Main features of the ScandInvent SX5 bridge saw

General: ScandInvent introduced the concept version of their cantilevered bridge saw at the Marmomacc stone show in Verona, Italy, last year in order to receive feed-back from the market. The production version was shown at this year’s exhibition. As a result of the feed-back one of the modifications was an automatic, rather than manually operated, fifth axis. The tilt on the table had also been changed from pneumatic to hydraulic. Viewing the saw can be arranged through UK general manager Glenn Groom (see below for contact details).

Capabilities: This is a general purpose bridge saw completing the triumvirate of CNC stone workshop equipment alongside the Swedish manufacturers’ edge polisher and CNC workcentres. Designed by people who previously worked in marble and granite businesses, the machines are designed specifically for the stone workshop to be compact, versatile and easy to use.

Physical configuration: The SX5 is 4.5m long, 2.8m high and weighs 4.5tonnes. The arm can be removed and the back folded down for ease of transporatation and installation. Travel on the ‘X’ axis is 3.5m, ‘Y’ is 2m on a work surface 3.8m x 2m. Travel on the ‘Z’ axis is 400mm. The saw spindle rotates through 360º with both electric and water swivel on the head so it can turn in the same direction indefinitely without having to be ‘unwound’. There is a robot gearbox for stability and, according to ScandInvent, there is no vibration at the blade. The 1.5tonne arm is moved by a maintenance free belt for high speed and load.

Work surface: Steel with hydraulic tilt section for ease of loading.

Motor: The spindle is powered by an 11-15kW (15-20HP) inverter motor. It carries a 400mm blade as standard, but can be used with a blade up to 600mm. ScandInvent say it can cut 30mm granite at a rate of 3.5m a minute using a standard 400mm blade.

Control: The SX5 saw is run by ScandInvents own software, ScandSOFT, that also operates their workcentres and edge polisher. They developed their own software because from the beginning the realised existing software for most machines was too complicated for most stone companies. ScandSOFT is based on the Windows XP operating system that will be familiar to most people with a PC. Almost any shape can be cut automatically. ScandSOFT also allows the slabs being sawn to be photographed and the data imported into the CAD program so that the required cut-outs can be placed on top of the photograph of the actual slab to be worked. It is like laying out a template on the slab for a manual saw operation. It can then be printed out for customer approval if required. Once programmed, the SX5 can be left to work. No operator is required to monitor speed during single or multiple cuts as there is feed-back from the spindle to the processor to regulate the speed depending on how hard the head is working.

Price: The price of the SX5 is £79,000. However, the Swedish Krona is one of the few currencies weakening against Sterling, which means there could be room for negotiations.
More information from: Glenn Groom at ScandInvent UK in Eastbourne BN22 9QA.
Tel: 0208 144 7599. Mob: 07876 463906.