Above: Cast Master XL is a carbide-tipped band saw blade able to make straight cuts at high speed without sacrificing surface finish.

Aluminum’s malleable properties inspired a blade manufacturer’s latest innovation

November 2015 - Alloys are developed to meet ever more stringent requirements. Lightweight vehicles have caused producers of parts and components up and down the supply chain to adjust to rising expectations. Carmakers are working on multiple fronts to remove weight from vehicles, whether that means coupling and combining metal alloys with carbon fiber as is the case with BMW’s upcoming 2016 7-Series, or joining metals like GM plans to do with its 2018 vehicles. Newer fabrication techniques such as spot welding of different metals also are being deployed. 

New alloys and material applications demand new tools to process them. As demand for cutting aluminum and nonferrous alloys escalates, Lenox saw an opportunity to meet a growing need. Lenox, part of Newell Rubbermaid in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, is keeping up with demand for high-speed aluminum cutting capability with its new Cast Master XL carbide band saw blade.

Established in 1915 with 10 employees, Lenox now reaches more than 70 countries, designing, testing and manufacturing power tool accessories, hand tools and band saw blades from a 500,000-square-foot factory spanning 11 acres.

Cast Master XL is a carbide-tipped band saw blade able to make straight cuts at high speeds without sacrificing surface finish. Lenox has combined a specialized grade of carbide, next-generation welding technology and precision grinding techniques for cutting aluminum. 

 Lenox considered several factors as it developed this product, Brand Manager Daniel Fernandes says. “Aluminum use has grown beyond 5 percent over the past decade and continues to be especially advantageous for industries like aerospace and automotive.” Manufacturers and material processors that supply Volkswagen and Boeing continuously seek new ways to cut material efficiently while holding tight tolerances. 

The original Cast Master, released in 2010, was the first step on the road to Lenox’s development of more material-specific blades.

Gummy blade

The Cast Master XL blade uses a specialized grade of carbide on the tip, specified for cutting aluminum and nonferrous alloys. The trick, according to Fernandes, is slowing the wear to the cutting edge. “Aluminum may be easy to cut but it is very gummy,” he explains. “We examined all aspects of the blade—rake angle, carbide grade, backing steel, tooth pattern and geometry, and advanced grinding methods in order to create a blade that would exceed our customers’ expectations.”

Blades are manufactured from metals into solid, stable and inert blades and are coated with water-based paints. The particular grade of carbide wears very slowly when cutting aluminum. Its multitip tooth pattern balances the chip load and reduces cutting forces, according to Lenox. The very latest welding technology used on the Cast Master XL reduces premature tooth loss. Precision grinding prevents material build-up on the tooth edge and sharp-edged teeth and high rake angles penetrate material more easily. 

Aluminum requires a sharp and—just as important—a highly precise ground-and-polished tooth tip. “We did a lot of internal research in order to narrow down the materials and manufacturing processes that would work best when cutting aluminum,” says Fernandes. “The precision ground tooth tip provides a sharp, polished cutting edge that prevents chips from welding onto the teeth, which leads to longer blade life.”

Lenox tested many rake angles and tooth geometries to find the combination that ensures a smooth cut without chipping.

After extensive product testing by many of Lenox’s customers at facilities spanning multiple countries, it was able to ensure the blade provided results. 

“The success of the blade is important, but so is the overall process,” adds Fernandes.“Each end user needs the blades for a specific [purpose], so what works well for one type of customer might need to be changed slightly to help meet different customer requirements.” Lenox’s technical service team solves problems.

Test results

Because the Cast Master XL blade uses a higher rake angle, it is able to achieve high cutting rates while attaining a smooth finish on the cut part. “We tested many different rake angles and tooth geometries,” Fernandes says. “We needed to find the right combination to ensure there is good chip evacuation from the cutting edge.”

Lenox’s network of technical service representatives also helps customers become more knowledgeable and efficient about sawing. “We try to sell the best solution for the end user,” says Fernandes. “It’s not just the price of the blade that is important. You have to consider all the variables that impact efficiency. For example, when your operator is changing a blade, you’re not making any money.

“The more pieces you put out the door, the more money you make,” he continues. Although Lenox blades aren’t the least expensive in the marketplace, customers save in the long run because of wear characteristics, increased production and greater efficiency. “This leads to lower overall costs and higher profits.” 

One industry tapping the longevity and effectiveness of Lenox’s blades is the automotive sector, specifically in the high-speed cutting of engine blocks and the manual operation cutting gates and risers. “The applications require slightly different product designs,” Fernandes says, adding that the Cast Master XL blade addresses the manual hand-fed operation, where the operator manually pushes a casting through the blade at very high speeds.

Lenox designed a less aggressive blade to prevent it from pulling the operator. For the automated cutting application, Cast Master XL uses a more aggressive rake angle for easier tooth penetration.

“Cutting nonferrous parts using a blade specific to that task is not readily available in the marketplace,” Fernandes claims. “But we found more and more people needing a blade for this application.” MM