2015-2023: a long-lasting relationship of trust

The story of our collaboration - started about 10 years ago with a well-known Australian service center - continues (here the first part) and today we will discover in detail the various installations made over the years in order to understand the customer needs and how Mep managed to meet them.

 

V-25APC + Hydmech Material Handling System

This was the first order placed by the Australian customer to meet the needs of one of his national locations. The installation was composed of the Hydmech (Canada) automatic vertical sawing machine V-25APC 120 equipped with Material Handling. The V-25APC 120 belongs to the range of automatic vertical sawing machines and it is ideal for miter cutting from -60° to +60° on solid structural and large materials such as beams, structural steel and bundles of square tubing. Moreover, it is extremely versatile for many different types of sawing applications.

• The 6° canted saw head is driven by a 7.5 Kw gear box and hydraulically controlled in rotation in order to grant better torque and less vibration, thus resulting in lower maintenance costs and longer blade life.
• Bar feeder with single stroke 3000 mm provides faster cycle times and greater accuracy while cutting longer pieces: while feeding, the bar feeder vices lift the material up off the cutting table and away from the fixed vice of the sawing machine, thus preventing any material jamming and snagging during automatic operations.
• The sawing machine features an automatic PLC touch screen control allowing to program up to 1,000 jobs with 20 in queue.
• As far as the clamping system is concerned, two full stroking hydraulic vices mounted on the cutting table clamp the material thus ensuring better blade life and increased operator safety. Actually, horizontal and vertical vices secure the material during the cut and, consequently, reduce the chance of stripping the teeth on the saw blade.

In addition to the sawing machine, the customer decided to purchase a Material Handling installation in order to further optimize his production process through a better handling of the material cut or to cut.

The same installation was subsequently requested by the customer, who decided to combine the V-25APC 120 with our Material Handling.

 

V-18APC 60

After the first orders placed, in 2018 the customer purchased another Hydmech automatic vertical sawing machine, namely the V-18APC 60. This sawing machine is ideal for miter cutting from -60° to +60° on large beams, structural steel and bundles of square tubing. Moreover, it allows to choose a left or right side infeed.

• The 3° canted saw head allows for more efficient cutting and longer blade life.
• The sawing machine features an automatic PLC touch screen control allowing to program up to 99 jobs with 5 in queue.
• As far as the clamping system is concerned, the sawing machine is equipped with three hydraulic vertical vices securing the material, thus ensuring better blade life and increased operator safety. These vices can be used even in case of bundle cutting in order to take full advtange of the sawing machine capacities.
• The powered moveable guide arm can be quickly adjusted to ensure maximum blade rigidity during the cut, thus optimizing blade life and performance.

In 2022 the customer purchased another V-18APC for a national location and, in this case, he decided to connect the sawing machine to a Material handling installation made up of KK530 motorized and idler roller conveyors.

 

V-20 + Mep Material Handling System

In 2021 the customer commissioned an installation composed of the Hydmech semi-automatic vertical sawing machine V-20 and KK530 motorized and idler roller conveyors. This sawing machine is ideal for miter cutting from -60° to +60° on various materials such as large beams, structural steel and bundles of square tubing.

• The cast-iron structure of the saw head absorbs vibrations during the cut and grants maximum blade rigidity and life.
• The 4° canted saw head allows for more efficient cutting and longer blade life.
• The sawing machine is equipped with two full stroking hydraulic vices securing the material, thus ensuring better blade life and increased operator safety.
• Thanks to the programmable mitering system, the sawing machine automatically moves the saw head to the desired cutting angle: this option both reduces the chance for operator error, thus avoiding rework or material waste, and grants efficient cutting.
• The sawing machine features a NC touch screen controller that operates in semi-automatic cycle but also allows manual operation.

With the aim of working in combination with the sawing machine, the customer decided to purchase a MHS installation made up of KK530 motorized and idler roller conveyors, for which some customizations were required in order to allow outdoor installation. Moreover, the customer equipped some roller conveyors with the following options:

• Safety filler plates ideal to handle and prevent the fall of small pieces too;
• Vertical rollers to align and contain thin and small pieces cut or to cut;
• Tray for coolant recovery to place under the rollers to allow the total recovery of the coolant - particularly ideal for tubes and bundles of materials;
• Motorized table adapter designed to eliminate the distance between the cutting table of the machine and the first motorized roller conveyor connected to the sawing machine, so as to be able to cut and handle even the shortest pieces.

 

Shark 382-1 Sxi Evo + Mep Material Handling System

Among the various orders commissioned last year, the customer requested an installation composed of our semi-automatic band sawing machine Shark 382-1 Sxi Evo and KK530 motorized and idler roller conveyors. Shark 382-1 Sxi Evo, electrohydraulic semi-automatic band sawing machine to cut metals mitering from -45° to +60°. The sawing machine can also operate in manual and semi-automatic/dynamic modes which allow to perform any kind of cut in the most efficient way.

• The turning cutting table is assembled on a central pin and roller thrust bearing thus allowing an easy and smooth rotation at any angle and turning along with the saw head thus preventing to cut it through.
• The knurled steel jaws of the cutting vice allow an efficient and safe clamping even in the case of tube cutting.
• The clamping unit sliding longitudinally to the right and left of the saw head allows to safely perform even precise angle cuts.
• The coolant flood underneath the cutting table avoids the accumulation of chips and downtimes during the chip removal.
• Hydraulic system to control both the vice and head down feed rate that grants a constant pressure during the cut according to the feed set by the operator.

 

M-20A + Mep Material Handling System

In 2022 the customer decided to purchase another Hydmech automatic horizontal pivot band sawing machine, the M-20A, together with a MHS installation composed of KK730 motorized and idler roller conveyors. This sawing machine provides exceptional miter cutting capability from 0° to +60° on a wide range of materials for heavy-duty applications.

• The programmable mitering system features a "go-to-angle" function that reduces setting times.
• The sawing machine features a PLC touch screen control allowing to program up to 99 jobs with 5 in queue.
• The hydraulic steel guide arm can be quickly adjusted to ensure blade rigidity during the cut, thus optimizing blade life and performance.
• The sawing machine is equipped with hydraulic vertical vices clamping the material, thus ensuring better blade life and increased operator safety. Actually, horizontal and vertical vices secure the material during the cut and, consequently, reduce the chance of stripping the teeth of the saw blade.
• The hydraulic blade tensioning ensures a longer blade life, being the blade kept constantly tensioned to the desired value during the cutting phase.

As regards the Material Handling System, the customer needed to install part of it outdoor: it was therefore necessary to customize some of the KK730 roller conveyors.

 

VW-18 + Mep Material Handling System

In 2022 the customer commissioned the same installation for four different locations and, in the first months of 2023, decided to place another order for another national location. The installation in question consists of Hydmech semi-automatic vertical band sawing machine, the VW-18, and KK530 motorized and idler roller conveyors equipped with some Material Handling System options. The VW-18 is ideal for miter cutting from -60° and +60° on light to medium-duty metals. Moreover, it features a semi-automatic control that can be positioned to either side of the sawing machine.

• The 3° canted saw head allows for more efficient cutting and longer blade life.
• The sawing machine is equipped with two full stroking hydraulic vices clamping the material, thus ensuring better blade life and increased operator safety. In this way, the vices secure the material during the cut and, consequently, reduce the chance of stripping the teeth on the saw blade.
• Manual precise head positioning.
• Mechanically adjustable guide arm to maximize blade life and performance.
• The variable vice pressure allows to adjust the clamping pressure of the vices - ideal for thin tubes and other materials of small or medium size.

As far as the Material Handling is concerned, the customer decided to equip some roller conveyors with the following options:

• Loading/Unloading adapters allowing to connect our roller conveyors to the sawing machines so that the material is always guided and properly supported, thus creating a single cutting line;
• Safety filler plates to handle the shortest pieces too;
• Vertical rollers and heavy-duty vertical rollers to align and prevent the overturning of large materials too;
• Stop devices at the end of the roller conveyors to prevent the fall of cut pieces.

 

The installations made over the years for the same customer are a demonstration of the quality and reliability of our range of products. Nevertheless, it is not only the quality of the products that distinguishes MEP from the competition: after-sales service too plays a central role in the care we give to our customers. In the coming days we will reveal all the services that Mep After Sale Service is able to offer!