New HBM saw at ThyssenKrupp Materials UK Ltd

‘60% reduction’ in cut times of notorious, difficult-to-cut metals

Kaltenbach - application stories - bandsawing Kaltenbach - application stories - bandsawing

The new generation of Behringer bandsawing systems known as the HBM range, achieves dramatic improvements in the cutting cycles of hard difficult metals or aluminium, with 60% reductions being reported. An HBM installation at the new ThyssenKrupp Materials UK Ltd production centre is achieving significant benefits.

ThyssenKrupp Materials (UK) Ltd had installed in July 2003 at their new Cradley Heath, West Midlands production centre, a Behringer HBM540A automatic NC controlled bandsawing system. Supplied, installed and maintained in the UK by Kaltenbach Ltd, the Bedford based UK division of Kaltenbach GmbH, it’s one of a completely new generation of saws that dramatically reduce the historical cutting cycle times of hard difficult metals and aluminium.

ThyssenKrupp Materials (UK) Ltd are a major, specialist stockholder of flat and long, high performance stainless steel and aluminium materials and are achieving around 60% reduction in cutting times from their new HBM installation. The significance of this advance is apparent when comparing typical historically cutting times. Difficult metals such as tool steel that have taken for example 70 minutes to saw, could now take sub 30 minutes. The impact on production efficiency, planning, shift manning and JIT (Just in Time) type service and logistics capability is significant.

?We wanted the best possible sawing performance improvement for our specific range of tool steels and assessed many of the saws on the market? says Paul Scarborough, the ThyssenKrupp Materials (UK) Ltd, Cradley Heath Works Manager. ?The HBM, from our extensive assessment trials prior to purchase was way ahead, achieving reductions in cutting cycle times we found almost hard to believe at first?. With an existing19 saws from a mix of manufactures already operating on site at the Cradley Heath complex (17 of them bandsaws) ThyseenKrupp are more experienced than most in judging the capability of saws.

The HBM540A as standard cuts material up to ø540mm or 630mm wide x 540 high although the ThyssenKrupp model was slightly modified to a ø548mm capacity to facilitate their maximum tool steel stock bar size of ø542mm. There are two other models in the range, the HBM370 and HBM440, with respective cutting capacities of ø370mm or 440wide x 370 high and ø440mm or 440mm wide x 440mm high. The breakthrough in the HBM achieving such dramatic improvement in cutting times has been occurred through a combination of factors. Their long established expertise in bandsawing and extensive research into improved overall sawing geometry, machine structure and cutting control systems, combined with the advances in saw band technology, particularly TCT (Tungsten Carbide Tipped). The HBM will accept TCT and Bi-metal blades, with the majority of ThyssenKrupps requirements planned to use TCT, which better suit the cutting of tool steels.

The new saw is installed in a completely refurbished very impressive 140,000sq ft new ThyssenKrupp Materials (UK) Ltd site at Cradley Heath in the West Midlands. Opened in early 2003, it’s the groups UK stockholding service, production and national logistics centre of excellence, having absorbed 4 sites from in and around the Birmingham area. The company also has an extensive network of stockholding sites throughout the UK, which includes Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, London and Camberley in Surrey.

Clinton Parsons, the Works Foreman at the Cradley Heath site says, ?This new saw gives us a whole new opportunity to increase performance. We will now be carefully assessing optimum cutting conditions and blade operation from various manufactures. We also have atomised cooling on this machine, having used conventional fluid systems before. Past performance has lead us to select a mix of dry or wet cutting depending on the material group. For example we’ve normally cut H13 (2344) wet and D2 (2379) dry. We will now be assessing the benefits of the atomised system across our material range?

As well as its phenomenal cutting speed the HBM range permits maximum material capacity, reduced rest piece length and a minimum cut length down to 6mm. The ThyssenKrupp machine also has several optional features including ‘full capacity’ hydraulic bundle clamps, an extra wide swarf conveyor to maximise swarf removal rates, a 6M long heavy duty powered material input roller conveyor and stillage arms with integrated hydraulically moving guide rollers. An additional workstation control pedestal, positioned to the rear and side of the machine, enables the saws operator to use some duplicated elements of the machines main control console if viewing the management of the material on the input side. The bundle clamp capability was a further key factor in the machines selection. “The bundle facility is another important feature for us” says Paul Scarborough, “It gives us a variety of size and quantity options to ramp-up and further increase our through-put”. The HBM540A will bundle cut for example 5 x ø105mm horizontally loaded bars, stacked 5 high, so 25 bars in all.

The saws main control console is located on the front side of the machine. It provides a comprehensive mix of user-friendly NC programmable features, with PLC control of all functions via a digital display with multiple storage of length/batch settings included. An integral laser light zero positioning system is an added refinement to speed cut length setting and accuracy. Other features include servo-controlled blade down feed, atomised coolant and automatic band pad pressure adjustment linked to machine cutting speed.

ThyssenKrupp Materials (UK) Ltd cut and supply some of the most exotic tool steel alloys available, sourced from a world renowned group company, Edelstahl Witten-Krefeld GmbH (EWK) who claim to be the world’s largest supplier of high quality special steel grades. These steels are extremely hard to saw in their raw state. Their properties are further transformed into a range of ultra hard, highly durable steels with very special properties, after carefully controlled heat treatment. The resultant tool steels being used by a wide range of demanding industries, such as diecasting, extrusion, forging, glass processing and tube manufacturing.

The HBM machines are also particularly suited for non-ferrous applications with their special high-speed cutting capability and high efficiency swarf clearance. The machines have an ergonomically designed total enclosure that accommodates the safe, easy containment and removal of both swarf and coolant. The efficient removal of swarf from the blade can have a marked impact on band blade life and cutting efficiency and finish. The HBM has a special double wire brush band cleaning arrangement, with a brush mounted either side and in direct contact with the saw band. The brushes incorporate independent drive for positive swarf removal.

Kaltenbach Ltd are always pleased to provide advise on sawing technology or arrange a machine demonstration in their extensive Bedford facilities by contacting 01234 213201.