NEW OSCILLATING BAND SAW TECHNOLOGY FOR AEROSPACE ALLOYS

This metal sawing technology effectively doubled the square inches cut per blade by this Texas-based metal cutting center, saving them nearly a million dollars for every 40,000 pieces cut.

As the demand for engineering lighter, faster aircraft has grown, so has the need for cutting and machining the super alloys that create these impressive machines. Houston Precision Process, LLC (HPP; Houston, TX) is a metal cutting center that specializes in the precision cutting and machining of super alloy stainless material for the forging, aviation, and energy industries.

Waste has come under the microscope in every type of manufacturing operation and processors of aerospace alloys are no exception. The cost of raw materials and alloying components has been skyrocketing due to increased global demand.

When exposed to abrasive wheel cutting and grinding, super alloys have the tendency to work harden at the surface. Because these metals are poor conductors of heat, the accumulated high temperatures often interfere with the cutting process or damage the piece – an expensive proposition for any metal cutting operation. Abrasive wheel cutting presents processors with many challenges:
• Heat affected zones require extra machining operations
• Increased kerf = increased material loss
• Time and money to pump, separate and process grinding sludge
• Heavy machine maintenance and downtime
• Abrasive saws are a substantial investment

“Because of the difficult nature of this material, we are always looking for ways to improve cutting efficiency and precision,” says Howard Lane, president and CEO of HPP. A couple of years ago Simonds International (Fitchburg, MA), a manufacturer of industrial cutting tools, approached HPP with SineWave, a newly developed technology for its line of carbide and bi-metal band saw blades. This oscillating band saw technology uses a unique rocking motion that forces each tooth of the band saw blade to penetrate the work. The blade grows in width, creating a self-feeding action that delivers faster cut times.

“Before SineWave, processors of aerospace alloys were forced to use abrasive wheels to cut their bars of material because traditional band saws were incapable of cutting them effectively,” explains David Miles, vice president of sales and marketing for Simonds. “Now this technology delivers faster cut times, with a range of cost savings and benefits.” When compared to traditional abrasive wheel cutting, SineWave technology:
• Cuts a significantly thinner kerf path, minimizing material waste
• Does not create high-heat conditions, thereby eliminating the entire operation of trimming the face pieces after the initial cut
• Improves the quality of the cut
• Allows cut chips to be immediately recycled; no mixing of abrasive particles
• Requires significantly less machine maintenance; most is scheduled preventative maintenance
• Consumes a fraction of the electricity of abrasive wheels, even on the largest band saw machines on the market

In a series of competitive trial runs, a carbide-tipped triple chip blade from Simonds combined with SineWave technology cut through special metals at jet speeds, delivering an impressive 5:1 cut ratio. With continued testing, SineWave achieved over 100 cuts per blade on HPP’s toughest materials. “We experienced an immediate improvement in efficiency, ease of recycling, improved cuts, reduction in downtime and material use,” smiles Lane. According to HPP cost savings analysis, this new technology saves nearly a million dollars for every 40,000 pieces cut. “With this technology, training and support, we have effectively doubled our square inches cut per blade,” added Lane.

Simonds International, 135 Intervale Road, PO Box 500, Fitchburg, MA 01420, 978-424-0100, Fax: 978-424-2212, www.simondsinternational.com.