RA Super Alloys International based in Milton Keynes, has undergone the first UK installation of a new high performance, high speed bandsawing systems from Kaltenbach featuring auto-marking of cut material and auto-output sorting. Reductions in cutting cycle times and overall processing efficiency enable these new bandsawing systems to significantly improve production efficiency and response to customer times, particularly when processing difficult to cut alloys. Solutions reports.

Installed at RA Super Alloys’ modern Milton Keynes site are two Behringer HBM440A straight cutting bandsawing systems, which include a number of new technical innovations designed to enhance performance.

For example, 255mm diameter titanium 6AL4V is taking only 15 minutes to cut when the industry historical norm can be anywhere between 25-45 minutes. Nickel Alloy. Similarly, Inconel 718 is said to be cutting up to 60% faster when compared to cutting speeds from RA Super Alloys’ previous generation of Behringer saws.

Part of Rolled Alloys International, a leading global leader in the supply and processing of a wide range of special metals, RA Super Alloys’ Milton Keynes operation supplies precision, cut-to size, high end special alloys to a number of industries including aerospace, motorsport, petrochemical and medical. Its range of supplied materials includes 6AL4V - ELI (Extra Low Interstitial), nickel-based alloys such as 718 and 625 and other specialist materials.

“Our company ethos,” says operations manager, Wayne Houchin, is to provide the highest possible level of service, which 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 skilled staff, good logistics, extensive metal stocks and the best processing technology – which our new bandsaws provide.”

The same but different

The two new HBM440A bandsaws are installed with very different configurations with both machines being carbide or HSS blade compatible. One is a standalone, semi-automatic, straight cutting machine, providing rapid, flexible processing of requirements up to 440mm diameter or square and 6m long, while the other has an automated input magazine and some innovative new additional features – said to be the first of their kind in the UK – that provide efficiency gains and customer benefits.

The HBM carbide blade machines benefit from the research and ongoing advances made to this generation of bandsaws since their UK launch some eight years ago. The latest models take full advantage of the performance benefits offered by the latest carbide blades, which can withstand very high stresses, providing they are matched by a saw that can cope with the high cutting loads.

The HBM machines use high performance 11kW, frequency controlled drive motors and servo driven ballscrew downfeed which along with IBC (Intelligent Blade Control) and overall NC control, makes for robust, functional high speed sawing systems.

Making a mark

The Super Alloys HBM440A fully automatic system, with auto input magazine is a carbide bandsawing system operated via coloured touchscreen control. It has a 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 touchscreen controls enable rapid, user friendly selection and input of all raw material types, sections and lengths and their cut to length requirements and having loaded the input magazine, material can be fully processed while unmanned, including overnight and weekend running.

The flatbed input magazine accepts up to nine raw material bars, each up to 250mm 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 in line 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. A CNC driven vibro head type marking system, which sits immediately above the material input cutting area, is automatically lowered to sit in front of the material’s end-cut face. The marking system then automatically engraves a unique alphanumeric batch code and/or text based identification onto the cut surface.

The engraving style can be selected from a range font types and sizes and 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 section of a six station sorting system. Super Alloys chooses to use this as a three pallet system, with a half separation option, to make three or six pallet positions. 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 touchscreen cutting instructions, the system auto indexes the traversing pallets to suit each batch – a process that 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. Its entire range of stocked material and sizes are to be programmed into the saws’ control systems for recall of desired band speeds and down feeds.
(X Head) Rapid response
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 often urgent demands of its customers, it can respond promptly as and when required. Machine remote internet access links to Behringer are also installed for any monitoring and service interrogation necessary.

“With F1 applications for example, we may be required to supply specialist material, cut to a precise, ready to machine length for our customer to then manufacture and fly to a Grand Prix overnight,” concludes Mr Houchin. “It’s our well managed system and the technology we employ that enables us to achieve these levels of customer support.”

Kaltenbach
www.kaltenbach.co.uk