For more than 20 years,
KR Saws has built its reputation on supplying high-performance circular and band saw blades backed by responsive technical support and rapid turnaround times.
As demand for reconditioned and specialist saw blades has continued to grow, maintaining capacity without compromising quality has become increasingly important. To meet that challenge, the Coventry-based business has invested in its fourth Loroch machine from Vollmer UK, a new KSC 560-B automated grinding centre that is already delivering additional lights-out manufacturing capability.
Installed in July, the Loroch KSC 560-B has enabled KR Saws to expand its production capacity while further automating operations. Capable of completing notch grinding and chip breaker grinding in a single automated cycle, the machine eliminates secondary operations that would otherwise require additional handling and operator intervention. The result is improved efficiency, shorter lead times and greater flexibility in meeting customer requirements.
The latest investment builds on a relationship between KR Saws and Vollmer UK that stretches back 16 years. The partnership began when KR Saws attended MACH in 2010 seeking a solution to increasing demand. Vollmer UK supplied the first Loroch K850 Solution machine installed in the UK, allowing the company to perform profile grinding and bevel-top grinding in a single set-up rather than relying on two separate machines. The success of that investment was soon followed by the installation of a Loroch KSC 710 automated grinding centre and a second K850.
Built around specialist tube industry expertiseEstablished in 2004 as a joint venture between Dutch circular saw blade manufacturer Kinkelder and German band saw blade producer Roentgen, KR Saws supplies standard and bespoke saw blade solutions from its UK headquarters. In 2014 the company relocated to larger premises, doubling its available floor space to support continued business growth.
Today the business serves a broad customer base that includes steel producers, tube mills, stockholders and manufacturers operating in sectors such as aerospace, oil and gas, automotive and construction. However, steel and stainless-steel tube production remains a core market.
"Within the steel tube industry, there are a lot of dedicated saw blades used in the production and manipulation of metal tube, so that's where the bulk of our market is for the products manufactured on the Loroch machines," explains KR Saws managing director Paul Ison.
That market focus has also shaped the specification of the new machine. According to Mr Ison, the business required additional capacity while further expanding its ability to run unattended overnight production.
"We needed that extra capacity, and additional lights-out operation," he says. "The operators load our machines at the end of the day, and they run unmanned overnight, with finished blades ready for dispatch, collection or delivery the following morning."
The company's logistics operation supports rapid nationwide service, with dedicated weekly van deliveries across the West Midlands, the wider Midlands region, Yorkshire and Manchester, while courier networks ensure fast delivery throughout the rest of the UK and Ireland.
The KSC 560-B was specified with a two-stack loading system and a magazine capable of holding more than 40 saw blades. According to KR Saws, it is the first machine of its type installed in the UK.
"This was the only machine that really fitted our needs," says Mr Ison. "We've always kept an eye on the market to see what's available, but there's nothing as advanced as the Loroch. Additionally, we get a great deal of consistency with the Loroch, which is essential for lights-out production."
Single-clamping process transforms productivityThe machine's key advantage is its ability to complete multiple operations within a single clamping cycle. The KSC 560-B automatically sharpens, removes worn teeth, re-tooths, chamfers and grinds chip breaker slots on HSS circular saw blades without requiring secondary interventions.
The machine can grind blades ranging from 130mm to 560mm in diameter and perform chip breaker grinding on blades from 200mm diameter upwards. By delivering a finished blade directly from the machine, KR Saws avoids additional set-ups and planning associated with secondary processing operations.
"Automated notch grinding was really key for us. It was something no other machine was offering," says Mr Ison. "Additionally, automated chip breaker grinding is a secondary operation with other machine tools, but not with the Loroch."
The capability is particularly important in the tube manufacturing sector, where chip breaker geometries play a critical role in cutting performance.
"One of the most common geometries used in the tube industry is this chip-breaking technology. It was our parent company, Kinkelder, that pioneered it, and it distinguishes our saw blade portfolio from that of competitors."
The inclusion of chip breaker grinding within the machine's automated cycle is what enables true lights-out production. Without it, operators would need to perform a secondary operation the following day before a blade could be shipped. Instead, mixed batches of tube industry saw blades can be loaded into the machine at the end of a shift and emerge fully finished by the following morning.
Programming efficiency has also improved significantly. Featuring a CNC control platform approximately 15 years newer than KR Saws' earliest Loroch machines, the KSC 560-B uses intuitive touchscreen programming with stack-based job preparation.
Pic: A blank saw blade about to be processed on the Vollmer Loroch MachineOperators can programme subsequent batches while the machine is running, allowing production to continue uninterrupted. Hook and clearance angles can be configured quickly, while mixed blade stacks can be processed without extensive sorting.
"It's a very user-friendly interface for the operators," says Mr Ison. "It's certainly faster and clearer, and that's where operator errors can sometimes come in. It's 30 to 40% quicker to programme than existing machines, and this initial set-up is somewhat critical to the next eight or 12 hours of work."
For KR Saws, reducing programming times by up to 40% not only improves productivity but also helps ensure the accuracy required for overnight unmanned operation.
The machine combines a rigid mechanical structure with a low-vibration direct-drive grinding spindle, sophisticated cooling systems and advanced coolant filtration. Working to micron-level tolerances, it delivers the consistency required for high-volume industrial saw blade production.
"With this grinding technology, we're talking microns," says Mr Ison.
Additional features support both sustainability and unattended production. Vertical blade loading allows components to drip dry, reducing oil consumption and waste, while integrated fire suppression provides an additional layer of protection during overnight operation. The machine is also more energy-efficient than previous-generation equipment.
KR Saws says it sees the investment as an important step in future-proofing the business. With customers increasingly demanding longer tool life, faster cutting rates and improved productivity, the company continues to work closely with Kinkelder on the development of advanced saw blade coatings and cutting technologies.
"Customers are always looking for longer tool life and faster cutting times," says Mr Ison. "In conjunction with Kinkelder, we've got the complete answer. At Kinkelder, we also have our own coating plants, so we're developing coatings for more demanding applications."
For a company that has consistently invested in advanced manufacturing technology, the latest acquisition represents far more than an additional machine tool. By combining increased capacity, automated notch and chip breaker grinding, improved programming efficiency and enhanced lights-out manufacturing capability, the Loroch KSC 560-B provides KR Saws with the platform it needs to support future growth while maintaining the service levels on which its reputation has been built.
"This investment is all about adding capacity and future-proofing our business with the very latest technology," concludes Mr Ison.