The use of carbide- or cermet-tipped thin-kerf metal circular saws allows for high feed rates, low machining forces and thin saw kerfs – this reduces energy consumption and saves resources. Vollmer, the company that specialises in grinding and erosion machines, develops sharpening machines, such as the CM 200/300 and the CMF 200/300, on which these kinds of saws can be manufactured with the requisite high precision. Owing to its sustainability, Vollmer has integrated thin-kerf technology into the VDMA's Blue Competence initiative ("VDMA" stands for "Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbauer" – German Engineering Association).
Carbide-tipped thin-kerf metal circular saws are suitable for high-speed cutting (HSC), which is used for large-scale cutting of homogeneous material groups, particularly for outsourced cutting operations and in the construction of vehicle passenger compartments. Thin-kerf circular saws are thus named because of the small ratio between blade thickness and diameter, which is currently around 1.8 to 360 millimetres.
Using high-speed cutting operations means that solid material, profiles and tubes can be cut more quickly because the feed rate is five to ten times higher than when sawing with conventional HSS (high-speed steel) saws. This technique entails exerting a lower passive force on the individual saw teeth, which in turn increases the tool service life. All in all, one carbide-tipped thin-kerf metal circular saw can take the place of up to ten HSS saws in large-scale cutting operations.
The production of thin-kerf metal circular saws presents manufacturers with significant challenges in terms of precision and stiffness, however – not only must different cutting materials, such as carbides or cermet, be sharpened, but a variety of cutting geometries must also be machined, depending on the application. Vollmer has developed various sharpening machines, such as the CM 200/300 and the CMF 200/300, specially for sharpening these kinds of circular saws. These two machines can be used to machine the hook and clearance angles, as well as the sides of the teeth. The fixed grinding unit and the solid construction of the CM and CMF series permit a high level of stiffness to be achieved for precision grinding. As a result, saw manufacturers can attain an optimised surface finish and dimensional accuracy for circular saws. Set-up and measurement compensation are automatic on Vollmer's sharpening machines, which provides a high level of process stability. Thanks to the nine CNC-controlled axes, carbide-tipped thin-kerf metal circular saws can be sharpened without having to be clamped in more than one position. The handling system and loading carriage together allow machining to continue unsupervised around the clock.
There are savings to be made in terms of energy and resources due to the reduction in waste and power consumption, and the larger production runs afforded by the use of carbide-tipped thin-kerf metal circular saws. Vollmer is committed to following the principles of the Blue Competence initiative, initiated by the German Engineering Association (VDMA). The VDMA and Vollmer understand sustainability to mean balancing and integrating economic, ecological and social objectives. The aim of Blue Competence is to take responsibility in a broader sense, including addressing additional issues such as education, safety, prosperity, the environment and nature.
"We have been involved in the Blue Competence initiative since 2011 – it is through this initiative that we work together with our customers and partners on new technologies to boost the energy efficiency of machinery," says Dr Stefan Brand, CEO of the Vollmer Group. "Thin-kerf technology is an important example of how we can drive the initiative forward and invigorate it."
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