Sophisticated sawing

Installed at RA Super Alloys modern Milton Keynes site by Kaltenbach (01234 213201) are two new state-of-the-art Behringer HBM440A straight-cutting bandsawing systems (pictured, above). They include a number of claimed unique technical firsts, which are helping to achieve remarkable reductions in cutting speeds and overall process times for notoriously difficult-to-cut alloys. For example, 255 mm diameter titanium 6AL4V is taking Super Alloys a mere 15 minutes, when the industry historical norm can be anywhere between 25-45 minutes. Nickel Alloy, Inconel 718, for example, is cut up to 60% faster, compared to RA Super Alloys cutting speeds from its previous generation of high performance Behringer saws, which had already been considerably far faster than industry norms. Image: Two Behringer HBM440A machines are slashing cutting times at RA Super Alloys Part of Rolled Alloys International, a global leader in the supply and processing of a wide range of special metals, RA Super Alloys International supplies from its Milton Keynes site precision, cut-to size, high-end special alloys. Industries served include aerospace, motor sport (including F1) petro-chemical and medical sectors, with customers spread worldwide . The company's range of materials includes 6AL4V - ELI (Extra Low Interstitial) nickel-based alloys, such as 718 and 625, and other difficult-to-cut, but popular materials. RAPID RESPONSE "Our company ethos, which is in keeping with Rolled Alloys' world-wide philosophy, is to provide the highest possible level of service," explains Wayne Houchin, operations manager, RA Super Alloys. "That includes rapid speed of response and supply of an extensive range of high-end alloys, readily processed to our customers' precise requirements. It sounds obvious, but to offer the quality and level of service that we provide requires good staff, good logistics, extensive metal stocks and the very best processing technology, which our new bandsaws fully satisfy." The two new HBM440A bandsaws are installed in two very different configurations, with both machines being carbide or HSS-blade-compatible. One is a stand-alone, semi-automatic, straight-cutting machine, providing rapid, flexible processing of requirements up to 440 mm diameter or square, up to 6 m long, while the other HBM440A has an automated input magazine and some unique, new additional features (the first of their kind in the UK) that provide major new efficiency gains and customer benefits. Image: The HBM440A touch screen controls enable rapid user-friendly selection and input of all raw material types, sections and lengths, and their cut-to-length requirements The Super Alloys HBM440A fully automatic system with auto-input magazine is a carbide bandsawing system, operated via coloured touch-screen control. It has a unique 'vibro-engraving' marking system and auto-sorting, six-station palletising of all material output, including trim-cut storage, plus a return-to-stock material sorting and holding area to one side of the input magazine. The HBM440A touch screen controls enable rapid user-friendly selection and input of all raw material types, sections and lengths, and their cut-to-length requirements. Having loaded the input magazine, material can be fully processed unmanned, including overnight and weekend running. The flatbed input magazine accepts up to nine raw material bars, each up to 250 mm diameter or square by 4.5m long. Material is contained and auto-fed across the magazine by a series of motorised dogs, until reaching a position inline with the saw's clamping jaws. A motorised conveyor feeds the metal into the saws clamping jaws. The material's end-start position is laser beam set and, with or without any required trim cut, the precise cut-length feed movement is auto-set. ENGRAVED CUT SURFACE A unique CNC-driven 'vibro-head' type marking system, which sits immediately above the material input cutting area, is auto-lowered to sit in front of the material's end-cut face. The marking system automatically engraves a unique alphanumeric batch code and/or text based identification onto the cut surface to suit RA Super Alloys', and/or its customers', specific requirements. The engraving style can be selected from a range of font types and sizes. Image: A unique alphanumeric batch code and/or text based identification is engraved onto the cut surface After engraving, the material is fed forward to the required cut-length position and rapidly cut by carbide blade (or slower, optional HSS). The cut material automatically exits the saw, making a short-drop down an angled ramp, and is then auto-sorted into one station of the six-station sorting system. The pallets sit on a laterally traversing, motorised table that's set into the floor immediately below the output side of the saw to enable pallet truck removal. From the original touch-screen cutting instructions, the system auto-indexes the traversing pallets to suit each batch. This includes automatic assessment of the most efficient maximum fill for each pallet. The marking system enables full traceability, which is an added benefit for the high-end manufacturing sectors that RA Super Alloys serve. Their entire range of stocked material and sizes are to be programmed into the saw's control system for immediate screen recall of desired band speeds and down-feeds. RA Super Alloys has also taken a remote software licence to enable direct downloading of cutting schedules from its scheduling office to the HBM saws. The company's production schedules run at least a month forward, but, to meet the often unpredictable and critically urgent demands of their customers, the company can respond by the hour, when required. RA also has machine remote internet access links to Behringer for monitoring and interrogation of the machines. Mr Houchin sets the benefits of the installation against its customers' requirements into context. "With FI racing, for example, where winning can be determined by a team using their very latest component, we may be required to immediately supply specialist material, cut to a precise, ready-to-machine length, for our customer to then manufacture and fly to a grand prix overnight. It's our well managed system, and the technology that we employ, that enables us to achieve this level of customer support. Box item Sawing installations in brief Material processing in brief [] Steel fabrication and welding specialist Access Engineering, Salisbury, Wilts, has installed a Ficep Victory 11 CNC drilling line (01924 223530) to fit into a small work, avoiding major capital investment. Image: The smaller Victory system has avoided major capital investment The machine is one of a range of new, high performance, small footprint drilling machines from Ficep, capable of countersinking, tapping, pointing and remote control drilling. Comments Paul Long, production director: "It is easy to operate, and the resulting reductions in production time and increases in productivity which have been achieved have exceeded our expectations. The Victory 11 is now helping us to further enhance the quality of our services and is making us even more cost-effective." [] ELG Carrs Stainless Steels, Sheffield, has installed an Amada H100011 semi-automatic bandsaw (Birkett Cutmaster, 01274 870311), which has allowed it to cut larger sized metal slabs bars, sections and billets, due to the 1 m diameter capacity. Image: The Amada H100011 semi-automatic bandsaw The machine is a large, uncomplicated unit that uses an operator-friendly 'CNC-light' reference cutting system to underline optimum set-up for specific applications. The reference system provides the operator with appropriate recommendations for quick and easy set-up. Bob Atkinson, ELG Carrs' production manager, says: "We have a wide variety of large-scale production slabs and bars to cut – often to tight customer delivery requirements. The new Amada machine is helping us to achieve these deadlines with an extremely fast cutting cycle. Size of material is no longer a problem." First published in Machinery, January 2011