Industrial metal working bandsaws are among the most powerful, and technologically advanced machines found in modern machine and industrial workshops. These full-featured, variable capacity cutting machines are built to safely and consistently perform large volumes of complex cuts on practically any metal. And not surprisingly, it doesn’t take much to understand how they’ve evolved to become the cutting method of preference.
Unlike conventional, straightline-only industrial cutters like cold/circular saws, chop saws, and friction saws, bandsaws have the ability to cut shapes and curves. They also boast unequaled high-performance throughput, making them the perfect metal saws for all sizes and scales of metal production activities.
Bandsaw Versatility Gives Businesses the Cutting Advantage
Let’s be honest: regardless of a business’s size, if metal forming and fabrication are among their core functions, making the cutting process more efficient is a necessity. They need machinery that offers maximum precision and flexibility, which is why heavy-duty industrial bandsaw machines are their metal cutters of choice. With the ability to process virtually any profile of pipe, plate, or flat stock up to 1000 mm in diameter, bandsaws possess every advantage when it comes to:
- Unmatched accuracy. While other types of industrial saws, especially cold saws, are able to perform almost perfect straight cuts, bandsaws are able to cut intricate shapes and tapers with the same precision that they can cut straight lines.
- Uncompromised safety. Industrial saws are inherently dangerous, but together with the safety features built into modern bandsaws, their downward cutting action naturally holds working pieces against the work table, thereby helping prevent dangerous blade kickback.
- Substantial cost savings. Not only are the acquisition and maintenance costs of bandsaws less than with other types of industrial saws, their versatility makes it possible for businesses to reduce their equipment inventory by doing away with multiple types of saws.
Modern industrial bandsaws are also manufactured in manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic configurations. And together with their variable cutting capacities and optional swivelling saw head/vice capabilities, businesses are able to choose a bandsaw machine that’s perfectly aligned with their production requirements and budget.
Recognising the Difference Between Horizontal and Vertical Bandsaws
While all continuous-type, band-bladed saws qualify as bandsaws, there are two types that are most often used by Australian businesses: horizontal and vertical. Both are capable of cutting complex shapes and curves, and are highly regarded for their ability to keep toxic fume and hazardous metal dust generation to a minimum during operation.
There are tangible performance differences between them though, and they can vary greatly depending on the type of stock being cut, the intended throughput, and the degree of detail that’s required. Horizontal metal band saw machines are mainstays of heavy-duty, high volume metal fabrication. The blades of these robust machines are horizontally mounted, and are engineered specifically for:
- Chopping through stationary working pieces up to 1000 mm at high process speeds;
- Consistent, uniform, and straight cuts, especially when processing dense or thick metal stock; and,
- Minimal kerf (waste material) creation, helping preserve operator health while maximising stock utilisation.
The heavyweight, low vibration stability of horizontal saws makes them the perfect choice for processing large working pieces, even when performing angled cuts. And when the demand goes beyond straight or angled cuts, to includes highly intricate shapes and curves, that’s where the versatility of vertical bandsaws comes in.
Vertical bandsaw machines feature vertically mounted blades, allowing them to be used for more controlled cuts. They’re slightly less efficient at processing large stock than horizontal saws, but their blade orientation offers a more precise range of operational advantages that include:
- Maximum versatility and precision when it comes to cutting custom and irregular shapes, including curves and circles;
- Highly adjustable blade speeds, with an absolute minimum of waste and fall-off when processing; and,
- A more compact design, allowing them to be used in businesses where the cost or accommodations for a larger horizontal bandsaw are less than optimal.
Ideally, even though vertical bandsaws are no less capable of processing large stock than horizontal bandsaws, they’re invariably the best choice for businesses whose workflow consists primarily of pre-processing stock, or cutting intricately shaped parts. It’s important to note, however, that a major portion of bandsaw efficiency relies on the type of blade being used. Everything from blade thickness and the amount of kerf removed, to the number of teeth per inch (TPI) and the angle of their pitch matters, which is why businesses need to be sure that the blades they’re using are the best for the job at hand.
Bandsaw Blade Materials Are the Big Difference Makers
Make no mistake: when it comes to cut quality and even bandsaw longevity, blade selection is just as important as the size and type of machine being used. And even though there are a multiple blade specifications based on the type of stock being cut and the type of work being performed, there are only three main metals that bandsaw blades are made of:
- Bi-metal blades. Long life bi-metal blades are produced from a range of high-speed steel combinations, including cobalt grades, and feature tooth geometries and pitches that are designed for high cutting rates through moderate and extreme hardness alloys.
- Carbon steel blades. Durable, cost-effective carbon steel blades are designed primarily to cut mild steels and non-ferrous alloys, and are known especially for their superior edge retention.
- Carbide blades. Carbide bandsaw blades are the perfect compromise between bi-metal and carbon steel blades, and are recognised for their superior wear and abrasion resistance, and ability to cut case-hardened and high-speed steels, and a variety of specialty metals.
While blade design and science are integral to everything from bandsaw feed pressure and load angle, to the saw speed and noise level, businesses that are heavily involved with metal fabrication don’t have to feel their blade material options are limited when it comes to cutting and shaping. That’s because today’s bandsaw blades and their steel compositions are more reliable and more capable than ever.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, businesses that do a considerable amount of metal fabrication aren’t limited by their options. There’s no shortage of industrial cutters and saws on the market, but only bandsaws offer the flexibility, cost effectiveness, and ultimately the safety that businesses need to stay on top. Heavy-duty industrial bandsaws have all the qualities necessary to reshape the way metal fabricators work. They’re an investment in reliable productivity that businesses can’t afford to ignore.