Kinkelder USA

Tube and pipe production is a capital-intensive process, but paying close attention to the efficiency of some of the lowest-cost items, specifically the consumables, can yield big benefits in productivity. At the cutoff, proper blade choice and optimizing the cutting depth are important first steps, but it’s also necessary to diagnose saw problems and—most important of all—develop a blade replacement strategy that minimizes mill downtime.

Friction saws are the conventional cutoff machines for tube and pipe mills. Drawbacks include hazards (noise and risk of breakage) and burrs they tend to generate. Tungsten-carbide-tipped (TCT) blades, which require more sophisticated sawing machines, run slower and safer, cut cleaner, and are less prone to breakage.