Sica: A novel cutting and chamfering system without any material removal

More and more people and companies think in terms of savings, sustainability and ecological economics. Sica has helped to save energy, raw materials and to maintain clean and safe the environment with the development of a new range of automatic in line planetary saws: the TRS W series. Available, depending on the tube diameter, in the TRS 160 W, 250 W, 400 W and 500 W versions, they are featured with a technologically innovative and unique system in its kind for cutting and chamfering plastic pipes (PVC-U, ABS and PP) without any removal of material.

The particular architecture and the novel cutting and chamfering method of the machine was patented by Sica (EP2828047B1) and seems to allow the W models to overcome the problems related to the production of dust and chips related to classical processes.

On the contrary, in fact, for each saw machine that performs cuts and chamfers by removal of material, the following disadvantages, in a more or less serious manner, are noticed:

• need to equip the machine with a suitable suction/capture/collection system for the dust and chips produced, in conjunction with an appropriate filtration system to avoid powdery emissions in the working environment;
• need for periodic replacement/resharpening of the cutting/chamfer tools as they are subject to natural and progressive wear by abrasion;
• need to shield the internal mechanical parts of the cutting unit (pulleys, belts, bearings, ...) as susceptible to the dust/chips produced;
• need to install a monitoring system to check the efficiency condition of the suction devices (indispensable to ensure the continuous operation of the machine);
• need by the user to implement the appropriate internal measures for the collection, storage and disposal of the dust/chips produced during the cutting/chamfer process.

As Sica stresses, its W type cutter are instead completely free of such inconveniences, as the pipe cut is performed by a simple separation and the chamfer by hot plastic deformation of the material. According to Sica, the related advantages are as follows:

• complete absence of waste material deriving from the cutting/chamfer process which results in a considerable saving of raw material (which accounts for 80% of the cost of the pipe);
• complete absence of contaminating and polluting dust/chips (extremely favorable condition for the preservation of the degree of cleanliness of the environment and of the saw machine and/or of the following belling machine);
• reduced overall maintenance required by the machine;
• use of a universal and almost nonperishable chamfering tool: the total operating costs are thus drastically reduced due to the absence of worn cutters and to be reground;
• lower noise level of the machine (thanks to the total absence of fans and milling tools in operation);
• superior quality of the machining performed both in terms of surface roughness and regularity;
• complete absence of any problematic related to suction systems of chips/powders such as collection, storage and subsequent disposal.

All models are equipped with electrical synchronization and double belt movement for high dynamics and equipped with cutting on the fly and CNC which ensures in every operating condition the necessary precision of the cut pipe length (± 1 mm). This system allows perfect synchronization of the cutting/chamfering unit with the pipe speed and its consequent accurate positioning at the exact point to be cut/chamfered. The possibility of making "cuts on the fly" (Sica patent EP129515), optimizes the useful stroke provided to the cutting unit, increasing its potential in terms of cuts/chamfers performed.

All models of the range are fitted with touch-screen color operator panel with clear and legible icons, and the remote service option for diagnostics and real-time service on the machine. With this solution Sica gave a clean cut to the issue of chips, powders and plastic filaments providing an "ecological" saw and reducing the production costs for the tubes extrusion.