The latest bevelling machines from Luton-based Trumpf Ltd (
www.uk.trumpf.com) are based on the chipping principle, which is not only said to be economical but also provides uniform oxide-free bright metal surfaces without sparks.
Bevellers help welders achieve joints of high strength and alignment, and the principal offer from Trumpf is the TruTool TKF series. Here, small models such as the TruTool TKF 700 weigh just 5.4kg, making them fully portable.
The TKF 700 can be used to prepare edges on sheet metal up to 20mm thick in the vertical or horizontal position, or even overhead.
It can either be guided by hand or mounted on a workstation for static use. The unit requires no extra tools to adjust the bevel height and sheet thickness, and it comes with fixed-angle cutter mounts that allows users to produce bevel angles of 30, 37.5 or 45deg to suit specific welding requirements.
The largest TruTool in the four-machine range, the TKF 2000 is used primarily for stationary work. It is available with or without a forward feed, but in both cases, bevels can be created in mild steel or aluminium sheet between 10 and 50mm thick.
The forward feed drive will be of interest to users who principally work long straight edges. Once it has been positioned, the TKF 2000 advances automatically along the edge of the metal at pre-set speeds up to 1.4m/min.