Industrial News Buzz - For more than twenty years, Scotchman Industries in Philip, South Dakota, has been building heavy-duty circular cold saws. With thirteen machines on their current line, the metal fabricating equipment company has a cold saw for every possible operation.

 

Deciding if a cold saw is the right machine for you, however, depends on several factors. First, it's important to identify what types of materials you will be cutting. Circular cold saws can cut both ferrous and non-ferrous materials. The Scotchman cold saws have low turn or high turn cutting speeds, depending on the type and thickness of the material. The cutting capacities for one of the automatic machines, for example, can be adjusted for round tube, round solid, square tube, or square solid mild steel. The non-ferrous models can produce clean cuts for solid or extruded aluminum, and the column-style machine is durable enough for tougher alloys and heavy wall tubes. Next, consider the quantity of material that needs to be cut. Are you cutting individual pieces or bundles? Is your production schedule based on hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly cutting needs?

 

While a cold saw can bundle-cut, if you are planning to bundle large diameter parts, a band saw would be a better option. "Sometimes, a band saw is faster when cutting a larger volume of material," explains Scotchman owner Jerry Kroetch, "but if you have to spend a lot of time cleaning up the finish afterward, the cold saw would have saved you time and cut cost in the long run." Since the blade turns at a very low RPM, the circular cold saw produces fast, precise, burr-free cuts. By delivering a high-quality, sharp finish, the cold saw can actually eliminate the need for secondary finishing operations which saves both time and money. By examining your current and future cutting requirements, it will be easier to assess the expense of the purchase.

 

If you can balance your operating costs (electrical demand, labor, materials, etc.) with your overall productivity, then the cold saw is definitely a smart investment. Plus, having the circular saw blades resharpened, rather than purchasing new ones, will add additional savings in the long run. Each cold saw is equipped with a full coolant or mist lubrication system and Scotchman Industries can provide blade sharpening service as well.

 

The company offers a 3-year warranty on their cold saws along with leasing plans that range from one to five years. To learn more about Scotchman cold saws, visit their website or call 1-800-843-8844.