When Sheffield-based Special Quality Alloys decided to bring the sawing of large-diameter nickel-based super-alloys in-house, it turned to Prosaw (www.prosaw.co.uk) for advice on processing these extremely tough materials.

The latter had already provided three Danobat bandsaws to SQA — the first one was 12 years ago — and these machines had performed consistently. To meet the requirement for billets up to 800mm in diameter to be cut in an automated continuous process, a Danobat CP800A Auto bandsaw was specified and duly purchased.

Works manager Jonathan Gillet said: “Bringing the processing of larger-diameter billets in-house has meant a good deal less handling for us, resulting in faster turn-round times, since we are no longer reliant on transport contractors.

“This has benefitted the company in the form of lower costs and has brought the whole process entirely under our own control. Even though these products are notoriously difficult to cut, we have complete confidence that when we put a large-diameter billet onto the Danobat machine, it’s going to be cut.”