Sawing Systems
To separate components into two or more pieces or to cut off an unwanted section of a part, a continuous cutting (band or rotary) or a reciprocating type saw cuts a narrow slit into the workpiece using a saw blade with narrowly spaced teeth. While each tooth takes a cut as the blade moves past the work, the number of teeth cutting at one time varies from two to ten or more depending on the thickness or diameter of the work. In most sawing operations, the work is held stationary and the saw blade is moved for cutting. Typical machines include band saws, circular saws, cold saws and abrasive cut-off machines, each designed for cutting effectiveness in specific applications.
Sawing Starts with the Material
All materials present unique cutting issues. For the best sawing results, you must understand how material characteristics and sizes affect the cut to achieve the longest band saw blade life and production results.
All materials present unique cutting issues. For the best sawing results, you must understand how material characteristics and sizes affect the cut to achieve the longest band saw blade life and production results.
Are you having problems with these tough materials? New and better blades are increasing blade productivity while maintaining or improving both blade life and cut tolerance – they are even being used to cut parts to a final size, without the necessity of additional machining.
Hole sawing may seem straight forward, and it can be. But for optimal results, following some tips and guidelines for selecting and using hole saws is recommended. In fact, fabricators who are adept and knowledgeable about band sawing can apply some of these same strategies when hole sawing.
Robot-assisted systems are taking over more and more tasks that follow the sawing process, starting with removal of the cut parts and continuing on through deburring, weighing, centring and marking, all the way into sorting and stacking on pallets or in containers.
Even a 50 percent reduction in actual cutting time only reduces the overall sawing efficiency by 20 percent at best, so efficiencies must be sought out in other areas of the operation. Here are some of the latest advances that are helping competitors in metal distribution and the metalworking industry find ways to cut their costs and increase their profitability.
Using Advanced Machine & Engineering’s (AME) AMSAW Billet Saw, an operator need only load the table, unload the bins, input the required units into the computer, and change the blade. The saw handles the rest, including separating, transferring, measuring and cutting up to 5 tons of mixed round billets.
Equipped with servos for the X, Y, and Z axes, Tormach’s 1100MX is up to three times faster than the company’s 1100M and 770M mills. The machine delivers speeds of up to 10,000 rpm.
The automatic tool changer (ATC) for the BH series of dual-drive press brakes from MC Machinery Systems is designed for high-mix, low-volume environments by allowing for the greatest tooling variation on the market and facilitating operation by employees of all skill levels.
Metal Forming & Fabricating Industry News
Calendar & Events
Southern New England Design-2-Part Show
Northern California Design-2-Part Show
