Visitors to the KASTO stand at MACH 2008 were able to see the new, high-speed KASTOtec AM4 / AM5, which cuts at up to 1,500 m/min.  That is more than three times higher than KASTO’s previous A4 and A5 Alu models.

Early production trials have been carried out using a KASTOtec AM5 at a UK customer site, cutting medium strength 6082 aluminium. With a Wikus 1.4-2 tpi carbide-tipped blade running at 1,250 m/min, a 180 mm diameter bar was cut in 14 seconds to a parallelism of 120 microns. An average blade life of seven to eight days is currently being achieved in this production environment.

To ensure accurate cutting at high band speeds, the drive wheels have been carefully balanced and the central lubrication extends also to the roller bearings guiding the blade. Electronic motor braking rapidly decelerates the blade to help shorten production cycle times. Two high-speed chip brushes constantly keep the blade free from chips and spray mist lubricant is employed, rather than flow coolant.

The dedicated aluminium cutting machines share the same one-piece construction as all KASTOtec bandsaws and include polymer concrete in the saw head to dampen vibrations, twin column guides, and linear slideways to prevent stick-slip. The whole of the working area is totally enclosed for operator safety, with timed interlocks on the doors to safeguard against premature access while the band is slowing or in the event of blade breakage.

Immediately when entering and exiting a cut, feed parameters are backed off to minimise vibration, thus improving blade life. Rapid approach and retraction speeds reduce non-productive and cycle times further. Cut length indexing accuracy of ± 0.1 mm is achieved by ballscrew actuating the feed vice stroke.

The latest generation of KASTOtec machines utilise the new touch screen control unit called “Basic Control”, which is capable of storing up to 98 orders with cut length and number of pieces per order.

Breakthrough in sawing nickels

There is currently a lot of interest in carbide circular sawing of nickel alloys.  It is largely because a Japanese blade manufacturer has developed a coated carbide grade circular saw that lasts for typically 100 cuts in nickel alloy rather than 10. Cutting performance was there before, but not blade longevity, making the process uneconomic.

A number of industry sectors are looking at the technology, such as aerospace, offshore, and automotive manufacturers for the production of valve seat inserts.  The alternative method of cutting nickel using abrasive cut-off discs creates a large kerf of between 6 and 10 mm that generates a lot of waste material, which is lost as powder.  A circular saw blade, by contrast, typically has a 2.5 mm kerf and the swarf is recyclable.

In one test at a UK site at the beginning of 2008, 28 mm diameter Nimonic 80A was cut on a KASTOgripspeed 10 in 11.5 seconds with a 120-tooth blade running at 40 m/min and feed per tooth (fz) of 0.035 mm.  This recently introduced circular saw is equally efficient at cutting high tensile strength steels.

KASTO stroage system is an award winner

At the MWP Awards 2008 ceremony, held at the Metropole Hotel in Birmingham during the MACH show, KASTO received 1st prize for Best Workholding / Workhandling Equipment.

The judges concluded that the KASTO Unicompact is “a comprehensive and modular storage and retrieval system that offers the levels of automation that are essential in an increasingly competitive global environment”.

Tue 6th May 2008