Automatic cutting of forged rings

The Challenge

Thin-walled forged rings to tight tolerances, destined for aerospace and energy. The customer wanted the cutting cycle automated end to end, with sub-rings coming off the machine sized and ready for machining.

• Minimise material waste
• Raise output without losing quality
• Cut sub-rings to exact finished dimensions
• Remove operator intervention from the cycle entirely

The Solution

A RINGSAW system engineered for the job: a rotating arm loads the raw ring and unloads finished sub-rings, a rotating spindle locks it through the cycle, and two high-speed bandsaws cut simultaneously from both sides.

• Rotating arm for automatic load and unload
• Rotating spindle locks the ring for the full cycle
• Two bandsaws cutting from both sides at once
• Fully automatic — no manual repositioning
• 3 mm / 0.12 in kerf per cut
• Rings processed: 1610 mm / 63.4 in outer, 1470 mm / 57.9 in inner, 20 mm / 0.79 in wall

The Results

• Two rings every 30 minutes — 4 per hour, 32 per 8-hour shift
• Up to 4 additional rings recovered per shift from reduced waste
• Continuous production with repeatable quality
• Material and tooling costs both down
• Operator risk eliminated through full automation
• Return on investment inside 12 months