HE&M Saw has created a number of custom saws over the years, but none more unique than the bespoke saw it designed for a decommissioned plutonium manufacturing facility located in Colorado. With the capability to cut through large blocks of compressed scrap, the custom saw can also be dissembled and reassembled to allow for transportation into the required facility.

In the early 1990s, a plutonium manufacturing facility in Colorado was decommissioned. The facility had produced plutonium for nuclear ordinance since the 1950s. As part of the deconstruction efforts, over 800 structures were demolished, and 21 tons of weapons-grade materials were removed. The demolition resulted in 1.3 million cubic metres of waste that was compressed into 0.9 m cubes and buried underground. Today, the plant is completely gone. However, it was recently discovered that some of the buried material was contaminated and leaking into the environment, so it had to be dug up and disposed of properly.
For correct disposal, a saw would need to cut the 0.9 m metal cubes into pieces small enough to fit inside 208-litre drums. The cubes were deemed hazardous and radioactive, and could only be processed in a radiation containment facility. The facility was isolated within 0.9 m thick walls and only accessible through a service door. Unfortunately, a saw with this capability usually stands at 3.6 m high, far larger than the human-sized service door. As a solution, HE&M’s engineering team designed a saw that could be dissembled by the customer, carried through the service door, and then reassembled to cut the compressed cubes.
This project provided the HE&M team with the opportunity to think outside the box and design a saw that could cut the product, while also fitting within specific facility constraints.
For further information www.hemsaw.com

Selmach has set about identifying the most important points to consider when purchasing a circular saw for metalworking applications. Firstly, what metal is being cut? A high-speed saw (usually 3000 rpm) will be required for cutting aluminium. Slower speed saws (90 rpm) are generally used for cutting mild steel, and slower again (45 rpm) for stainless. Nowadays, most circular saws will have two or three speed settings on the control panel, which make them suitable for multiple cutting applications, i.e. both stainless and mild steel.

Notably, the wrong blade can lead to a bad cut, cause damage to the workpiece and/or saw (due to vibration), and will be noisy. Finding the right tooth pitch is therefore imperative.
The main types of blades commonly available include SHSS (high-speed steel) for cutting mild steel and TiCN (titanium carbo-nitride) for stainless steel. The latter, which will also cut mild steel, are twice the cost of SHSS blades but will last much longer. Cutting aluminium on high-speed saw will require a TCT blade.
With the right blade and everything set correctly, a circular saw should provide a straight cut with minimal requirement for secondary processing and deburring. Circular saws are most often used in the balustrade industry, and in window manufacturing, where perfectly square cuts are required on every piece with minimal secondary operations.
The Sterling saws from Selmach are popular due to their sturdy construction, double clamping self-centring vice, and their slitting ability. If the budget is tight, then the Thomas range is a good low cost, yet still professional option.
For further information https://selmach.com/

Legris Industries has achieved another milestone in its growth strategy by acquiring MEP Group, an Italian company with consolidated sales of €52m and a workforce of 280. MEP designs and manufactures precision metal-cutting equipment for steel, aluminium and other metal alloys, providing automatic and semi-automatic systems and solutions to many industries.

Thanks to its capacity, range of products and modern production infrastructure, MEP Group is now a major global player in its market, with industrial sites and sales units in Italy, Canada, the United States, China and Brazil. Through its network of distributors, the many products offered under the MEP and HYDMECH brands are sold in over 60 countries. A part of Legris Industries, MEP will be able to step up its growth by tapping into group resources.
In the past two years, MEP’s business has expanded by more than 25%, and the group will work with its existing management team, led by William Giacometti, to continue that growth.
Erwan Taton, chairman of the Groupe Legris Industries’ executive board, says: “In acquiring MEP we are pursuing our diversification strategy by integrating a company that meets all of our investment criteria. A major player in a worldwide niche market, MEP has powerful technical expertise that generates continuous innovation to drive growth.”
Stefano Guidotti, managing partner of the seller Aksia Group, a leading Italian private equity player, adds: “We’re really proud of having contributed to the growth and internationalisation of our portfolio company, and are firmly convinced that Legris Industries is a perfect fit to bring MEP Group up to a further phase of development.”
Says William Giacometti, CEO of MEP Group: “To join Groupe Legris Industries is for MEP a great opportunity and will have a positive effect in the acceleration of our growth path.”
For further information www.legris-industries.com

Geismar’s teams have successfully completed the installation of a carbide rail sawing and drilling machine ordered by SNCF, which is now part of its installation in Saulon, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

According to the national rail operator’s expectations, this fully automated machine tool contributes to the operations of its “Centre d’excellence rail”, the only workshop in France which includes a production line dedicated to short rails.
Said to be highly versatile, the Geismar carbide rail sawing and drilling machine allows precise cutting and drilling operations on 3 to 36 m rails, meeting customer standards and expectations. This latest generation technology offers high efficiency thanks to its drill spindle with high power output and a hydraulically driven blade which eliminates all vibrations.
Fully integrated into a cabin, the whole installation includes the machine, control panel and hydraulic power unit, as well as the electrical cabinet, thus representing a turnkey solution for SNCF.
This final stage marks the project’s completion, for which SNCF already expressed full satisfaction and ongoing trust in Geismar.
For further information www.geismar.com

Sawing machine specialist Kaltenbach will be present on stand F52 in hall 15 at EMO 2019 (Hanover, 16-21 September).

The company reports that it will be happy to advise visitors on their particular applications and show how the entire Kaltenbach range can be tailored to specific requirements.
A number of machines will be performing live demonstrations at the exhibition, including the fully automatic KKS 463 NA circular sawing machine. The KKS 463 NA features the KDV vertical drilling axis, which enables the full range of machining tasks to be performed on a single machine. What’s more, with the new stacking function, several profiles can be sawn automatically to achieve a further increase in output volume.
Also undergoing cutting demonstrations will be the KKS 400 U semi-automatic circular saw for universal applications, as well as the semi-automatic SKL 450 H circular saw for aluminium, which is said to offer ease-of-use and fast handling. Regarding the latter machine, an optional NC turntable is now available for mitre cuts, in addition to the standard version.
Elsewhere on the stand, Kaltenbach will demonstrate its KBS 750 DG versatile bandsaw with mitre unit, as well as the new KDU 250 drilling unit for the KKS 450 H circular sawing machine – the material is fed in by a pusher, then drilled in up to three axes, cut and ejected on the out-feed side.
For further information www.kaltenbach.com