Sawing is one of the fundamental activities in any manufacturing, steel processing or fabrication business. The more efficiently this can be carried out, the more profitable the business will invariably be.

Available locally from leading cutting consumables and capital equipment distributor First Cut, the BLM SC425 - a semi-automatic upstroke circular sawing machine - will bring higher levels of efficiency to any manufacturing or fabrication business. The sawing machine is ideal for making straight or angled cuts in steel tubes or profiles, thanks to the SC425’s convenient rotating head.

While the operator needs to position the workpieces manually, thereafter, the clamping and blade motion is automatic. Overall, the machine has been designed to be simple to operate, and to save time when switching from one type of production to another. Adjusting the SC425 requires no tools; and adjustment controls are conveniently located within easy reach of the operator.

The SC425’s highly robust construction and small footprint make this machine suitable for the most demanding and continuous applications. The full range of safety devices - as stipulated in international regulations - such as a stop button, electrical overload protection and electrically interlocked accesses - guarantee operator safety under all operating conditions.

The cutting head is equipped with backlash-free helicoidal gears and interchangeable reduction gears. These, together with the two-speed motor, allow 10 different cutting speeds. The cutting head’s stroke can be quickly adjusted by means of a graduated manual control wheel located on the front of the base frame.

The feed can be regulated up to 3,000mm/min. The work-piece is clamped between an adjustable reference support at the rear of the machine, an adjustable hydraulic clamp in the vertical axis and two front side stops. The rotating table on which the cutting head is mounted can be swivelled and locked at 90°, both in the left- and right-hand positions. There are also positioning stops set at commonly used angles such as 0° and 45°.

Once the cut is complete, the workpiece is raised from the rotating table by two hydraulically operated rollers, one on each side of the machine. This makes it easy for the operator to reposition the workpiece in preparation for the next cut. A closed-circuit lubrication cooling system comes into operation during the cutting cycle.

Collection and removal of cutting debris is quick and easy. Cutting chips are collected in an easy-to-remove container located inside the SC425’s base frame.

A threshold control on electrical current being supplied to the motor protects the blade from possible overloading. All the clamping jaws can be easily closed and opened by using a single centrally-located switch. For heightened ergonomic efficiency, the operator can quickly execute all the steps of the production cycle without having to move from his operating position.

This versatile ‘workhorse’ sawing machine will increase the speed and efficiency of any type of steel manufacturing business. For example, the SC425 can be used for carrying out trim cuts on bent tubes such as exhaust pipes and structural tubing, as it is possible to fit suitably shaped clamping fixtures to the cutting table.

At 90°, the SC425 is capable of cutting round bar to maximum diameter of the 145 mm and square bar to a maximum of 130 mm. The machine is fitted with a 425 mm diameter blade which can be powered by either a 1,3 kW or 2,6kW motor.

As an optional extra, roller tables for loading and unloading can be supplied as can a micro-lubrication system.

With a footprint of only 1020mm x 950mm and a height of 1,8 metres, this compact yet powerful circular saw will provide both a valuable boost to productivity and an increase in profits for any busy steel manufacturing operation.