Low clearance when "packing" the houses

igus® plain bearings simplify the operation of a pit saw for insulation materials

With its easy-to-operate pit saw for insulation material, the Bader locksmithery in Kisslegg has opened up a new business area and has received several awards. Now the mass production of the innovative tool, which has become a trend, is being launched because a "proper" insulation is part of every new building project and the energy-oriented renovation is also widespread. A variety of maintenance-free bearings from the igus® construction kit are used in the saw - including a drylin® linear bearing in the guidance of the saw blade.
 
From year to year, the German households consume less energy for heating. In 2015 alone, energy consumption by the heating of residential flats fell by six percent. A reduction of 18 percent has been achieved since 2003. This is also due to the fact that the houses are now increasingly "packed" – both the new and existing buildings. And this development should and must go on: One of the climate policy objectives of the federal government is to cut energy consumption by 80 percent by 2050.
 
Also for this reason, the insulation layers of the building envelope are always getting thicker: 180 millimetres are the standard. This is not only due to the thickness, but also because of the precise and joint-free laying of the insulation panels on site. Otherwise, thermal bridges occur, which strongly impair the insulation effect.

Wanted: Pit saw for insulation material

The locksmith Manfred Bader GmbH (SMB) in Kisslegg/Allgäu has developed a market niche precisely for this task, after receiving a tip from an insulation material manufacturer. Managing Director and owner Manfred Bader: "A manufacturer of wood fibre insulation panels wanted a pit saw for the accurate cutting of their panels. The saw should, on the one hand, be mobile, but on the other hand it should also handle large plate thicknesses – not only in the case of 90° cuts, but also in angled and mitred cuts, as is often the case with energy-oriented refurbishment of existing buildings. “
 
Such a tool – as the research of Bader revealed quickly – did not exist. After all, the insulation panels cannot be sawn well or even sawn at all with conventional saws due to the fibres, certainly not in thicknesses of 200 millimetres or more, and not at all in mitred and complex double mitred cuts.

Challenges for the mechanical engineer

For Manfred Bader this task was a test of confidence and a challenge at the same time. His company, founded in 1985 by his father, has specialised in the design and manufacture of individual doors and gates with sash windows for agricultural operations, and in the meantime has also included stainless steel railing and other decorative construction elements.
 
This opportunity was not to be missed by the skilled mechanical engineer. He developed a first prototype of a saw for insulation materials, which basically consisted of a simple pedestal with saw and stop dog – and which was already equipped with igus® bearings. He gave this saw to various companies and asked for feedback after practical tests.
 
This was followed by an optimisation, which included, among other things, an angle stop and the integration of a line laser – and the saw with the designation HDZ 720 is now ready for mass production. It allows the cutting of insulation panels with a maximum length of 2000 millimetres and a thickness of 260 millimetres (with angled cuts) or 200 millimetres with a 45° inclination.

Saw blade traverses over igus® linear bearings

One of the challenges that Manfred Bader had to solve was the accurate and torsion-free traversing of the saw blade at any desired angle. Bader decided to use, also because of the advice given by the igus® sales force, a single-roller linear guide of the type drylin® WJRM-01-20 and gave good reasons: "All bearing elements must be lubrication-free, because sawdust settles on the guide and results in jamming in combination with lubricants. In addition, the single-roller guide element is cost-efficient. " And it fulfills its task also from the operator's point of view: a driving force of only 3 to 4 kilograms is necessary for moving the saw unit that weighs 35 to 40 kilograms.

Linear bearing, lead screw module and Tribo-Tape

Manfred Bader also made use of the igus® construction kit for other bearing elements, which he already knew from the original product range – the doors and gates with sash windows: "We have always had good experiences with the igus® bearings – even in adverse environmental conditions. “
 
Thus, the protective hood in front of the saw blade, which descends automatically, is also guided via a linear bearing from the drylin® product range. The inclination of the saw blade is adjusted by means of a trapezoidal nut, the mitre angle is adjusted by means of an igus® lead screw module, and the igus® Tribo-Tape ensures a simple movement of the stop on the rotatable stop-dog. An energy chain is used for the energy supply from the base frame to the saw blade drive.

New business area opened up

The zero series, which Bader tested now, was well received by the users. Manfred Bader: "The saw delivers very clean cuts at high speed. It is easy to use. The test operators reported that they simply liked to work with this modern tool. " The extraction system, which required a lot of effort in its development, is highly praised. It ensures clean work and the use in enclosed spaces. For example in wall prefabrication and in element construction.
 
Manfred Bader feels very well supported by igus®, in particular by the competent igus® sales consultant Reiner Nusser. "Much know-how from igus® has flowed into the development, and we have also received a few free samples quite 'unbureaucratically'. “

Excellent innovation

In the meantime, the locksmithery has received several awards for its innovative product, which creates a new business area: the Bavarian State Prize 2015, the Innovation Award of the Economic and Innovative Promotion Corporation of Ravensburg (WIR) and the VR-innovationsPreis Mittelstand regional 2015.
 
Now, the first series is being launched. As a target group, Bader has an eye on the carpentry and finishing trades, which uses the HDZ on site. The first manufacturers of prefabricated houses have also already tested the new saw for insulation material and found it to be good. They also appreciate the mobility of the saw in operation. And in view of the ambitious climatic objectives of the federal government, it can be assumed that in the coming years the factories in the field of prefabricated construction and building trades will need many such pit saws for insulation materials.

Here, you can find the products used

Here you can find further interesting applications from very different areas of use: