Bandsaw Maintenance Part 2

Since we’ve discuss the blades on our first blog series, we’re going to discuss 3 items for today which is the equipment condition and type, the coolant and the operator’s skill.

1.       Equipment Condition and Type

As is always the case, keeping your equipment well-maintained and vibration-free will ensure accuracy and longer blade life. Blade wear patterns may be a sign that a wheel adjustment is needed or guides are worn and are causing problems. If this happens, make sure to make the right move and inspect the machine before using it. If you aren’t capable, make sure to call in some experts to do the checking for you.

The type of the machine you are also using is important. For example, there are parts that aren’t the same with other bandsaw machines. You might want to do some research on your machine by typing in the serial number on search engines or reading the manual. You can also take some advice from the experts.

2.       Coolant

During the bandsaw operation, the blade and the metal creates friction and produces heat. Heat is the number one cause why you blade isn’t cutting well. It is important to choose the right coolant for your cutting applications. Choosing the proper coolant will help you improve the cut and also the life of your saw blades.

3.       Operator Skill

Like with any job, knowing your equipment and understanding the operation and processes, as well as being able to troubleshoot or get service when equipment fails, are vital to the success of your company. Being properly trained and having the correct resources are also contributing factors to the success of your company.

Following are just a few skills necessary to ensure continued productivity:

•Ability to observe the cut to ensure the down feed is correct, especially if you’re using a manual feed system

•Ability to make different types of cuts when using a manual down feed band saw

•Ability to read the chips to determine if the blade and equipment are cutting properly

•Ability to identify equipment problems and get assistance or service

Bandsaw Machine Maintenance Part 1

Band saw Machines are integral part of a machine or metal fabrication shops. But maintenance is also important to keep the process running without delays. Today, we’re going to start with our blog series on different ways to maintain your band saw machine.

First, we’re going to discuss about band saw blades. The Band saw blade’s teeth are exposed to different stress in different angles when cutting structural steel. For example, you are cutting a piece of steel tube, the blade is required to cut through two walls thus causing damage. The tooth is being release in a forward motion by both the speed and the downward motion of the feed pressure. Similar shocks occur when cutting other shapes such as angles, channels and I-beams.

In other cases, solids or shapes strikes a number of pass is increasing considerably. Thus, this repeated impact and the stress from cutting these heavy duty materials can cause the teeth of the band saw to crack and destroyed.

The no. 1 reason these band saw blades fail in fabrication shops is the repetitive shocks or impacts on the blade, and not through excessive use.

Another reason for a blade to worn out is heat and friction. If you are not using coolants or fluid, you might want to reconsider using one. It can help disperse heat and prevents chips from getting stuck.

 It is NOT possible for just one blade to work well for every purpose like a jack of all trades as you might say. 

You need to know the type of band saw blade that is strong enough to resist the forces being applied to it while providing a smooth cut without having the need for any secondary applications such as filing and grinding.

For our next article, we’ll be discussing different types of blades according to the material to be cut. If you are looking for bandsaws, don’t hesitate to visit us at www.capitalmachinery.com.au. 

Shear Blade Essentials

Buying a shear blade is easier than ever through online stores that offers different methods of payment. Since it is easy to buy shear blades, it doesn’t mean that you should take this decision lightly. The quality of the blade really matters and knowing how to take care of the blade is just as important as buying a good one. Luckily, keeping a blade sharp, clean and fresh is fairly simple.

Today, we’re going to give you some tips on how to maintain your very own shear blade.

Set the Blade and Clearance Properly

If you are starting with your cutting process, make sure to set the blade properly first. Setting the shear blade properly is a main key to extending the blade’s life and machinery efficiency. Set proper clearance to ensure proper cut quality. Before setting the blade, check the blade seat is flat to ensure that the tooling is set properly to eliminate blade chipping during shifting of the machine.

Clearance is also important for blades. If the clearance is too high, metal jams between the blade and machine. If the blade has no clearance at all, it will break. Setting the clearance are too loose will cause premature wear and failure.

Basic Maintenance Plan

Here are some of our recommendations for your basic maintenance plan:

The Air system should be properly maintained to ensure clean air. Regulators should also be maintained to help the pneumatic mechanism to properly function.

Lubrication should be checked before you begin operation. The lubrication system should be cleaned, filled and properly filtered.

Machine clutch and brakes must be examined for lining, thickness, clearances and signs of failure. If these are worn out, they should be replaced immediately to avoid costly repairs.

Air leaks or failure on the counterbalance cylinders should be dealt with immediately.

Repair Immediately

Call in the experts quickly if you find unusual wear or need for adjustment.  Disastrous failures often start with little problems that are ignored. Addressing these problems quickly is less expensive in the long term.