Sawing and stacking productivity increases

An automatic Kastotec FC 4 bandsaw has led to a three- to fourfold increase in productivity at a family-owned firm in Austria, which develops and manufactures solutions for managing torsional vibration in large diesel and gas engines.

The company’s product range includes flexible couplings and vibration dampers made from steel and composite, which are typically used in ship propulsion systems, power generation, bulldozers and locomotives.

The saw has been equipped with a robotic system for sorting cut lengths. By connecting the cell to the company’s manufacturing management system, the user is able to keep track of all production data, ensuring reliable, safe, minimally attended operation. Since December 2016, round and flat bar of mainly tempered steel has been sawn to precise lengths on the Kasto machine, as the previous saws struggled to process the difficult-to-cut materials.

The Kastotec, with its 430mm cutting range and smallest cut size of 10 x 10mm, efficiently handles all of the different sizes of steel bar due in part to the use of tungsten carbide tipped blades, for which the saw was designed. A feature called KPC (Kasto Performance Cutting) adds to the saw’s productivity by introducing measures to minimise vibration and optimise damping of the blade. For example, vibration is effectively reduced by a pair of spring-loaded guides on the side opposite the point of cutting, which also ensures quiet operation.

Robotic material management

Before opting for this production solution, the Austrian company’s managers visited Kasto in Achern-Gamshurst, Germany, and were impressed by the technology on offer. They also appreciated the fact that Kasto was able to offer everything from a single source, including an ABB robot with interchangeable magnetic grippers to automate the monotonous and time-consuming task of removing and sorting cut parts and stacking them at four pallet locations.

The saw was also supplied with a magazine that can hold four bars up to 3,500mm long, allowing production to run unattended for extended periods. The Kastotec receives order data including material type, dimensions and number of cut pieces from the manufacturing execution system (MES), which is linked to the saw via a custom interface. It is therefore connected to all upstream and downstream production processes – an important step towards implementing Industry 4.0. As a result, production is considerably more transparent than previously.

Kasto’s own EasyControl ensures simple and intuitive operation of the bandsaw cell. A clearly structured graphical interface quickly guides the operator to the required functions. The link to the MES allows processes such as switching between orders to take place automatically, making work easier and ensuring greater process security. Remote access to the system allows any problems with the saw or robot to be rectified quickly.

The dramatic increase in productivity at the Austrian factory is due in part to automation and connectivity of the sawing machine and also to the short set-up and cycle times for producing some 1,000 different lengths and cross sections of material to manufacture the many torsional vibration management products. The robot-assisted sorting of cut parts has proved so successful that the company plans to use the technology to automate an additional saw.

Circular saw solution

Back in the UK, production throughput has increased, delivery times have been reduced and costs per cut have been lowered at Barrett Steel Group’s engineering division in Maghaberry, Northern Ireland, where it has installed a KastoVariospeed C15 automatic circular sawing machine alongside two bandsaws.

Said to be the UK’s largest independent steel stockholder, Barrett Steel Group installed the new machine in November 2017. The 5-acre site in Northern Ireland stocks an extensive range of engineering steels including bright bar in various grades and dimensions in a 30,000ft² warehouse.

The site is also home to Barrett Ireland Processing and Barrett Steel Tubes that sell a variety of long products and hot and cold hollow sections as well as plate materials to diverse industries such as construction, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, general and civil engineering, rail and yellow goods.

Gary Sloan, operations manager for the Barrett Steel Ireland site explains: "Circular sawing is many times faster than using our bandsaws. Since the C15 arrived, we have been able to reduce our turnaround time for smaller billets from between four and five days down to one or two. It is helping us to keep our loyal customers happy and win new business as well.

"The other big advantage of the German-built machine, supplied through Kasto's UK subsidiary in Milton Keynes is that a significant amount of material is saved. The higher accuracy of the circular saw allows us to reduce our cutting tolerance to between +0.1 and 1mm, minus 0mm, whereas our bandsaws have historically been programmed at +1 to 2mm, minus 0mm.

"Electronic blade deviation monitoring allows us to set the closer tolerance while providing assurance that there will be no scrap, which would eat into profits."

Since the circular saw was installed, Barrett Engineering Steel Ireland customers have reported that apart from receiving material a lot faster, the finish of the cut ends is of a much better quality than when the material is bandsawn. The C15 uses a mist lubrication system, so material is delivered to customers in a noticeably cleaner condition due to the absence of bandsaw swarf mixed with coolant on the surface of the cut pieces.

Feeding lights out production

The machine at Maghaberry has a 12-position, chain-type infeed magazine separated by divider pins and a six-bin outfeed system with automatic cut piece sorting. The configuration allows minimal operator attendance during the day and lights-out running at the end of each shift, which according to the type of job can mean the machine runs for a few extra hours or right through the night.

Mr Sloan advises that overall, output is increased by 150 to 200% due to the high level of automation and the extra cutting time available on the two bandsaws. Moreover, a lower level of operator attendance translates into more cost-effective cutting of all grades of steel into billets from 8mm to 2m long from stock ranging in diameter from 10mm up to 155mm.

The C15 is fitted with Kasto's proprietary, top-end CNC system, ExpertControl, which not only oversees cut piece sorting but also has a multiple order programming capability to speed the fulfilment of customer orders.

Mr Sloan concludes: "The KastoVariospeed is the best automated circular sawing centre available on the market today. It is transforming our business, allowing us to compete more effectively on price and deliver a better quality product. It is so efficient at cutting material that we have also invested in a new, 260-location cantilever racking system specifically to feed the machine efficiently."

Kasto www.kasto.com/uk