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

Kasto presented innovations from both sides of the company’s business – sawing machines and storage systems – at September’s EMO exhibition in Germany. Highlights included an intelligent system for the efficient use of energy in automated storage systems, and an automatic version of the KASTOmicut swing-frame bandsaw, the A 2.6, which made its world debut.

The company can now optionally supply its automated storage systems with an integrated energy storage unit that permits flexible use of recovered power. Kasto’s storage systems recover power by converting kinetic energy, produced in braking or lowering of lifting gear, into electricity. This enhancement was demonstrated at EMO on a KASTOunitower. The solution, which can be retrofitted to existing installations, not only reduces energy costs but improves the quality of supply as power is drawn continuously and load peaks are avoided.
During 2016, the KASTOmicut swing-frame bandsaw range was introduced. A fully automatic version is now available, model A 2.6, which was on show for the first time at EMO. Compared with the manual and semi-automatic variants, it offers additional features that include the monitoring of saw-blade tension, carbide-blade guides and an optional chip conveyor for virtually unattended operation.
The range extends to 260 mm capacity for round stock; 310 x 260 mm for flat. Mitre cuts are from -45 to +60°, and the angle is continuously adjustable, as is the band speed, which can be set from 20 to 110 m/min.
For further information www.kasto.com

LS Starrett used the recent EMO exhibition in Hanover to showcase its bandsaw range, which extends from the portable S1005, a 4 kg, battery-operated machine with a blade speed of 170 m/min, up to the S4230, a 475 kg semi-automatic, horizontal bandsaw with a dynamometric saw-tension indicator and blade speed from 20 to 85 m/min.

Starrett also demonstrated its range of bandsaw blades and advised visitors about how to select the best one for their needs. By way of example, the company’s bi-metal blades, such as PrimAlloy, have a special high-speed edge with exclusive tooth geometry. In addition, the range has extended life treatment (EXT) functionality to ensure longevity, making it suitable for use on high-speed steel, stainless steel and titanium alloy workpieces. Alternatively, there is the Starrett carbide range, which includes the Advanz MC5 AND MC7 featuring carbide-tipped teeth for delivering precise cuts with high surface finish when cutting ferrous metals.
“We have a bandsaw that is suited for pretty much any metal-cutting application you can think of,” says John Cove, marketing manager at Starrett. “It’s easy to view all bandsaws as being alike, but it’s a dangerous trap to fall into. Having a machine that isn’t suited to your needs can impact efficiency, accuracy and even increase your energy bills. Similarly, having the right machine but the wrong blade
can be just as detrimental to your operation.”
For further information www.starrett.co.uk