Automatic Saw

We originally designed and built the Automatic Cut-Off Saw for a local vinyl fence company in Lancaster, PA. That company felt that they were wasting too much time cutting spindles and other fencing parts because either the machine operator was working or their original saw was working.

We solved this time-wasting problem by creating a machine that allows the operator to load parts and program the cuts while the saw is cutting a different load—machine and person can be productive the whole time. One operator can load, run, and unload this computerized saw by himself.

The Automatic Cut-Off Saw features a staging table before the actual saw. While the machine is cutting, the operator can stack the next bundle of material and program cut lengths. When the machine is finished cutting its current bundle, the conveyor moves the bundle to a holding area where the operator can then move the bundles onto a skid when he has time.

The cut area on the Automatic Cut-Off Saw is 6.25” x 20” x 16’ with a 16” blade (the machine doesn’t have to be loaded at full capacity). Therefore, the fencing company that owns the original machine sets up .75” x 1.5” pickets and can stack them 8 high and 12 wide (up to 96 pickets).

In addition to the staging area, the Automatic Cut-Off Saw features a bander before the saw. The machine takes the stack of pickets, moves them into the bander and places two bands around the stack. The saw then cuts the scraps off, dumping those into a trash bin underneath the machine. (No scraps come out onto the final holding area.) After removing the scraps, the saw does its final cuts and sends the bundles onto the holding table (the machine never sends loose parts out—they are always arranged in banded bundles).

The operator can create pre-sets in the computer so that programming during a working day can occur easily and quickly.

The Automatic Cut-Off Saw could be modified to cut lumber or other materials as needed.