to meet the demands of the end user,” says Brian Morrison, senior product manager at Lenox. “When developing the new Lenox Jig Saw Blade portfolio, we strived to exceed the expectations of our customers, incorporating proven, industry-best technology from our other product categories to offer superior cutting.
Additionally, the new Jig Saw Blades are manufactured in the USA with global materials. We are proud to manufacture high-quality products domestically.”
For further information www.lenoxtools.com

Warning about weld fume legislation

Any companies performing mild-steel welding could fall foul of a change in enforcement expectations that has recently been announced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Multi-Fan Systems, a specialist in customised air movement, filtration and extraction systems, has made the rallying call in a bid to educate industry on the importance of providing clean working environments for staff. The company provides a single-source solution for customers looking to benefit from cleaner, safer and more productive working environments.
Emerging scientific evidence from the International Agency for Research on Cancer suggests that exposure to all welding fumes, including those produced when joining mild steel, can cause lung cancer, with limited evidence also linking it to kidney cancer. The HSE will now be strengthening its enforcement expectation for all welding fumes, as it believes general ventilation does not achieve the necessary control.
For further information http://multifansystems.co.uk/

Clamason to build on £30m turnover

Clamason Industries, which provides a single-source design, development and value-added engineering solution, saw orders hit £30m in 2018 for the first time in its 70-year history, and is now setting its sights on a three-year expansion plan.

Growth is expected to come from its global client base across sectors such as automotive, medical, assisted living and industrial products, with the latter covering anything from telecoms and power distribution products, to electric bikes.
Underpinning the company’s ambitious expansion plans is a £1.1m investment drive in new presses, technical cleaning capability and the launch of a new corporate identity, website and digital media campaign. Since 2015, Clamason has added £12.5m of revenue. The company says that its facilities in Kingswinford, UK, and Slovakia give it a global footprint that will help attract more customers and contribute to expansion plans.
For further information www.clamason.com

Effective bandsaw setting and maintenance

To ensure that a bandsaw cuts accurately and efficiently, it should be set up correctly. With this in mind, ADS Precision, which offers sawing machines from principals such as Hydmech, MEP and Meba, has identified key areas that should be checked, as well as procedures to ensure that the saw is operating at its best.

One of the first things to check is the machine’s swarf brush. A swarf brush in poor condition can lead to bandsaw blade tooth breakage, premature tooth wear and rough cutting, reports ADS Precision, which recommends replacement as soon as deterioration is noticed.
Another area that requires attention is blade tension, which can be measured with a dedicated meter. The correct tension for both carbide and bi-metal blades should be between 250 and 330 N/mm2, says the company, depending on the size of the blade and machine type. Incorrect tension can lead to blade breakage, crooked cutting, and vibration and slippage between the band and the wheel. Similar issues can occur if running at incorrect blade speed for the material, while in addition, coolant flow and concentration must be checked.
A further culprit when experiencing issues such as band breakage, crooked cuts or blade vibration, can be the blade guides. Blade guides should be disassembled to check for cracks and/or chips. The carbide guide surface should be higher than the surface of the steel holder. As a point of note, look for excessive wear on the corners of the carbides.
With regard to wheel bearings, check for flat spots on the surface of the wheels, and rock the wheel from side-to-side to assess bearing play. Any issues here can result in blade slip or even breakage.
For further information www.adsprecision.com