PRODUCTS
First batch of pneumatic
chainsaws expected in March
The first batch of 60 Magnevane pneumatic chainsaws ( The Swordfish M15 ) with Vesconite Hilube polymer vanes will have arrived in South Africa in early March 2021 .
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A further 150 saws will arrive monthly thereafter to go into the South African underground gold and platinum mines , which get through 15 000 pneumatic chainsaws every year . The Magnevane Swordfish has the most powerful and efficient air motor in the world , which is one of the reasons it uses Vesconite high performance polymers .
The pneumatic chainsaws were developed for underground mines in which timber poles are often used to support the roof – known as the hanging wall – to prevent collapses in the confined underground stopes ( work areas ) that follow the orebody .
Tested on several South African gold and platinum mines , the Swordfish demonstrates better performance than traditional chainsaws . The chainsaws cut support poles in restricted spaces and are required to have excellent reliability and efficiency so they can remain underground for extended periods .
The Magnevane Swordfish is distinct from its competitors in several ways , including its ground-breaking patented air motor that uses magnets to maintain an airtight seal between the vanes and the motor housing . Magnevane has chosen to fit its chainsaw motor with Vesconite Hilube self-lubricated wear-resistant vanes , which provide both longer vane life and lower friction to further enhance the high-performance characteristics of the Magnevane air motor .
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Standard air motors use a few different techniques to create the seal between the vanes and the housing . Some air motors have springs to push the vanes against the housing . However , because of the rapid temperature changes the springs lose tension over time and do not last long , so increasing maintenance cost and downtime . Another option for high-end motors are cams that push out the vanes at intervals , but this too has disadvantages in that they limit the range of motion available and are more expensive to maintain . Further options include air channelled through the shaft pushing out the vanes , or simply centrifugal force . All of these options have severe limitations and result in declining performance over the life of the vane , which needs to be compensated by over specifying the motor .
The patented Magnevane design overcomes all of these constraints by using high-powered neodymium magnets in the core and vanes of the motor to ensure 100 % sealing from the first RPM and throughout the life of the vane .
“ The differentiator in the design is four specially made neodymium rare-earth magnets installed on each of the seven Vesconite Hilube vanes as well as more stacked and cone-shaped magnets installed in the core rotor . These hold the vanes against the housing all the
1 and 2 : The Swordfish M15 chainsaw
www . timberiq . co . za // APRIL / MAY 2021 31