Maximum safety – good accesibility
The unique VA-L machine concept focuses on the
twin themes of occupational safety and ergonomic
design: The circular saw is completely encased in
a full machine enclosure, eliminating any danger
of injury. Another positive knock-on effect of
full enclosure is reduced noise development
and consequently a more pleasant working
environment. Despite the full enclosure, all the
important components and parts of the VA-L can
be easily accessed.
costs. The use of transport and removal systems
and the possibility of linking up to magazines
and storage systems means that operation
becomes independent of day and night shifts
with aluminium machining as well. A high level
of automation gives employees more time for
other activities and helps to save their capacities.
Material is no longer positioned manually but is
program-controlled. Operators are then mainly
busy with process monitoring. Strength-reducing
work becomes an exception.
Large swivel doors offer optimum access for easy
saw blade changeover, cleaning and machine
maintenance. Extruded profiles with complex
profile geometries are generally very difficult to
machine. To ensure that the material is securely
clamped while avoiding unwanted marks
produced by pressure points on parts, the use of
specially adapted shaped jaws is advisable. Rapid
jaw changeover in conjunction with optimum
machine accessibility helps reduce tooling times to
just a few minutes.
Operating automated machines is also the
superior alternative in terms of safety as well.
“With the handling of materials you shouldn’t only
look at aspects of economy but also the safety
of operating personnel when handling heavy,
unwieldy parts,” says Manfred Grüninger, focusing
on another important factor. Particularly where
large production batches are being processed,
producers should consider link-up to downstream
machining steps such as sorting or chamfering to
ensure added streamlining effects.
“Of course on the manufacturer side we have to
take into account the high volume of cutting and
make sure that during non-operator shifts the high
levels of swarf is cleanly and safely transported
away,” explains Manfred Grüninger, Head of Sales
at Behringer Eisele. Up to three suction channels
positioned at various locations on the system
implement swarf removal. “These are coupled
to a high efficiency suction system that conveys
the chips via a cellular wheel lock into the on-site
container,” explains Grüninger. Less swarf means
less need for cleaning and of course less cause for
faults.
Daily practice has also demonstrated that
adaptation to continuously changing markets
requires a high level of flexibility with material
handling and with the use of personnel for many
customers. “We don’t yet know the demands of
future orders of course, which is why customers
want to be prepared, so in many branches they
invest in a diversity of automation components,”
summarises Grüninger.
Automation is the key word when it comes to
economic production processes. Savings with
personnel and the use of additional low-operator
shifts are only two options to make inroads into
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TN November 2016