Band saw

A band saw is a tool machine whose tool consists of a continuous saw band. The saw band is lead around two rollers and one roller is driven by an electric motor. The band is strained through a straining device. During operation, the saw band is retained on the roller surface through a camber. Thanks to the camber as well as the saw band straining, a straigt incision line is achieved. Modern band saws achieve 1.4mm saw kerves and a high surface quality of the saw band cutting area.

Scope of application
Band saws are used in foundry to separate circulation material from castings, e.g. to separate downsprues and risers from chassis parts or cylinder heads in light metal casting. Aluminum bars and plates are predominantly sawn on band saws with shuttles and they are also used for model construction.

Versions
In general, band saws are distinguished on the basis of movable and static sawing aggregate versions. Depending on the model, the saw is guided along the stretched casting or the basting is guided along the fixed saw band by using a robot.

In case of the movable variant, the sawing aggregate is mounted on servo-controlled axes (see Fig. 1 and 2, technical data in Table 1) and can be moved and rotated in x, y and z direction. Workpieces can be swung into the working room over an NC rotary table. The servo-controlled drives enable high precision with low saw kerves.

In case of the static variant the sawing aggregate is fixed and the positioning as well as the passing of casting on the saw band is performed by a robot (Fig. 3).

Shuttle band saws are used for plate production and as aluminum slab saw (Fig. 4 and 5, technical data in Table 2). For this purpose, workpieces are guided on a highly precise shuttle system and separated through horizontal thin cutting band saw modules.  According to the requirements, band saw modules can be used as separate machine or as an automated line of several series connected sawing modules. Cutting widths of up to 2,300mm can be achieved.

Figures 1 - 5 and tables1 and 2 from Fill GmbH.

A further leading supplier of high-performance bad saw machines is August Mössner GmbH + Co. KG) . This band saw machines only produce a narrow cut when processing abrasive materials. This ensures that material loss is kept to a minimum. The reduction of the chips volume saves energy and also reduces materials costs. Chips can be vacuumed up efficiently. The high possible cutting speed of the saw suits the different materials. High cutting heights are also possible. Different saw blade types, such as tool steel blades, carbide metal blades and diamond-tipped blades can easily be used. Fig. 6 shows a band saw machine for Silicon-Ingots (August Mössner GmbH + Co. KG).

  • Fig. 1: SPEEDLINER 920 M band saw by Fill GmbH, sawing aggregate mounted on servo.controlled axes, movable and rotatable in all three room axes directions
  • Fig. 2:  SPEEDLINER 920 M band saw by Fill GmbH
  • Table 1: Technical data for the SPEEDLINER 920 M band saw by Fill GmbH (subject to technical modifications)
  • Fig. 3: SPEEDLINER 920 M saw band by Fill GmbH, A robot guides the castings
  • Fig. 4: SPEEDLINER 920 M SHUTTLE shuttle band saw by Fill GmbH
  • Fig. 5:  SPEEDLINER 920 M SHUTTLE shuttle band saw by Fill GmbH
  • Table 2: Technical data for the SPEEDLINER 920 M SHUTTLE shuttle band saw by Fill GmbH (subject to technical modifications)
  • Fig. 6: Fully automatic SSF 801 CNC bandsaw for cutting silicon ingots into individual blocks (August Mössner GmbH + Co. KG)