Wintersteiger, an international machinery and plant engineering group from Upper Austria, has released the DSB Twinhead thin-cutting band saw. The new DSB Twinhead Pro XM with two saw modules is a thin-cutting band saw machine for industrial use where a large capacity is required. With its digital solutions and a completely overhauled user interface, it heralds the start of the next generation of machines. The band saw has also been optimised for the softwood segment.
The proven predecessor model has been optimised from various viewpoints. Andreas Ramsauer, product manager of Division Woodtech, explained: “This development project was all about incorporating advances in digitalisation into a tried and tested machine to enhance it and exploit all available technical options for our customers. The result is the DSB Twinhead Pro XM, a future-proof band saw for high-quality thin-cutting of wood.”
The basic version can be extended to three machines in total, all of which are connected in series. This amounts to a total of six saw modules in one system. With the dual design of each machine, the DSB Twinhead Pro XM is also a space-saving solution.
Digitalisation brings with it enormous opportunities and possibilities. With so much data available for the cutting process, such as feed speeds for different kinds of wood, it is possible to think in terms of saw blade optimisation. Ramsauer explained: “The last few years have shown us that digitalisation has also reached the woodworking industry. So the logical next step was to take up this engineering trend.”
As wood prices rise, high-quality thin cutting is also becoming increasingly important in the softwood segment. This trend was taken up in the machine development, and the new DSB Twinhead Pro XM was optimised for this area of application. Technical improvements include a powerful chip extraction, and a faster feed with speeds of up to 45m/min. Ramsauer elaborated: “The DSB Twinhead Pro XM is even better at meeting the needs of the softwood sector, and subsequently achieves perfect cutting results. Even customer-specific adaptations do not cause a problem.”
The machine was developed from the operator’s perspective. The user interface has been completely overhauled to make navigation as intuitive as possible. The thin-cutting band saw has a 12-inch multi-touch display and an easily understood menu to guide the operator through the program.
Achim Priewasser, an application engineer involved in the machine development, commented it was important for the machine to be readily accessible for maintenance and repair work: “The new DSB Twinhead Pro XM has gone even further when it comes to handling and cleaning. High precision cutting results are another major benefit of our new machine. The easy and intuitive operation offered by the touch display is a giant leap forward.”
The following digital solutions have been implemented with the DSB Twinhead Pro XM:
Digital saw blade detection
The machine automatically detects and identifies the marked Wintersteiger saw blade at the start, and provides cutting process data such as the feed speed. The machine and tool data are linked, and a simplified form of tool management can also be realised. Data no longer has to be entered manually, apart from wood type and customer-specific data.
Automatic block width measurement
The DSB Twinhead Pro XM uses optical sensors to measure the block width, and the customer receives reliable information about throughput, the cut area.
Automatic bearing monitoring
Bearing monitoring documents the condition of the bearings, and when sufficient data is available, can anticipate imminent bearing damage. Once wear is ascertained, the preventive replacement of the bearings can be arranged so that it does not interfere with production times.
Connection to the myWintersteiger cloud
Production output data – eg, per shift – and tool management are stored in a structured way in the myWintersteiger cloud, and are clearly presented on the dashboard. This information forms the basis for continuous optimisation in the production process. The customer’s remote maintenance package automatically includes connection to the cloud.
Photos: Wintersteiger
