Milton Keynes-based Kasto Ltd (www.kasto.com) has introduced the KastoWin pro AC 5.6 bandsaw, which is said to offer short cutting times, long blade life and intuitive operation.

This machine, which is designed for use with either a bi-metal or a tungsten-carbide-tipped blade, is suited to a range of applications, including the sawing of solid material, tubes and profiles — particularly in steel production and stockholding, machine manufacturing and the automotive industry. Depending on the type of blade and the material being cut, Kasto says that processing times can be reduced by up to 50%.

An important feature of the KastoWin pro AC 5.6 is its electro-mechanical down-feed. This is controlled using two ballscrews (each with a servo drive) for precise steplessly variable control. There is a retraction unit for moving
the blade away from the material to protect the cut surface when the saw head moves back (tThis also helps to minimise blade wear).

The saw band is driven by an 11kW frequency-controlled motor that offers steplessly adjustable cutting speeds from 12 to 150m/min. Helping to dampen vibration are ‘Trum’ guides mounted at the return side of the blade, inside the top of the saw head guarding.

These guides suppress vibration on the side opposite the cutting action, promoting accurate sawing and prolonging tool life. The bandsaw’s maximum cutting capacity is 560mm, and the smallest dimension that can be cut is 25 x 25mm;
the band guide arm adjusts automatically to material width. The shortest residual length is 10mm for individual offcuts and 35mm in automatic operation.

Two electrically driven plastic brushes keep the teeth free from chips. A coolant pump and a large reservoir serve to further reduce wear on the teeth, especially when sawing difficult-to-cut materials. The KastoWin pro AC 5.6 has an installed weight of 4.3 tonnes and a rigid welded structure with vibration-optimised ribbing.