FEATURE ON SAWING

Stockholder invests in Ficep Valiant CNC line

Northwest-based steel stockholder CSM Steelstock has invested in a Ficep Valiant CNC line to extend its capabilities and further meet customer requirements.Supplying into the automotive, gas, oil and petrochemical industries, CSM Steelstock predicts that the Valiant CNC line from Ficep UK will add £4.5m to annual turnover at the Accrington business.

Says CSM Steelstock’s managing director Grant Moore: “Our investment in the Ficep Valiant CNC line will be a game changer for our business. We’ll be able to offer our existing customers more capabilities and help us further develop lasting partnerships. It will be running 80 hours a week and we already have a strong forward order book using the new line. We’vegrown year on year for the past 13 years and recently invested in new premises which, when redeveloped, will house our 21 employees and machinery in the 32,000 sq ft facility.”

The Ficep Valiant is a high-performance automated three-spindle drilling system for processing structural steel profiles. Offering six tool-change positions on each of the machine’s three spindles, the Valiant’s total tool capacity is 18. Its spindles are all direct drive with speeds up to 5000 rpm, while utilising HSK 80 tool holders enables heavy milling functionality.Notably, the 300mm auxiliary axis, which is available on all three spindles, allows for a wider range of control for each spindle. Its sub-axis spindle positioning enables simultaneous drilling on all three surfaces. The optional underside scribing device, also with sub-axis positioning, permits up to four-side simultaneous scribing operations.

Says Chris Berriman, Ficep UK sales director: “The Valiant is an ideal choice for CSM Steelstock as it will allow them to process to the high quality that its customers expect.”
For further information www.ficep.co.uk

XTR bridges gap between bi-metal and carbide

Bi-metal and carbide are two commonly used types of bandsaw blades for cutting a wide range of materials. Most know bi-metal blades for their versatility and cost-effectiveness, which makes them a popular choice. On the other hand, carbide bandsaw blades are highly durable and best suited for cutting materials that are extremely hard or abrasive.Transitioning from bi-metal to carbide can be a significant leap for many end users due to the required investments in machinery and in the saw itself.

The Starrett XTR is an innovative bi-metal saw that offers an intermediate option between traditional bi-metal and carbide technology. This solution is specifically for cutting high-alloy steels and other difficult-to-cut materials in larger dimensions.

Designed to give improved performance, Starrett made the technology possible through a combination of state-of-the-art software and specialist expertise. XTR technology is now part of the company’s main products, Intenss PRO M42 and Primalloy M51, which cut solid materials in both series production and bundles. This new addition allows Starrett products to provide high-quality results while improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness compared with carbide solutions.

Starrett applies a special treatment to its XTR blades, guaranteeing high fatigue resistance in addition to their exclusive tooth profile design. These innovations significantly increase the life of the product, providing more speed and quality in their work, and delivering greater cost benefits for extreme process cutting.

By utilising XTR blades, Starrett says users alsoenjoy reduced vibration and quieter cutting processes. The unique tooth profile and setting also enhance durability, extending product lifespan and allowing for more cutting operations. This leads to a decrease in cost per operation over time.
For further information www.starrett.co.uk

Addison Saws reports from TIMTOS 2023

The Taiwan International Machine Tool Show, better known as TIMTOS, has been a go-to event for major players in the global machine tool industry for over 30 years.The recently concluded 30th edition of TIMTOS continued this legacy, attracting over a thousand exhibitors and 45,000 visitors from all around the world.

Addison Saws sent its recently appointed managing director Chris Wilson and the company’s sales team to the much-anticipated event. The whole team was eager to visit some of the company’sprincipals, learn aboutthe latest innovations and look for new suppliers.

Addison had a trio ofmajor suppliers exhibiting at the show, including Everising Saws, which is one of Addison’s longest-serving principals. Indeed, the company celebrated 40 years of trading during TIMTOS,an achievement the Addison team was keen to show its support for, having enjoyed a fruitful business relationship for nearly four decades. Among the stand-out products were two brand-new sawing machines, the VH-5060 vertical block and plate saw, and the CSP-0806 slab circular saw.
In line with the 2023 show’s theme, Everising filled its stand with high-tech sawing solutions, putting the E350 high-speed, high-performance CNC bandsaw in the spotlight along with the ultra-high speed P75-ILA carbide billet sawing system. Of course, no exhibition would be complete without Everising’s sought-after horizontal bandsaws, which were also on show.
Talking about expandingits range of metal cutting saws with additional suppliers, Wilson says: “We’ve been working hard to ensure that we select the right suppliers, growing our product range to meet the needs of customers and the manufacturing industry at large. After extensive research and some great meetings at TIMTOS we’re happy to say we found several new suppliers, so watch this space!”
For further information www.addisonsaws.co.uk

Fein improves efficiency and precision for fabricator

Ricardo Churchill Bespoke Metalwork, which creates bespoke furniture evocative of contemporary gothic design, works with a variety of metals such as mild steel, stainless steel and brass to produce unique, statement pieces that push the boundaries of modern furniture trends.Despite the success of his business, proprietor Ricardo Churchill was spending considerable amounts of time using bandsaws to cut accurately,prompting him to turn toFein for a solution that would improve this issue and ultimately create process efficiencies.

Having worked with Churchill on several occasions previously, Fein’s team of metalworking experts recommended the MKAS 355 metal chop saw. With a powerful motor and various saw blades, Fein says that the MKAS 355 precisely cuts all ferrous and non-ferrous metals quickly and efficiently. It can process many different profile types, including tube, square, angle iron and bar stock. Depending on blade choice, the MKAS 355 can cut various materials and thicknesses including, mild steel, aluminium and stainless.

The MKAS 355 metal chop saw is delivering greater efficiency and precision at Ricardo Churchill Bespoke Metalwork, in turn enabling cost savings and adding real commercial value.

“In the past, I’ve used several other chop saws from other brands but always had problems,” states Churchill. “The biggest issue was blade wander, which really impacts accuracy. However, since using the MKAS 355, my experience has changed considerably, improving productivity and efficiency massively. The build quality and performance has been the best I’ve used and, in my experience, it’s incredibly reliable in comparison with other chop saws currently on the market.”

Andy Mills, managing director of Fein UK, adds: “We worked closely with Ricardo to drill down on the challenges he was facing, before recommending the ideal solution in the MKAS 355.”
For further information www.fein.com/en_uk

Vollmer doubles gains with new Loroch Twin

Following the success of two new circular saw blade grinding machines launched by Vollmer last year, the saw blade sharpening expert is now presenting the new Loroch Twin 860. This space-saving concept features a compact 2000 x 1250 x 1980mm footprint that introduces two different grinding processes in a single machine tool. The end user therefore gains from a machine that can process both TCT saw blades for the wood, sawmill and metal-cutting industries, as well as HSS saw blades primarily used in metal cutting.

With the introduction of a fifth axis, it is possible to process a vast selection of TCT blades in addition to common metal-cutting circular saw blades. As with all Loroch machines, the new Twin 860 grinds with the saw blade rotating. In each case, the grinding process consists of a precise, controlled movement of the grinding head and rotation of the saw blade with both axes controlled simultaneously in complete synchronicity.

Users can sharpen and re-cut HSS circular saw blades from 60 to 860mm on the Twin 860, while automated chamfering is possible from diameters of 75mm and above. With HSS saws, the rake and clearance angles are freely selectable and the grinding process also permits the processing of solid-carbide saw blades, friction saws, and TK or TA saw blades.

For the sharpening of TCT saw blades from 145 to 700mm diameter, the Twin 860 has a secondary grinding process whereby the tooth that requires grinding will remain in a stationary position with the process performed exclusively by the grinding head. The ultra-precise centre drive, which intuitively identifies any pitch differences in the saw blade and automatically processes any irregular pitch patterns in the saw blades, undertakesthe feeding of each tooth.
For further information www.vollmer-group.com/en-uk