Differences between Manual and Automatic Bandsaws for Metal Fabrication

21 February 2023

One of the most utilised materials in the manufacturing industry today is metal. The said industry takes advantage of metal materials as they are durable and appealing. Some metals can even be recycled and reprocessed, which makes them sustainable in the long run.

But to ensure that their properties can be truly beneficial for the industry, they must be processed optimally. A vital process in turning metal materials into quality components and products is metal fabrication. It is the creation of metal structures by assembling, bending, and cutting them optimally with the help of tools and machines.

One machine that can process metal workpieces is a bandsaw. It is often integrated with a long, sharp blade that is comprised of a continuous band of toothed metal placed on two or more wheels. Two common types of bandsaws for metal fabrication are manual and automatic.

Manual Bandsaws

Manual bandsaws are pull-down bandsaws that can be operated by a trigger switch. They are one of the most basic types of horizontal bandsaws. When cutting metal workpieces, these manual bandsaws rely on gravity to feed their blade into the materials. Operators must then lift the head of the manual bandsaws back up after cutting workpieces. Most heads of manual bandsaws are hinged at one side and may come down at an angle.

Since they must be manually lifted and operated, they can be somehow laborious to operate. Most manual bandsaws, however, are cheaper than their automatic counterpart, making them ideal for fabricators working on small projects. Manual bandsaws can likewise be beneficial for manufacturers who must carry out on-site metal fabrication since they can be easily transported.

A close version of manual bandsaws is the semiautomatic bandsaws. They use hydraulic pistons to move their heads, which can save operators from physical stress. The operators must still, however, manually reposition the materials for the subsequent cuts.

Automatic Bandsaws

Automatic bandsaws are quite the opposite of manual bandsaws. They do not require operators to lift their heads back up. Instead, these automatic tools will continue working even without operators around. This behaviour is possible since these bandsaws solely rely on a set program that has been modified based on project requirements.

Once the program has been set, these bandsaws can automatically feed the materials into the right position and cut them accordingly. The only time the cutting process stops is if the program has been completed. It may also pause halfway if the blade breaks or if the material runs out.

To ensure that materials can advance in the saws between cuts, they are often equipped with a vice. A vice may travel to effectively pull the materials into the saw or move them into position. The role of operators at this point is to load the materials, set a limit switch or encoder for the exact cut length, enter the number of parts into the controller, and start the saws. These bandsaws are highly recommended for high-volume fabrication projects.

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