At the METAV 2018 exhibition in Germany last month, a forum on sawing technology was held for the first time at the show. The forum showcased the latest developments and solutions, ranging from simple single-blank cutting in a workshop environment all the way through to mass production.

The VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), in conjunction with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), organised the symposium. “We are purposefully aiming at fostering a dialogue between machinery and tool manufacturers, and end users,” emphasises Tim Mayer, group leader sawing technology at the IPA.
In three thematic blocks of sawing machines, sawing tools and process optimisation, the IPA and various market leaders from the sawing sector presented application-relevant, solution-led approaches. Participants were thus able to acquire an overview of current trends, not only in sawing processes, but in the tools used and the manufacturing and automation processes involved. This enabled them to form a picture of the present status in terms of ongoing research, while at the same time finding out from technology leaders what is already possible in entrepreneurial practice.
In times of digitalisation and networking, the subject of Industry 4.0 must never be ignored, of course. The forum accordingly addressed the opportunities and options for sawing machines and the networking of downstream processes.
For further information www.metav.com

With the latest automatic machine from its HBE series, Behringer says it has come up with a way of combining the benefits of high-performance machines for one-off sawing tasks, with the solid, tried and tested characteristics of a classic mitre saw. High cutting outputs, simple handling and precise angular cuts are said to be among the key attributes of the new Behringer HBE320-523GA mitre-cutting bandsaw.

With a cutting range on flat materials of 520 x 320 mm, and bilateral mitre cuts of 45° (and up to 30° on the left), the saw has many features in common with the HBE Dynamic series. The guidance system in its torsionally rigid gantry design and bilateral band wheel bearings are intended to ensure quiet running and precise cuts. The band-guiding components are made of vibration-damping grey cast iron, which has a positive impact on the quality of the cut surface, and makes for longer blade life, says the company. Electrically powered chip brushes clean the saw blade of adhering chips synchronously with the saw drive system.
The inclined position of the band wheels helps prolong the life of bandsaw blades by reducing fatigue due to cyclical bending. A fully automatic height adjustment facility for the saw frame, and lowering of the saw when in rapid traverse, help cut non-productive time to a minimum.
The inclined position of the bandsaw blade allows components such as girders, angled steel and U-profiles, as well as hollow rectangular profiles, to be sawn at higher speed and with less burr.
For further information www.behringer.net

Sawing tough, highly tempered steel bar for a medical engineering application presented a challenge to Bavarian tool and workshop equipment manufacturer, Werner Weitner, as cutting times were long. However, the installation of a KastoWin Pro AC 5.6 bandsaw has made production more efficient by halving processing times.
Department manager Florian Winhard says: “We had to process a highly tempered V2A [304 stainless] steel over a large range of diameters for a medical engineering customer. Our existing saws could only use bimetal blades, so cutting times were up to 15 minutes, which we felt was unsatisfactory.

“As a result, we sent a material sample to Kasto ready for trials on different saws,” he continues. “The results obtained on the KastoWin Pro AC 5.6 automatic bandsaw using a carbide blade were impressive. Cycle times of 7-8 minutes were achieved, around half the time needed by our other saws.
“A major advantage is that we can switch between carbide blades and less expensive HSS bi-metal blades at any time. So we can cut not only difficult-to-machine materials, but standard steels, economically.”
The KastoWin pro AC 5.6 is designed for a variety of applications in steel stockholding, steel production, forging mills, machine manufacturing and the automotive industry. A notable feature is the frequency-controlled, 11 kW drive motor, which allows carbide as well as bimetal blades to be used. Users can therefore be flexible in their choice of tool, reducing costs and optimising cutting speed and efficiency.
The working range of the KastoWin Pro is 560 mm and the smallest dimension that can be cut is 25 x 25 mm.
For further information www.kasto.com

Noritake launched two new sawing machines at September’s EMO exhibition in Hanover, Germany. This machine offers an ultra-high speed cutting mechanism that reduces the cycle times by a factor of three against conventional machines, says Japan-headquartered Noritake, which is represented in the UK by Sawcraft. Specifically designed to house an ultra-thin 1 mm blade, the thinner kerf increases material yield. Special attention has also been given to the design of a new guidance system to ensure cutting accuracy.

The second model to be showcased was the NCS-7/80. This machine offers an ultra-high speed cutting mechanism that reduces the cycle times by a factor of three against conventional machines, says Japan-headquartered Noritake, which is represented in the UK by Sawcraft. For example, when sawing 45 mm diameter S45C mild steel, a conventional machine would take 5.4 seconds. However, using the NCS-7/80, this cycle time can be reduced to 1.8 seconds. Despite this high speed, the machine still maintains a precision cutting accuracy of ±0.1mm.
Overall, the complete range has attracted enquiries from across Europe, from the smallest capacity model in the range to the very largest 250 mm diameter capacity machine. Sawcraft’s managing director Alan Hicks reports an overwhelming success from the show: “We were inundated with enquiries from all over Europe, with a particular degree of interest from manufacturers in Germany and France. EMO provides a pivotal platform to launch new products into the market and we look forward to doing the show again in the future.”
For further information www.sawcraft.co.uk

An automatic KASTOtec FC4 bandsaw has led to a three- to four-fold increase in productivity at a family-owned firm in Austria that develops and manufactures solutions for managing torsional vibration in large diesel and gas engines. The company’s product range includes flexible couplings and vibration dampers made from steel and composite, which are typically used in ship propulsion systems, power generation, bulldozers and locomotives.

The saw has been equipped with a robotic system for sorting cut lengths. By connecting the cell to the company’s manufacturing management system, the user is able to keep track of all production data, ensuring reliable, safe, minimally attended operation. Since December 2016, round and flat bar of mainly tempered steel has been sawn to precise lengths on the Kasto machine, as the previous saws struggled to process the difficult-to-cut materials.
Before opting for this solution, the Austrian company’s managers visited Kasto’s headquarters in Achern-Gamshurst, Germany, and were impressed by the technology on offer. They also appreciated the fact that Kasto was able to offer everything from a single source, including an ABB robot with interchangeable magnetic grippers to automate the monotonous and time-consuming task of removing and sorting cut parts and stacking them at four pallet locations.
The saw was also supplied with a magazine that can hold four bars up to 3500 mm long, allowing production to run unattended for extended periods. The KASTOtec receives order data including material type, dimensions and number of cut pieces from the manufacturing execution system (MES), which is linked to the saw via a custom interface.
For further information www.kasto.com