Strengths pull teeth through metal easily, without stalling out
Above: Cosen’s saws come with 5.7-inch HMI touchscreen displays. The smart numerical control (SNC) can store up to 100 jobs, allowing users to view PLC inputs and outputs.
Strengths pull teeth through metal easily, without stalling out
December 2019 - What started out as a small tool-and-die shop in an old garage in Youngstown, Ohio, has evolved into a full-service operation. Lake Park Tool & Machine, owned by Kind & Co. Edelstahlwerk based in Germany, relines and builds new light metal and heavy metal extrusion containers. Kind & Co. Steel produces hot working tool steels for a global customer base. Processes include high pressure die casting, die forging, injection molding and metal stamping.
In order to maintain competitive delivery timelines, Lake Park needed the ability to cut large blocks of hot working tool steel quickly and within its own shop walls. The Cosen C-11 can cut grade H-13 tool steel at a steady rate of 5.5 square inches per minute “and, if needed, the C-11 can be pushed to 6.7 to 7 square-inches-per-minute cut rate,” says Lake Park CEO Scott Burkett. “The Cosen C-11 allows us to cut more quickly than our competitors.”
Burkett chose Cosen Saws’ fully automatic C-11 model band saw because of the machine’s heavy-duty, rigid frame and robust software. “Cosen’s Mechalogix, Q-Cut and V-Drive are our primary heavy hitters,” says Hayden Peterson, marketing specialist at Cosen.
Lake Park Tool & Machine makes hydraulic cylinders and containers for extru- sions, and blocks for die casting and hot stamping.
The Cosen’s 44-square-inch table gives Lake Park Tool the ability to cut H-13 hot working tool steel. “The table can handle weights up to 40 tons. Saw operators can change the blade out in less than five minutes,” Burkett says. “Cosen provided the ladders and everything else. Other machines we [considered] looked difficult to access or dangerous.”
Compared to the limited horsepower Lake Park used previously, Burkett says operators noticed that saw blade teeth cut more easily through material using the Cosen. “It’s strong enough to pull the teeth through the metal rather than stalling it out,” he adds.
Quiet capabilities
Despite the powerful horsepower driving the machine, the Cosen C-11 is not loud. “It’s fascinating—you honestly don’t know it’s running even when I’m cutting up to 4 to 5 square inches a minute,” Burkett says. “Other saws scream or sound like nails scraping across a chalkboard. Running it day in and day out, that wears on you, the noise. We don’t have to cope with that.”
Lake Park often cuts within 1⁄16 inch. “And we cut that width even at 38 to 42 inches—and despite the overall width, I don’t have any problem cutting within 1⁄16-inch.” The shop often cuts materials used in die casting, die forging, stamping and metal extrusion with aluminum, brass, copper and titanium alloys.
Programmable cutting has been a time saver for Lake Park. “I have two other saws in the building, but neither is the size of the Cosen,” Burkett says. As far as cutting square inches per minute, the Cosen hands down can outproduce the other two saws in my shop.” As a result, Burkett is able to churn out more finished shapes throughout the day.
Most of the 32 employees at Lake Park are machinists and engineers on the production floor. “We’re making hydraulic cylinders and containers for extrusions, blocks for die casting and hot stamping—it’s heavy-duty material,” Burkett says.
Over the last few years, Cosen has invested in its programmable controls in order to make them more user friendly as well as advanced. Cosen’s saws come with 5.7-inch HMI touchscreen displays. The smart numerical control (SNC) device can store up to 100 jobs, allowing users to digitally view PLC inputs and outputs. Users can also review errors on the display’s error bar and the saw automatically compensates for kerf loss.
“Our C-tech series, like the C-11, allows users to custom build the material library as well as chart blade life and performance,” says Cosen’s Peterson. “All SNC controls are also designed to work with our various, optional Cosen technologies like Mechalogix and Q-Cut.”
Cosen maintains a full inventory of machinery and parts at its Charlotte, North Carolina, facility. Customers can also access a national service network for parts and know-how.
Cosen’s customer service has made owning the C-11 a pleasant experience for Lake Park, Burkett says. “Any issues we need help with they’ve looked at and fixed immediately. If they needed to make any modifications, they do what they need to do in order to keep us going.” MM
