IMA Schelling has developed the hl 1 cutting machine with a cutting performance of up to 6,000 parts per shift in batch-size-one.
According to the company, a rip-cut saw for generating strips from the raw board is combined with a cross-cut saw that generates individual components from the strips. The hogging unit is positioned before the rip-cut saw, which saves one cutting cycle per strip and relieves the strain on the cross-cut saw.
In contrast to conventional solutions, the hl 1 solution does not feature more processing units, but rather more feeding components. In up to four lanes, strips are thus fed to the cross-cut saw independently of one another and cut together. In this way, four components can be produced every 12 seconds with just one unit. This not only reduces energy and tooling costs, but also makes maintenance easier.
Furthermore, depending on the production strategy and available setup space, the modularity of the system allows users to respond to any and every requirement their customers may have. The area after the rip-cut saw can be provided with a buffer track or with a strip buffer.
IMA Schelling reported that it does not matter whether the transfer of the strips to the cross-cut saw is to be realised with a repositioning gantry or with an industrial robot.
The cross-cut saw can be designed with three or four lanes in different widths, depending on the component spectrum. The saw lines can be arranged relative to each other just as flexibly: in line, at an angle, as a U, or even on two levels, one above the other.
Workpieces that require re-cuts are returned upright, thus saving space, and fed to the cross-cut saw again. For projects where an output of up to 3,000 parts per shift is sufficient, strip and part production can also be implemented on one saw line.
David Schelling, product manager of Cut-to-size division at IMA Schelling, commented: “We have found that there is a lack of suitable concepts in this performance class. In the past, many customers — when space was available — made do with multiple plants of lower performance classes. But that makes little sense in our eyes. With the hl 1 high-performance unit for cutting-to-size, our customers now have the opportunity to make their automated production processes even more efficient.”
Several customers have ordered the hl cutting solution, and the first systems will be delivered in the next few months.
