The GLD TS monoblock bridge saw was made for the market in Britain and Ireland. It was introduced in the UK at the Natural Stone Show in London this year alongside a new mitre cutter from Achilli.
The Achilli GLD TS block saw has all the features UK agent D Zambelis wanted to see on a saw for the UK and Irish market – which is not surprising because Zambelis had a hand in writing the specification. It has a price tag that starts at £35,000 and had its first public showing in the UK at the Natural Stone Show in London this year.
Its features include a rotating, tilting table, with positive locking at 0º, 45º and 90º in both directions. The 10hp (7.6kW) motor (with an upgrade to a 15hp [11kW] head with 800-2500rpm variable speed an option) carries a 500mm disc and has motorized head travel. The head can be manually tilted through 90º. Linear guides with recirculating ball slides give smooth operation.
It has a ceramic-coated steel frame (or hot-dip galvanized if you prefer) with the option of hydraulic motorized pop-up rollers for easy slab loading and positioning.
It has a cut of 3.5m on the X axis, 2.2m on the Y axis and 380mm on the Z axis.
The CNC software operated by colour touchscreen is simple and intuitive to use, although the saw can also be manually operated by push-button.
Using the CNC in ‘automatic’ mode allows you to program in multiple cuts in various sizes and different lengths; program in step cutting on each size, with the head tilted if required; and calibrating.
In ‘profiling’ mode you can create and store profile shapes. An easy user interface allows you to enter all the parameters required and preview the profile.
The optional ‘macro’ mode of operation means you can create geometric shapes, including
L-shaped kitchen tops and inclined drainers. You can even create drawings with ‘point to point’ consecutive cuts.
If you want to go even further, you can buy a licence for software that allows you to import and convert DXF drawing files (AutoCAD 2000) so they can be processed by the CNC control unit of the saw.
Also new from Achilli and being shown for the first time at the Stone Show in London was the MSA mitre saw pictured below.
It is fitted with a hefty saw bridge to keep it accurate, has optional variable speed and an integral water recycling system.
Zambelis received 10 requests for quotes for this mitre saw at the Stone Show and has so far supplied three of the machines, including two that have gone to customers in Ireland.