German metal sawing and storage equipment manufacturer, KASTO, has introduced a new, high performance, economically priced bandsaw, called KASTOwin pro AC 5.6, offering short cutting times, long blade life and intuitive operation. Availability in the UK and Ireland is through the company’s Milton Keynes subsidiary (http://www.kasto.com/uk).
The automatic machine is optimised to extract the best possible performance from either a bimetal or tungsten carbide tipped (TCT) blade. It is ideally suited to a wide range of applications cutting solid material, tubes and profiles, particularly in steel production and stockholding, machine manufacturing and the automotive industry.
The bandsaw can significantly increase production speed and efficiency. Depending on the type of blade and the material being cut, processing times can routinely be reduced by up to 50 percent or more in some instances.
An important feature of the KASTOwin pro AC 5.6 is its innovative, electromechanical downfeed. It is controlled via two ballscrews, each with a servo drive, for precise, infinitely variable control. There is a retraction unit for separating the blade from the material to protect the cut surface when the saw head moves back. It also helps to minimise tool wear.
The saw band is driven by an 11 kW, frequency-controlled motor, delivering infinitely adjustable cutting speeds from 12 to 150 m/min and providing plenty of capacity for TCT sawing. Helping to dampen vibration are ‘Trum’ guides mounted at the return side of the blade, inside the top of the saw head guarding. They suppress vibration on the side opposite from the cutting action, promoting accurate sawing and prolonging tool life.
Maximum cutting capacity is 560 mm and the smallest dimension that can be cut is 25 mm x 25 mm. The band guide arm adjusts automatically to material width. Shortest residual length is 10 mm for individual offcuts and 35 mm in automatic operation, enabling operators to minimise waste.
Versatile new range of saws for the workshop
KASTO has also launched the KASTOmicut range of versatile, swing-frame, pivoting-bow bandsaws for use in workshops. The machines are designed for high accuracy cutting to length and mitre cutting of tubes, sections and solid materials. Four model variants are available: manual, manual clamping with hydraulic downfeed, hydraulically actuated clamping and downfeed, and fully automatic.
The saws supersede the KASTOpractical and KASTOfunctional series. They have a cutting range of 260 mm for rounds and 310 x 260 mm for flat stock, while mitre cuts are possible at continuously adjustable angles from -45 to +60 degrees. Cutting speed is also infinitely variable from 20 to 120 m/min, allowing a range of different materials to be processed cost-effectively.
A torsionally rigid, vibration-damped, cast iron frame provides support for the saw blade, ensuring excellent cutting quality, even with difficult-to-cut materials.
KASTOmicut saws can be equipped with many different accessories. As a large percentage of the parts used in the various models are identical, the saws are offered at very attractive prices.
Storage systems that save electricity
The other area of KASTO’s expertise is the manufacture of automated warehouses for efficient 3D storage of long stock such as bar, tube, and profile, as well as sheet, plate and other materials.
Rising electricity costs are creating a demand for energy-efficient solutions in every industry, logistics and distribution being no exception. For this reason, KASTO has developed an innovative energy recovery and storage concept for its storage systems. It enables surplus kinetic energy to be converted into electricity and stored temporarily for later use as needed. Operating and investment costs are reduced and so also are CO2 emissions.
Energy recovery is available as an option on all KASTO storage products and it can be retrofitted to systems in the field. The electric circuits for the drives of the operating gantry crane (OGC) are connected through a DC link. Surplus kinetic energy, such as that produced during braking of the OGC, or lowering of the lifting gear, is converted into electricity and fed back into the grid. The energy can then be used for other purposes, either within the storage facility or by other users. Consumption of electric power can be reduced by as much as 40 percent compared to conventional drive systems.
To achieve even greater efficiency, KASTO optionally equips its storage systems with an integrated energy storage unit. It temporarily stores surplus energy in double-layer capacitors for use as needed. An intelligent controller charges and discharges the energy storage unit, depending on the process currently running. Power is drawn from the grid at a nearly constant level, allowing peripheral equipment to operate at the rated load. In this way, users can reduce the connected load of the OGC by more than 50 percent. Energy storage allows additional cost savings by avoiding load peaks.
Besides significant reductions in power consumption and CO2 emissions, KASTO’s new technology has the advantage that operators of storage facilities can often use smaller transformers, which are less costly to buy.
KASTO Ltd, Unit 5, Garamonde Drive,
Wymbush, Milton Keynes, MK8 8DF.
Tel: +44 (0)1908 571590. Fax: +44 (0)1908 566106
Email: sales@uk.kasto.com
Web: www.kasto.com
