TPT September 2022

AR T I C L E

ISTech

Shandong Province Sifang Technical Development Group Analysis of the design process used to create bespoke, efficient metal bar and tube sawing machines

Another element influencing design choices is the type of material to be cut: ISTech sawing machines are versatile and lend themselves to cutting all types of metal, but knowing from the outset whether the metal to be cut will vary frequently, or whether it will be the same, will lead to different solutions. The size of the parts to be cut is also fundamental, as it will determine not only the characteristics of the part of the plant intended for the actual cutting, but also the solutions adopted for loading and unloading the parts. The centrality of continuity in production will lead to the implementation of measures aimed at guaranteeing reliability and minimising machine downtime. Finally, the standards to be met by the customer in terms of cutting quality will be decisive in this phase of the process. A project aimed at performance Once the customer’s needs and expectations have been clarified, ISTech designs the sawing machine accordingly. Specifically, for machines that work according to a 4.0 logic,

ISTech’s metal cutting solutions are well known in the industry, but not everyone knows the process of how they initially come into being: analysing the entire path, step by step, from design to delivery, provides a fascinating insight into the in-depth process undertaken by the company and its engineers.

Understanding requirements The design of a new sawing machine always starts with an analysis of the customer’s requirements. This can vary dramatically. It can be what you might describe as an ‘ideal’ type of customer that is familiar with the existing sawing machines and will commission a machine that will eventually become part of the catalogue. Or it can be a client requiring a fully custom-built, one off system. ISTech always starts with the question: what requirements should the machine satisfy? The answer to this question is the result of a process of continuous interaction with the customer. ISTech’s engineering design department examines the concrete needs and specific requirements of the potential customer, maintaining a continuous dialogue with the customer throughout the initial design phase. ISTech’s attention to the customer’s needs brings benefits on both sides – in some cases this dialogue has led to the identification of construction solutions, which have then become part of the ISTech offer to other companies. Examples include the improvement of the user panel interface (which has become increasingly rational and intuitive); the management of the cutting head feed for hardened bars; or the approach of the brush to the blade according to its degree of wear. There are many aspects that will influence the design and appearance of the final ready-to-use cutting system. Depending on whether the sawing machine is intended for the production of small batches or large series, and on the frequency with which the type of machining will have to be changed, the solutions proposed during the design phase can change a great deal. The intensity of use to which the machine is likely to be put will lead to different designs depending on whether the sawing machine is intended for occasional prototyping or automated, continuous production.

81

www.read-tpt.com

SEPTEMBER 2022