The sharp end

For producing and re-sharpening saw blades, Kinkelder has a fleet of more than 20 sharpening machines from Vollmer. Among the most recent acquisitions are Vollmer CHD, CHF and CM sharpening machines.

“We run our own research department and do everything possible to perfect our circular saws, starting with choosing the basic body and tipping the teeth, right through to the rotation of the blade. Even now we manufacture 100,000saw blades a year, 90% of which are sold abroad,” says Erwin Hissink, managing director of the Kinkelder Group.

The family-run company, founded by Pieter de Kinkelder in 1945 now has over 350 employees working at 14 subsidiaries in eight countries that generates an annual turnover of over €50 million. With such figures, Kinkelder is one of the largest saw manufacturers in the world with manufacturing sites in Germany, the USA and the Czech Republic.

“By working closely alongside our customers, we are able to analyse sawing processes and implement the ideal conditions for the process, such as material and machine requirements. This puts us in a position where we can lower our customers’ production costs and improve production itself,” adds Mr Hissink.

Most of Kinkelder's customers cut steel or iron and are primarily involved in the automotive and oil and gas industries. The company's in-house development department is constantly researching new sawing technology and collaborating with international institutes and universities.

Kinkelder is always on the lookout for the best partners from across the world to develop its circular saw blades – at both the research and the production stages. This is why, over 30 years ago, Kinkelder turned to the technology manufactured by Swabian sharpening specialists Vollmer.

Today, the Dutch company has a fleet of more than 20 Vollmer sharpening machines. These include the latest CHD, CHF and CM models that allow carbide-tipped circular saw blades to be precisely sharpened. Additionally, the Vollmer machines enable the saws to be finish machined in a single process without the blades having to be clamped in more than one position.

Thanks to its eight CNC-controlled axes, the CHD sharpening machine can machine a variety of circular saw blades by processing both the face and top of the teeth. The entire grinding unit is robustly mounted on a central main structure and takes up very little space.

The monobloc design enables the sharpening process to run smoothly, allowing Kinkelder to achieve high levels of precision. The CHF sharpening machine has seven CNC-controlled axes and measuring equipment for peripheral grinding on both sides. Kinkelder utilises these machines around the clock in combination with an ND handling system and appropriate loading carriage for automatic tipping.

VOLLMER www.vollmer-group.com