York Plastics, Plastic Fabricators

A Striebig Evolution vertical panel saw has simplified panel cutting at specialist plastic fabricators and model makers, York Plastics (Engineering) Ltd. No longer are two people needed to load panels on to a beam saw, hold them down flat while they are being cut and move them into different positions on the table.

As well as making one-off plastic prototypes of bottles and other products, York Plastics fabricates display stands, leaflet holders and machinery guards. It also offers a panel cutting service for local companies.

The Striebig Evolution handles all the cutting of polycarbonate, polypropylene and acrylic sheets, measuring from 2.5m x 1200mm up to 3m x 2m and from 1.5mm to 20mm thick, and has also cut 25mm thick MDF sheets.

It’s now normally a one-man job to load the panels on to the saw, which frees up one of the four other engineers at the small, family business. Thinner panels are put on in multiples. Director Philip Crookes is impressed with the accuracy of the cut and the smooth, clean finish it gives every time, and the fact that it has eliminated a great deal of manual labour. He said that as the saw’s blade moves through the panel, instead of the panel being pushed through the blade, as with the beam saw, panels are less likely to get scratched.

Striebig Evolution chosen for technical features

The innovative and sturdy Evolution is precision designed and built by Swiss manufacturer Striebig. Numerous technical features considered expensive optional extras in other saws are included as standard. They include a digital measuring system, accurate to 0.1 mm, and an adjustable precision display that can be set to an accuracy of 1.0, 0.5 or 0.1 mm, according to the thickness of the panels being sized.

Intended to be wall-mounted or freestanding it has a maximum cutting depth of 80mm, a fully automatic roller locking function, an auxiliary stop section with its own tape measure, three additional auxiliary stops for repeat cuts and a small work piece support.

Also fitted as standard is the TRK dust and chips extraction system that ensures dust levels are kept well below permitted European limits, and automatic moving backing support.

It is designed for ease of use, with locking and releasing of the saw, setting the horizontal cutting height, plunging and swivelling the motor, locking the support rollers during sawing and fine saw blade adjustment carried out at the press of a button.

A unique option is four-side trimming, which enables the bottom trim cut to be carried out automatically without having to lift or turn the panel.

It was supplied and installed by Striebig’s UK agent, TM Machinery Sales, of Leicester.

Striebig saws are available in a range of sizes to cut plastic, wood, aluminium and a range of other materials, up to a maximum weight of 300 kg.