Hyd-Mech S-25A User Manual

Dear Customer,
As a businessman you understand the necessity of keeping the cost of each step of production to an absolute

minimum without sacrificing quality. In the purchase of any new piece of equipment you are looking to in­crease your production and consequently reduce your cost, while maintaining or improving quality.

With these points clearly in mind we have designed the HYD-MECH S-25A. Our goal is to change stock cut­off from a "necessary evil" to a money making and time saving part of your operation.

Please use this manual to familiarize yourself and your employees on the proper operation and maintenance of
the S-25A.

We appreciate the confidence you have shown in our product and wish you every success in its use.
Sincerely,

HYD-MECH ENGINEERING LTD.

Stan Jasinski, P. Eng.,
President

HYD-MECH

P.O. BOX 1087 / WOODSTOCK, ONTARIO N4S 8P6 · PHONE [phone] / FAX [phone]

PRINTED IN CANADA 1995

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 - INSTALLATION

Safety......................................................................................................................................... 1.1

Lifting and Shipping.................................................................................................................... 1.1

Vise Cylinders............................................................................................................................. 1.2

Head Restraint Bar..................................................................................................................... 1.3

Leveling..................................................................................................................................... 1.3

Wiring Connections.................................................................................................................... 1.4

Hydraulic Oil and Cutting Fluid................................................................................................... 1.4

SECTION 2 - CONTROLS AND OPERATIONS

SUBSECTION 2A - The Control Console........................................................................................... 2.1

Start-up...................................................................................................................................... 2.1

S25 Manual Controls.................................................................................................................. 2.1

Shuttle Length Control................................................................................................................ 2.5

Conventional Length Control Set-up and Calibration................................................................... 2.5

S25 Automatic Controls (PLC 100)............................................................................................. 2.6

Blade Kerf......................................................................................................................... 2.6

PLC in Manual Mode ....................................................................................................... 2.7

PLC in Auto Mode - Single Job......................................................................................... 2.8

PLC in Auto Mode - Multi Job............................................................................................ 2.9

Important Notes With Respect To PLC Operation............................................................. 2.10

Interrupting the Auto Cycle...................................................................................... 2.10

Entering Blade Kerf................................................................................................. 2.11

Inch-Metric Input or Measuring................................................................................ 2.11

SUBSECTION 2B - Saw Cutting Controls........................................................................................... 2.12

Blade Basics............................................................................................................................... 2.12

Variable Speed Control............................................................................................................... 2.13

Hydraulic Feed Control............................................................................................................... 2.13

Using The Saw Cutting Parameters Door Chart........................................................................... 2.14

Step 1 Determine Effective MAterial Width....................................................................... 2.14

Step 2 Setting The Feed Force Limit................................................................................. 2.15

Step 3 Determine Optimum Blade Pitch............................................................................ 2.16

Step 4 Determine Optimum Blade Speed.......................................................................... 2.17

Step 5 Determine Feed Rate Setting................................................................................. 2.18

Cutting Control Set Up Examples................................................................................................ 2.20

SUBSECTION 2C - Mechanical Controls............................................................................................ 2.22

Head Up And Down Limit Setting................................................................................................ 2.22

Coolant Flow.............................................................................................................................. 2.23

Guide Arm Positioning................................................................................................................ 2.23

Blade Changing.......................................................................................................................... 2.24

SECTION 3 - MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING

Blade Brush................................................................................................................................ 3.1

Blade Guides.............................................................................................................................. 3.1

Lubrication............................................................................................................................... 3.2

Cleanliness................................................................................................................................. 3.3

Hydraulic Maintenance................................................................................................................ 3.3

Trouble Shooting......................................................................................................................... 3.4

SECTION 4 - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

General Information.................................................................................................................... 4.1

Photos of Standard Electrical Components................................................................................. 4.1

Photos of Optional Electrical Components.................................................................................. 4.3

List of Electrical Components For An S-25A With the Optioanl PLC100.................................... 4.4

List of Electrical Components For A Standard S-25A.................................................................. 4.7

Standard Electrical Schematic S25-7-00-1.......................................................... 4.12

Standard Electrical Wiring Diagram S25-70-02 pg.1............................................... .... 4.13

Wiring Diagram S25-70-02 pg. 2 ................................................. 4.14

Wiring Diagram ( Contol Box) S25-70-02 pg.3.................................................... 4.15

Electrical Schematic (PLC Option) S25A-7-00-1A ..................................................... 4.16

Electrical Wiring Diagram PLC S25A-7-00-2A pg.1 ............................................. 4.17

Electical Wiring Diagram PLC (Control Box) S25A-7-00-2A2 pg.2 ........................................... 4.18

SECTION 5 - HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

General Information.................................................................................................................... 5.1

Parts List and Photos of Hydraulic Components.......................................................................... 5.1

Cylinder Components .................................................................................................................. 5.2

Positive Downfeed Valve Components ...................................................................................... 5.3

Hydraulic Schematic S25A-6-00-1 ...................................................... 5.4

Hydraulic Plumbing Diagram S25A-6-00-2 ....................................................... 5.5

Plumbing Diagram (VVP Option) S25A-6-00-2....................................................... 5.6

SECTION 6 - MECHANICAL ASSEMBLIES

Parts List and Photos:

Blade Guide Arm Assembly........................................................................................................ 6.1

Guide Arm Rack Assembly......................................................................................................... 6.2

Blade Brush Assembly................................................................................................................ 6.3

Drive Assembly.......................................................................................................................... 6.4

Idler Wheel Assembly................................................................................................................. 6.5

Vise Cylinder Mounting Assembly............................................................................................... 6.6

Front Table Assembly ................................................................................................................ 6.7

Gearbox Assembly.................................................................................................................... 6.8

Auxiliary Table Assembly............................................................................................................ 6.9

Shuttle Guide Assembly.............................................................................................................. 6.10

Infeed Conveyor assembly......................................................................................................... 6.11

Pivot Link Assembly.................................................................................................................. 6.12

Head Swing Assembly............................................................................................................... 6.13

Coolant System Assembly.......................................................................................................... 6.14

Outfeed Table Assembly............................................................................................................. 6.15

Length Control Assembly............................................................................................................ 6.16

SECTION 7 - OPTIONAL SAW EQUIPMENT

Overhead Bundling Attachment.................................................................................................. 7.1

Variable Vise Pressure................................................................................................................ 7.2

Blade Breakage Switch............................................................................................................... 7.3

Out of Stock Limit Switch............................................................................................................ 7.4

Remote Blade Speed Adjustment............................................................................................... 7.5

SECTION 8 - SPECIFICATIONS

Specification List........................................................................................................................ 8.1

Dimensional Drawings................................................................................................................ 8.2

SECTION 9 - WARRANTY

Warranty..................................................................................................................................... 9.1

SECTION 1 - INSTALLATION

SAFETY

All safety precautions must be observed during installation, operation, maintenance or repair work on the
S-25A bandsaw machine.

-Inspect the machine throughout before power hook-up. Special attention should be paid to electrical and
hydraulic systems keeping an eye out for any potential shipping damage.

-Power hook-up should be performed by qualified personnel.

-Machine should be used according to its specifications.

-Long hair, loose clothing, gloves, should not be worn while operating the machine.

-Stock must not be loaded while blade is running.

-Machine should not be operated unless all guards, covers and doors are in place and
closed.

1.1

-Long and heavy stock should be supported in where it extends off the saw table.

-Area around the machine should be kept clean and tidy.

-Operator should keep a safe distance from all moving parts especially the blade and vises.

-If not performing properly the machine should be stopped immediately and repaired by a qualified person.

-No modifications to the machine are allowed without Hyd-Mech’s prior approval. Any approved modifications
shall be performed by trained personnel.

LIFTING AND SHIPPING

To lift the S-25 bandsaw an overhead crane with a “T” shaped lifting harness should be used Fig. 1-1A and Fig.
1-2A. Hook the lifting harness to a chain shackle on the infeed base 'A' and to chain shackles on both sides of
the saw base 'B'. An experianced rigger should select the rigging based on the 7300 LB. weight of the saw.

WARNING: Under no circumstances should the lifting harness be pushing against any part of the saw.

B

B

A

Fig. 1-2AFig. 1-1A

1.2

VISE CYLINDERS

To permit the S-25A to be shipped in a standard trailer, the three vise cylinders must be fully retracted, the
hydraulic hoses disconnected, and the mounting brackets unbolted from the infeed table Fig. 1-3. The cylinder
tube is then rotated around the cylinder rod so that the mounting bracket and tube are upside-down. This jaw
is now pushed completely toward the fixed jaw letting the bracket rest on the infeed table. Before the initial
start-up, reinstall the vise bracket and reconnect the vise cylinder hoses Fig. 1-4. TABLE 1 lists the hose
reconnections, Fig 1-5 shows one of the junction blocks as it appears when machine is shipped. Fig. 1-6
shows a junction block after the vise cylinder hoses have been reconnected.

HOSE # HOSE TO CYLINDER CONNECTING HOSE

CON NECTI ON AT JUNCTION BLOCK

34 ROD END (FRONT VISE) 32
33 PISTON END 31
24 ROD END (SHUTTLE VISE) 22
23 PISTON END 21
34C ROD END (AUX. VISE) 32 C
33C PISTON 31C

TABLE 1

Fig. 1-3 Vises disassembled for shipping.

Fig. 1-5 Junction block plumed for shipping.

Fig. 1-4 Reassembled vises.

Fig. 1-6 Vise cylinder plumed to junction block.

HEAD RESTRAINT BAR

The S-25A bandsaw is shipped with the head secured at the 45° position by a restraint bar and is wired down
to the base to ensure that the head can not move in any direction during shipping. After the saw has been lifted
into position, the head restraint bar must be removed along with the wire.

Fig. 1-7 Head restraint member and tie down wire.

1.3

LEVELLING

Machine location should be carefully selected. A flat concrete floor area should be chosen. It should have
enough free space surrounding the machine to enable free access for safe operation and maintenance.

Machine should be levelled in both directions ie. across its table and along its infeed conveyor especially when
machine is to be inserted into a large conveyor system.

Nine levelling screws are provided. Steel plates are to be placed under each screw to prevent their sinking into
the concrete floor. In cases when machine is to be anchored permanently, anchoring holes are provided. They
are located next to the levelling screws.

NOTE: In some cases levelling the saw infeed and auxiliary conveyors with a slight slope towards the blade is
recommended. This will prevent coolant from running down the raw stock. (This is especially true when cutting
tubing or bundles).

Fig. 1-8 Level the saw using a precision level.

1.4

WIRING CONNECTIONS

After the machine is levelled and anchored the necessary power hook-up needs to be performed. In order to
provide safe operation as well as to prevent potential damage to the machine, only qualified personnel should
make the connections.

BEFORE START-UP THE FOLLOWING TWO POINTS SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR

-signs of damage that may have occurred during shipping to the electrical cables and the hydraulic hoses.

-the hydraulic oil level is between the upper and lower lines on the level gauge (see SECTION 3 pg. 3.4).
As supplied, the machine is set to run on three phase voltage as indicated on the serial plate and voltage

label.
Power connection to the machine is made to L1, L2, L3 terminals at the junction block inside the control box
Fig.1-9. During the initial hook-up it is very important to check that the phase order is correct. This is indicated
by the hydraulic pressure gauge registering a pressure rise Fig. 1-10 and the blade running in a counter
clockwise direction. If the hydraulics do not register an immediate pressure rise, shut the hydraulics off and
change the phase order.

ATTENTION: Running the hydraulics "backwards" can damage the hydraulic pump.

L1, L2, L3
Terminals

Ground Clamp

Fig. 1-10 System pressure gauge.

Fig. 1-9 Electrical junction block.

HYDRAULIC OIL AND CUTTING FLUID

The S-25A bandsaw is supplied with Valvoline 150-46 hydraulic oil. If it is necessary to change the oil to a
different brand see the HYDRAULIC SECTION for an equivalent grade oil.

No cutting fluid is supplied with the machine. There are two types of coolant available:

- oil based; dilute 1:10 ratio
(one part concentrated coolant to 10 parts water)

- synthetic; dilute as recommended by the manufacturer.

SUB SECTION 2A - CONTROLS AND OPERATIONS

THE CONTROL CONSOLE

START-UP

The S-25A control console has been designed to simplify the operation of the saw, to give the operator the
ability to stop any function at any time, and to be able to control all the functions remotely. (See Fig. 2A-1)

We can not overstress the importance of familiarizing yourself with the controls of the S-25A prior to starting
the machine.

2.1

NOTE: WHEN STARTING THE S-25A FOR THE FIRST TIME

SWITCH IS IN IT'S

NEUTRAL

POSITION, THE BLADE IS RUNNING IN A
DIRECTION, AND THAT THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IS
pg. 3.4).

MAKE SURE

900 PSI

THAT THE MODE SELECTOR

COUNTER CLOCKWISE

± 25 PSI (see SECTION 3

Fig. 2A-1 Standard S-25A operation control panel.

S-25A MANUAL CONTROLS

HYDR AULI C STAR T B UTTO N: Starts hydraulic pump motor and energizes the BLADE START BUTTON

BLADE MO TOR This button is only operative when the hydraulic system has been
STA RT BUTTO N: started. Momentarily depressing this button will start the blade

BLADE MOTOR Momentarily depressing this button will stop the blade motor.
STOP BUTTON:

and the MODE SWITCH.
The fixed vise will open or close according to its selector switch position.
The actions of all other functions are dependent upon the MODE SWITCH
position. (see MODE SWITCH)

motor.

2.2

EMERGENCY STOP

This button will stop both the hydraulic and blade motors and

BU TTO N: de-energizes the MODE SWITCH.

The head and shuttle motion will cease.
The vises will remain as they are, but if closed, they will gradually
lose gripping force. For this reason all long stock should be
supported so that in this eventuality, it will not fall.

HYDRAULIC AND B LADE Both of the drive motors are protected by individual overload relays.
MOTOR RES ET B UTTONS : If a motor draws excessive amperage, the corresponding relay will

open and the entire machine will shut down as if the EMERGENCY
STOP button had been pressed.
Depressing the corresponding RESET button will close the opened
contactor overload and allow the machine to be restarted.

MODE SWITCH: Has three positions, MANUAL, NEUTRAL, and AUTO

MANUAL: in manual all the following functions except the HEAD

SWING CONTROLS and the AUTO CYCLE DIAL,
are operative.

NEUTRAL:only the FIXED VISE SWITCH, the COOLANT SWITCH

and the HEAD SWING CONTROLS are operative.

AUTO: all of the functions are under the control of the AUTO

CYCLE DIAL, and the MANUAL CONTROL switches
are inoperative.

HEAD CONTR OL S WITCH: Inoperative unless MODE SWITCH is in MANUAL.

UP: the head will rise until it reaches the HEAD UP LIMIT SWITCH
SETTING.
HOLD: the head will remain stationary.
DOWN: the head will descend until it reaches the bottom. Descent

is controlled by the FEED RATE and FEED FORCE
controls.

INDE X F ORWA RD BUTTON : Button is inoperative except when MODE SWITCH is in MANUAL.

Depressing this button fully will cause the shuttle table to quickly
advance toward the saw table until the button is released or the
shuttle reaches the forward limit of travel.

Depressing this button partially will cause the shuttle table to
advance toward the saw table at a very slow rate until the button is
released or the shuttle reaches the forward limit of travel. This
control is intended to assist in the accurate positioning of heavy
pieces of stock.

INDEX REV ERSE BUT TON: Button is inoperative except when MODE SWITCH is in MANUAL.

Depressing this button fully will cause the shuttle table to quickly
retract away from the saw table until the button is released or the
shuttle reaches the rearward limit of travel.

Depressing this button partially will cause the shuttle table to retract
away from the saw table at a very slow rate until the button is
released or the shuttle reaches the rearward limit of travel. This
control is intended to assist in the accurate positioning of heavy
pieces of stock.

INDEX VISE SWIT CH: This switch is only operative when the MODE SWITCH is in

MANUAL. It operates in the same manner as the FIXED VISE
SWITCH but controls the vise mounted on the shuttle table.

2.3

FIXED VISE SWITCH:

This switch is operative as long as the machine is supplied with
power. Unlike the other function switches it is active when the
MODE SWITCH is in NEUTRAL. The FIXED VISE SWITCH
is wired this way to insure that the fixed vise will not release the
work piece when switching between AUTO and MANUAL, or if the
saw should shut down during a cut due to a motor overload. This
security is provided only if the FIXED VISE SWITCH is left in the
CLOSE position during automatic operation; the AUTO CYCLE
DIAL will open the front vise as required. The FIXED VISE
SWITCH should be turned to OPEN when shutting the saw down
for a prolonged period of time (i.e. overnight). When this switch
is in the CLOSE position, the fixed vise will stay closed even when
shutting the saw down with the EMERGENCY STOP button, but the
vise pressure will quickly drop off and it should not be relied upon
to hold unbalanced work pieces after shutdown.

FAST SWING SWITCH: This switch is only operative when the MODE SWITCH is in the

NEUTRAL position.
Positioning this selector switch to 90° will swing the head fast towards the 90°
position. Likewise positioning this selector switch to 30° will swing the head
toward the 30° position. Leaving the switch on the lock position will restrain
the head from further angular motion. The angle change can be observed on
the angle scale located on the head swing drum Fig. 2A-2.

SLOW SWING SWITCH: Operates in the same manner as the FAST SWING SWITCH except it

swings the head at a slower rate making fine adjustment easier.

COOL AN T SWITC H: Has three positions ON, WASH, and OFF

MUL TI I NDE X CO UNT ER:The counter is operative only in the AUTO MODE. The number on

Fig. 2A-2 Angle scale.

ON: the coolant flows only when the head descends
WASH: coolant flows any time the machine is under power, permitting
wash-down with the hand line without running the machine
OFF: no coolant flow

the manually set thumb wheel display, controls the number of
shuttles made by the shuttle table between each saw cut Fig 2A-3. If the
setting is changed during the shuttling portion of the AUTO CYCLE,
the new setting will not be accepted until after the current cutting
cycle.

2.4

AUTO CYCLE DIAL:

This knob rotates in a clockwise direction when the saw is running and the
MODE SWITCH is in AUTO Fig. 2A-4.
As it rotates it sends out control commands indicated on the dial. Whenever
the head or shuttle motion is initiated, the dial will stop and wait for the
motion to reach the end of its travel, and then it will resume its rotation.
It is recommended that the AUTO MODE always be initiated with the AUTO
CYCLE DIAL in the START position. This will result in the fixed vise closing,
the index vise opening, the head lowering (unless it is already down), and
the shuttle table retracting (unless it is already retracted). The head will then
rise to the limit set by the HEAD UP LIMIT SWITCH and the cycle will

proceed in order, as on the dial. When manually positioning the AUTO
CYCLE DIAL, it should always be turned in the clockwise direction.
NEVER TURN THE AUTO CYCLE DIAL COUNTER CLOCKWISE.

PIECE COUNTER: The counter is operative in both AUTO and MANUAL Fig. 2A-5. It is manually

set to the number of cuts desired and counts down to zero at which point it
turns the saw off. If the counter is set at zero it will not permit the saw to be
started. If in the MANUAL MODE it is desired to have the saw shut down at
the end of the cut, the PIECE COUNTER must be set to 1 (one) before the
cut. The counter counts one half count when the head down signal begins and
the other half count when the head down signal ends. Thus, if the AUTO
CYCLE is interrupted during cutting, a false count will be recorded. In this
event simply push the PIECE COUNTER back up one count.

Fig. 2A-3 Multi index
counter.

BLADE SPEED SWITCH: This optional switch controls the blade speed which can be infinitely adjusted
(OPTIONAL)

between 75 and 400 SFPM. The blade speed change can be observed on the
blade speed digital display, located on the front control panel (Fig. 2A-6). On
machines quipped with the optional PLC 100 controller the blade speed is
displayed in the blade speed window located on the PLC controller (Fig. 2A-

7). Switch is active only when blade is running.

Fig. 2A-6 Blase speed digital readout.

Fig 2A-4 Auto cycle dial. Fig. 2A-5 Piece counter.

Fig. 2A-7 Blade speed display
window on the PLC 100.

SHUTTLE LENGTH CONTROL

To adjust for desired stock for a production run,as shown in Fig. 2A-8, move the Adjusting block 'A' to the
desired position along the scale. Fine adjustments can be made using the micrometer 'B'. The zero point on
the micrometer is .250 inch. This gives you 1/4" in and 1/4" out for fine adjustment.

A

B

Fig. 2A-8 Length control block.

CONVENTIONAL LENGTH CONTROL SET-UP AND CALIBRATION

2.5

The calibration makes no allowance for kerf loss and this must be added by the operator. Although blade
thickness is standard with relation to blade size, blade kerf may vary due to different pitch or manufacturer. We
recommend that you measure the kerf of the blade which you are using by making a cut into a solid piece of
steel and measuring the width of the cut. In the following examples we will use a blade kerf of .080". The
procedure for setting and calibrating the conventional length control is as follows:

To obtain a desired piece length add the kerf allowance. If the resulting length is less then 40", fully advance
the shuttle and set the adjusting block pointer to the resulting length. Set the Multi-Index Counter to "1".
If the resulting length is greater than 40", divide it by the smallest number which will result in a dividend less
than 40". Fully advance the shuttle and set the adjusting block pointer to the resulting dividend. Set the MULTI
INDEX COUNTER to the divisor.

Example 1

Desired piece length 9 3/4"

+ Kerf aprox. 1/16"

= Total shuttle required 9 13/16"

The result is less than 40". Set the adjusting block pointer to 9 13/16" and the MULTI INDEX COUNTER to "1".

Example 2

Desired piece length 73 3/8"
+ Kerf 1/16"

= Total shuttle required 73 7/16"

The result is greater than 40". We must divide by 2 in order to get a dividend less than 40 inches.

Set the adjusting block to 36 23/32" and the MULTI INDEX COUNTER to "2".

73.4375
= 36.719

2

2.6

It is wise to make a trial cut in order to check the accuracy of the length setting. Start by being certain that the
head up limit switch is correctly set up for the work piece. Using the manual mode raise the head fully and
advance the stock about 1/16" - 1/8" beyond the blade for a trim cut. Make the required trim cut.

Set the PIECE COUNTER to "2" and the AUTO CYCLE KNOB to "START". Start the blade and switch the
MODE SWITCH to "AUTO". The stock will advance and a cut will be made resulting in a trial piece.

Check the length of this piece. If it is not accurate enough, use the micrometer head to zero in on exactly the
length you require. The general procedure for using the micrometer length adjustment is as follows:

NEW MICRO SETTING = OLD MICRO SETTING + (DESIRED LENGTH - ACTUAL LENGTH)

NUMBER OF INDEXES

If in example 1, the resulting piece was 9.775 inches rather than the disired 9.750" then:

NEW MICRO SETTING = .250 + 9.750 - 9.775

1
= .250 + (-.025)
= .225

If in example 2, the resulting piece was 83.313" rather than the required 83.275" then:

NEW MICRO SETTING = .250 + 83.375 - 83.313

3

= .250 + .062

3

= .271

Increasing the micrometer setting increases the part length, while decreasing the micrometer setting de­creases the part length.

NOTE: Remember to reset the micrometer to exactly midscale at the end of each run.

S-25A AUTOMATIC CONTROLS

BLADE KERF

Although blade thickness is stand­ard with respect to blade size, blade
kerf may vary due to different pitch
or manufacturer. We recommend
that you measure the kerf of the
blade which you are using by mak­ing a cut into a solid piece of steel
and measuring the width of the cut.
In the following examples we will
use a blade kerf of .080".

Fig 2A-9 Optional PLC 100 programmable controler.

2.12

SUBSECTION 2B - SAW CUTTING CONTROLS

This section has been prepared to give the operator the ability to set up the saw for most cutting situations.
The saw is equipped with variable speed control and hydraulic feed control, as well as an extensive door chart
to guide the operator in the correct setting of these controls.

BLADE BASICS

Technology is rapidly changing all aspects of production machining. Metal cut-off is no exception. The
advances made in the bandsaw blade industry have definitely brought down the cost per cut, despite the three
fold higher price of high technology blades.

Variable pitch, bi-metal blades (like the 2/3 or 4/6 bi-metal blade supplied with the S-25A series saws) last
much longer, cut faster, and more accurately than conventional carbon steel blades.

In order to take advantage of the superiority of bi-metal blades, it is critical to properly “break-in” a new blade.
This is accomplished by taking two or three cuts through solid four or five inch diameter mild steel at an
extremely slow feed rate. (utilizing a very slow blade speed is recommended)

These two or three slow cuts sufficiently lap (polish) the new blade so that it does not snag the material being
cut. Proper break-in will alleviate blade vibration, improve surface finish, accuracy, and blade life.

After “break-in” the following six points must be closely monitored to ensure long blade life:

1. Proper blade tension should be maintained. (see SECTION 3 pg. 3.4 BLADE TENSION)

2. Generous coolant application is essential with almost all materials. A high quality and well mixed
coolant will many times extend blade life, and also increase cutting rate quality. On those materials
where c oolant is undes irable forcutting, a slight coolant flow or periodic oiling of the blade is necessary
to prevent the blade from being scored by the carbide guides.

3. The stock being cut must be securely clamped in the vises.

4. The proper feed force must be chosen.

5. The proper blade speed must be selected.

6. The proper feed rate must be applied.

2.13

VARIABLE SPEED CONTROL

Blade speed can be adjusted infinitely between 75 and 400 SFPM (Surface Feet/Minute). Adjustment should
be made only when the blade is running. Clockwise rotation of handwheel “A” (Fig. 2B-1) increases the blade
speed while counter clockwise rotation decreases the blade speed. Blade speed is displayed on an indicator
located in the adjustment hand wheel. On machines equipped with the optional remote blade speed adjust­ment, adjustment is made using the BLADE SPEED selector switch Fig 2B-2 located on the control panel.
Blade speed is displayed on the digital blade speed display Fig. 2B-3 or on the blade speed display window
located on the optional PLC 100 controller Fig. 2B-4.

A

Fig. 2B-1 Blade speed adjust­ment.

Fig. 2B-2 Blade speed selector
switch.

Fig. 2B-3 Digital blade speed
display.

Fig. 2B-4 Blade speed display window.

HYDRAULIC FEED CONTROL

The hydraulic feed control is located on the control panel below the electrical control console. These controls
allow independent control of Feed Force and Feed Rate. See Fig. 2B-5.

Feed Force Gauge

Fast Approach Lever
Depress for fast head descent

Feed Force Knob
Used to set Feed Force Limit
(clockwise rotation to increse
and counter clockwise rotation
to decrease).

Fig 2B-5 Hydraulic feed control.

Feed Rate Knob with feed rate scale
(calibrated in inches/minute)
Used to set Feed Rate (counter clockwise
rotation to increase and clockwise
rotation to decrease

USING THE SAW CUTTING PARAMETERS ON CHART

2.14

A full size chart is mounted on the
panel. The chart contains five steps for
the operator to follow in order to achieve
optimum performance of the saw.

Fig. 2B-6 Saw cutting parameter door chart.

As Example #1 we will use the CHART to set up the saw, for cutting 8" Diameter, 1045 Carbon Steel.

STEP 1

DETERMINE EFFECTIVE MATERIAL WIDTH, W (in.)

Effective material width, W (in.) for most
common shapes of materials, is the widest
solid part of the material to be in contact with
blade during cutting. For simple shapes, as
illustrated on the chart, this can be diractly
measured. For bundles of tubes and
structuals, measuring the effective width is
difficult. For those cases effective width is
60% to 75% of the actual material width.

Fig. 2B-4

NOTE:

2.15

Both effective material width and guide arm width are used in setting the saw. Guide arm width is the distance
between the guide arms and is used in STEP 2. Effective material width, as determined here in STEP 1, can be
thought of as the average width of material “seen” by each tooth, and it is used in STEP 3 and 4.

In Example #1, for an 8" diameter solid, effective material width is 8".

STEP 2

SET FEED FORCE LIMIT
The Feed Force Limit is the maximum amount of force with which the head is allowed to push the blade into the

workpiece. The controls for setting the Feed Force Limit consist of:
Feed Force Gauge

Feed Force Knob

Feed Rate Knob

To set FEED

Fig. 2B-5 Hydraulic feed control.

FORCE LIMIT:

- With the Mode Switch in “manual” position, move the head fully down.

- After the head is down, open the feed rate valve, depress the yellow FEED
FORCE SETTING button and adjust the FEED FORCE.

Example #1

Set the feed force at 250-300 psi. This will protect
the blade from buckling. This amount of feed force
will also prevent the blade from cutting out of square.
If the cuts obtained are not square and the blade is
not at fault, reduce the feed force pressure. Gener­ally a higher feed force can be used when cutting
solids. When cutting structuals or bundles a lower
feed force should be used.

Fig. 2B-6 Feed Force pressure.

2.16

SIGNIFICANCE OF GAUGE READING:
With the head down and yellow button depressed the (FEED FORCE “set” on manual control panel) FEED

FORCE gauge indicates the setting of the FEED FORCE LIMIT. During cutting the gauge shows the actual
force being applied by the blade to the workpiece.

In typical cutting situations, the needle on the gauge will rise toward the preset FEED FORCE LIMIT and
stabilize, usually at a lower level. If the material being cut is very hard or wide, the needle may rise all the way
to the preset FEED FORCE LIMIT, which it will not exceed.

When cutting soft materials and or narrow cross sections, the gauge reaging may be low, but the FEED RATE
will be maintained. Any changes during cutting, such as, material hardness or material cross section will
influence the gauge readings. Therefore, in some cutting situations the gauge reading may rise and fall. A very
low gauge reading is uaully observed when the blade is approaching the material to be cut, but not yeyt cutting.

STEP 3

DETERMINE OPTIMUM BLADE PITCH, TEETH PER INCH (T.P.I)
Selecting a blade with proper tooth pitch is important in order to acheive optimal cutting rates and good blade

life.
For cutting narrow or thin wall structual materials a fine blade with many teeth per inch (T.P.I) is recommended.

For wide materials a blade with a coarse pitch should be used (see Fig 2B-7 below).

It is impractical to change the blade to the proper pitch every time a different width of material is cut and it is not

Fig. 2B-7 Optimum blabe pitch, teeth per inch (T.P.I.) for effective material
width, W (in.).

2.17

necessary, but remember that the optimum blade will cut most efficiently. Too fine a blade must be fed slower
on wide material because the small gullets between the teeth will get packed with chips before they get across
and out of the cut. Too coarse a blade must be fed slower because it has fewer teeth cutting and there is a limit
to the depth of a cut taken by each tooth. Allowance for the use of a non-optimum blade is made in STEP 5.

In our Example #1, for an effective material width of 8" the optimum blade has 2/3 teeth per inch.

STEP 4

DETERMINE OPTIMUM BLADE SPEED, V (ft/min)
The relationship between optimum blade speed and effective material width for various materials is represented

on the graph Fig. 2B-8.
The graph shows that as effective material width gets wider or as material gets harder, lower blade speeds are

recomended. If material is narrower or soft, higher blades speeds should be selected.

Fig. 2B-8 Optimum blade speed curves.

In Example #1 8" Dia, 1045 Medium Carbon Steel solid bar is to be cut.

- On the graph above find the Medium Carbon Steel Curve which represents the optimum blade speeds for
1045 Carbon Steel.

- On the horizontal axis (effective material width axis) find number 8 which represent effective material width
of an 8" diameter solid.

- Find the point where a vertical line from 8" intersects the Medium Carbon Steel Curve.

- From this intersection point run horizontally left to the vertical axis (optimum blade speed axis) and find the
point marked “200”.

- Thus, for 8"diameter, 1045 Carbon Steel solid bar 200 ft/min is the optimum blade speed.
NOTE: Higher than optimum blade speed will cause rapid blade dulling. Lower than optimum blade speeds

reduce cutting rates proportionately and do not result in significantly longer blade life except where there is a
vibration problem. If the blade vibrates appreciably at optimum speed as most often occurs with structuals and
bundles, a lower blade speed may reduce vibration and prevent premature blade failure.

The table below shows a few examples of optimum blade speed for different materials.
TABLE 2B-1

NOTE: About Material Hardness
The Graph - Step 4, Fig 2B-8, illustrates blade speed curves for material hardness 20 Rc (225 Bhn) or lower.

If the material is harder , use multipliers from the NOTE (near the bottom) of the Graph.

2.18

For example, if the 5 diameter, 1045 Carbon Steel material, from the table above, had been hardened to 35 Rc
(325 Bhn) then we must multiply the blade speed of 225 ft/min by .60.

Thus 225 ft/min x .60 = 135 ft/min. (This is the optimum blade speed for 5" diameter, 1045 Carbon Steel, 35 Rc
hard).

STEP 5

DETERMINE FEED RATE SETTING, FR (in/min)
FEED RATE is the vertical speed at which the blade descends through the workpiece.

FEED RATE Knob controls FEED RATE of the
blade in the range 0 to 25 in/min.
The FEED RATE should be adjusted only in one
direction (from “0” to required value). If you go too
far, go back to “0” and come back up.
To set FEED RATE for particular cutting situations
use the Graph, Fig 2B-10, which represents the
relationship between FEED RATE, blade speed
and blade pitch.

Fig. 2B-9 Hydraulic feed control.

2.19

` For Example #1, it is known from Step

3 that otimum blade pitch is 2/3, and
from Step 4 that blade speed ,200 ft/
min. From the graph, Fig. 2B-10 the
FEED RATE is determined in the
following way:

- On the horizontal axis (blade speed
axis), find 200 ft/min.

- Find the point where a vertical line
from 200 ft/min would intersect the
2/3 blade pitch curve.

- From this intersection point run
horizontally left to the vertical (FEED

RATE) axis, to arrive at 1.8 in/min
FEED RATE. Thus 1.8 in/min is the
FEED RATE for cutting 8" diameter,
1045 Carbon Steel when the optimum
2/3 pitch blade is used.

Fig. 2B-10

If the machine is fitted with a blade coarser than optimum (eg. 1.4/2.5 TPI) we can still use the graph, but we go
to the 1.4/2.5 curve. As a result we find that the FEED RATE is decresed to 1.3 in/min for this blade.

If however, the machine is fitted with a finer than optimum blade (eg. 3/4 TPI) we use the graph for the optimum
blade as before, and then use a multiplier given by the table 2B-2.

2/3 .21 .25 .31 .50.38 .71

.57

.34

3/4

TABLE 2B-2

As a result we find that we must decrease our FEED RATE of 1.8 in/min by a factor of .71. In this case we
should use FEED RATE of 1.8 in/min x .71 = 1.3 in/min.

CUTTING CONTROL SET UP EXAMPLES

FOR EXAMPLES #2 AND #3 PLEASE GO TO THE SAW AND FOLLOW STEPS 1-5 ON THE CHART:

Example #2

Material to be cut

-Round Steel Tube

SAE 4320
6" OD x 4" ID

-Hardened to 35 Rc (325 Bhn)

STEP 1

Effective Material Width: 4 1/2" (.75 x6)

STEP 2

Feed Force limit setting for 6" Diameter material 180 P.S.I.

STEP 3

Optimum blade pitch (TPI): 3/4 T.P.I.
Actual blade pitch on the saw: 4/6 T.P.I.

2.20

STEP 4

Optimum blade speed for 4 1/2" effective 225 ft/min
material width

Blade speed reduced by hardness factor: 225 ft/minx.60=135ft/min

STEP 5

Feed Rate for 3/4 TPI blade: 1.8 in/min
Feed Rate for 4/6 TPI blade: 1.8 in/minx.70=1.3in/min

(reduced by finer than optimum blade pitch factor,
Table 2B-2 - STEP 5)

2.21

Example #3

Material to be cut

-low carbon steel

-2" x 2" tube x 1/4" wall

-clamped in vises 12 pcs in a bundle (6" x 6")

STEP 1

Effective material width: 5" (6" x 8")

STEP 2

Feed Force limit for 8" wide material: 180 P.S.I.

STEP 3

Optimum blade pitch for 5" effective material width: 3/4 T.P.I.

STEP 4

Optimum blade speed for 5" effective material width: 320 ft/min

STEP 5

Feed Rate: 4.0 in/min