US-based saw blade and file product manufacturer, Simonds Saw, has launched a new range of bi-metal bandsaw blades. Multiple rounds of testing, prototyping and optimisation with professionals in the field led to the development of four bi-metal bandsaw blades in total. According to the company, the new product range excels at general purpose cutting, production cutting, structural steel cutting and exotic alloy cutting.

“We fully expect our new product line of bi-metal bandsaw blades to have a global impact on the metal-cutting industry,” says Simonds Saw president David Miles. “We’re excited for loyal bandsaw users all over the world to put these new products to good use. Whether they’re cutting structural steel in Indiana or titanium in Shanghai, we now have the optimal bandsaw blade to maximise uptime and materials, in any application.”

Simonds Saw has now stopped production of Dieband, Broadband, Blockbuster, IC Enduro and X51 in favour of new range. However, these products may still be available while stocks last.

Dieband, Broadband and Blockbuster will be phased out in favour of Epic GP, while SBX GP will replace Broadband and IC Enduro. X51, Simonds’ existing product for the cutting of tough steel and high-nickel alloys, will be phased out in favour of SiClone XP.

After extensive field testing, the existing Simonds’ SiClone bandsaw blade was determined to be high performing in its current state and so stands prepared to meet the next generation of metal-cutting needs.

Addison Saws is the UK’s exclusive Simonds retailer, with the full range available directly from the company and its network of nationwide dealers. All bandsaw blades are hand-welded on site and to order, with many available for next-day delivery.

For further information
www.addisonsaws.co.uk

While many companies separate 3D-printed parts from their base plates using wire EDM, or even with a hammer and chisel, Edelstahl-Mechanik GmbH, a specialist in additive manufacturing, has found another solution: the Meba 3D 335 bandsaw.

Managing director and owner of Edelstahl-Mechanik, Josef Eisele, says: “Additively manufactured components can be cleanly separated from the base plate with the Meba bandsaw, without any damage to the components or base plate. We are very satisfied with the results.”

The Meba 3D 335 is based on the straight-cut MEBAeco 335 model, which is equipped with feed monitoring and a frequency-controlled ball-screw drive, while a special clamping device holds the 3D metal printing base plate. It is possible to move and align this base plate as desired via linear guides. The Meba 3D solution works with a two-column guided saw frame that is infinitely driven, with the potential to adjust cutting and feed speed very finely.

In combination with the right selection of bandsaw blades for the respective workpiece material, users can even separate filigree parts very precisely.

“The practical clamping system and the precise work of the bandsaw are convincing throughout,” states Eisele. “Compared with alternative solutions for separating the components, the Meba saw is not only time- and resource-efficient, but also cost-effective. In addition, the finished components are of very high quality.”

He adds: “As a further positive side effect, the saw can also be used for standard sawing tasks and is therefore the perfect complement to our 3D printer in the overall package.”

For further information
www.meba-saw.com

When it comes to bandsawing, it is not just the design of the blade or the workpiece material that is important; it is also necessary to have the correct blade in the first place. With this thought in mind, Saws UK has published a guide to blade terminology and material blade types.

To get the most economic cut possible when bandsawing it is necessary to choose a blade with the correct number of teeth per inch (TPI). This number will vary depending on the workpiece material. TPI also depends on whether the shop is cutting individual pieces of material or bundled amounts. As a point of note: the positioning of material in a vice can also alter the blade’s TPI, as can material size and shape.

There have been a number of new techniques introduced to the bandsawing sector within recent years. So, to ensure sufficient knowledge to take advantage, the following is Saw UK’s list of blade technology: tooth face – the surface of the tooth; tooth pitch – distance between the tip of one tooth and that of the next one; gullet – curved area at the bottom of the tooth; TPI – teeth per inch (measurement between the gullets); tooth rake angle – angle of the tooth face perpendicular to the direction in which the saw is cutting.

Further terminology includes: blade width – measurement between the end of a tooth and the back of the band; blade thickness – how much the saw measures between either side of the blade; and blade set – clearance from the back of the blade through the cut.

For further information
www.sawsuk.com

For many years the only successful way of cutting materials accurately was by circular saw. However, as bandsaw machines developed over the past 40 years, the demand for circular saws has reduced. And yet those seeking a clean, square and fast cut on small-to-medium size sections could well benefit from a circular saw, as might any shops exclusively cutting aluminium or plastics. In contrast, those looking at cutting larger sections and solids may likely find a bandsaw is the more favourable option. With these thoughts in mind, Prosaw has published a new beginner’s guide to sawing.

Take mitring, for example: is it necessary? Well, for steel fabricators, some work will involve cutting angles on sections to enable the manufacture of frames or complex shapes. Swing-frame sawing machines offer quick set mitring and even the most basic of saws will often offer a mitre facility, albeit not as quick as a swing-frame model. Even some automatic bandsaws can mitre in-cycle, producing complete components for fabricating.

A common question is whether each material requires a different blade? Not necessarily. For most sections and even solids, one blade will cover a wide range of material shapes and sizes. Of course, for those cutting from a very small section or solid through to the machine’s maximum capacity, then the best choice would be a different blade to cut both extremes. The same applies to the speed of the blade. Prosaw provides a cutting chart with all of its machines to select the most suitable blade speed and cutting rate.

Cutting fluid is another common area of confusion. Many companies can increase their blade life and reduce consumables cost by just taking a close look at their cutting fluid mixture. Unlike machine tools, which generally use carbide inserts, saw blades create a lot of heat at the cutting point, which means that with a low-level mix of fluid the tool will eventually fatigue and break. Prosaw recommends a mixture level of between 8-12%, depending on workpiece material.

For further information
www.prosaw.co.uk

The Holzwerk Baur sawmill, based in Wain, Upper Swabia, processes around 180,000 solid cubic metres of wood each year and exports its products across the world. Sustainability is a key priority for the sawmill, which sources its material from the local region and puts every last shaving to use.

To ensure efficient wood cutting, Holzwerk Baur runs around 250 saws every day, kept sharp using machines supplied by Vollmer. Among many machines in the grinding shop is a Vollmer CHD 270 grinding machine for carbide-tipped circular saw blades, set up with an automated system to run around the clock.

The Vollmer CHD 270 offers eight CNC-controlled axes and measuring equipment able to machine carbide-tipped circular saw blades in a single set-up. It can sharpen even complex tooth geometries, including chip-breaker grooves, chamfers on the pre-cutting and finishing teeth, and Braunschweig tooth or chip-guide notches. Every circular saw blade is loaded into its precise grinding position automatically, regardless of diameter. A measuring sensor then determines the tooth geometry, in other words, the hook angle, radial and tangential clearance angles, cutting width, blade thickness, and side projection. The automated Vollmer ND 320 handling system uses two loading carriages, each of which can be loaded with up to 50 circular saw blades.

For Holzwerk Baur, the Vollmer sharpening machines are the key to sustainable wood processing. Able to process 80 metres of material per minute, the profiling line cuts the logs into clean squares, which are then processed by up to 10 saw blades into boards, frames and floorboards. Every last scrap of wood is used, with wood chips going to the paper mill, sawdust to chipboard manufacturers, wood shavings to the filler industry, and bark to gardening and landscaping firms (or the company’s own heating system).

For further information
www.vollmer-group.com