As automation continues to reshape fabrication operations – from large production facilities to small job shops – high-end automated sawing systems receive a lot of attention. But not all fabricators are in the market for such machines. Instead, they’re looking for sawing solutions that can grow with their businesses.
As labor shortages continue to plague manufacturers, small shops are also looking for machines that can adapt to automated environments. One example of a machine that can both grow with a business and be adapted for automation is the CPO 350 cold saw from Scotchman Industries. What began as a straightforward manual cutting machine has evolved into a flexible platform that can be integrated into automated cutting systems and material handling systems.
Mike Albrecht, national sales manager at Scotchman, says at its core, the CPO 350 is the company’s baseline cold saw platform, designed to handle a wide range of cutting applications. It has been a standout saw for customers in its manual iteration, but for shops that need to respond to higher volume production needs as well as labor issues, the new semi-automatic CPO 350 fits the bill.
The semi-automatic version operates with a full-cycle function activated by a foot pedal. Once the operator triggers the pedal, the material is clamped, the cutting head lowers and completes the cut, and the blade retracts before the vise releases the material. The consistent and predictable cutting cycle positions the machine as the foundation of an automated system. On top of that, the saw can be used for slotting, notching and mitering.
Key developments
One of the key mechanical features on the semi-automatic version is the double self-centering vise. Unlike systems that clamp material from one side, the CPO 350 has two vises that hold the workpiece on both sides of the blade.
“If it doesn’t have a good hold on both sides of the cut,” Albrecht says, “that part will turn and move and you’ll have a hanging burr.”
This design is important during the final stage of the cut because a cold saw, Albrecht explains, cuts in a manner similar to a milling process. Each tooth on the blade removes a chip of material as the blade makes its way through the workpiece; therefore, the stability provided by two vises is crucial.
The vise’s self-centering function also keeps the material aligned with the blade when switching between different tube or bar sizes. Whether the operator is cutting 1-in. or 3-in. material, it stays perfectly aligned with the blade.
Another development is the addition of a printer for part identification. Two methods are used: label printing and inkjet printing. The use of labels was initially common for part identification, but Albrecht says fabricators are shifting toward inkjet printing to avoid leaving adhesive labels on finished parts.
Either way, the ability to mark parts has a huge impact on simplifying downstream processes. For example, when cutting multiple pieces that differ by small dimensional increments, operators can easily identify the correct component without manually measuring each piece.
The printing system can also add bar codes directly onto the part. This allows installers to quickly identify where a part belongs in an assembly, which improves organization during installation or construction.
“When we put a bar code or even print the size on the parts,” he says, “the parts become more like an erector set for the user – the bar code shows exactly where it goes in their puzzle.”
Shifting into automation
When the goal is minimal operator involvement, automation becomes the go-to solution. The CPO 350 can be paired with an auto-loader system capable of holding racks of tube or bar stock. A precision pusher mechanism feeds the material in for programmable stops, which eliminates tape measuring and speeds up production. Once the cut is complete, the finished part is ejected and the saw advances to the next programmed cut.
Albrecht says the system can also be used to move one piece of material through the saw at a time and follow an optimized cut list. This allows shops to process multiple parts at different lengths from a single length of material. The value is that fabricators can increase throughput without requiring an operator to manually measure and position the material, and they also do not have to worry about human error that leads to the “measure twice, cut once” adage.
While the manual version of the CPO 350 is widely used in shops around the world, Albrecht says manufacturers are responding to the strain caused by the labor shortage, and the new semi-automatic version is Scotchman’s response.
“Across America,” he says, “with the lack of qualified help it is getting tougher and tougher to find people that want to do these jobs. Therefore, automation is becoming more important.”
Albrecht says if a manufacturer has a machine that can do multiple processes automatically and does not need a worker standing at the machine and pulling a handle to make every cut, they are more productive. But there is also the affordability angle.
“The payback is tremendous in automation, as well as helping solve the problem of finding enough labor to do these processes,” Albrecht says, adding that programmable stop technology also enhances the efficiency. “You punch in the coordinates for a part, the material goes in, you step on the pedal and you get the exact length you need without pulling out a tape measure. With a push of a couple keys, you’re moving from one length to the next length very quickly and accurately.”
Feeding the need
Data center construction is booming as companies race to meet soaring demand for cloud services, AI and digital storage. According to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, in 2024 the United States had 5,000 data centers, and the demand was projected to grow by 9 percent annually through 2030. Other sources project the growth rate as high as 15 percent for data centers.
Part of the construction of data centers includes precise metal cutting of conduit for electrical wiring and data cabling. The advantage of using a cold saw is its ability to cut square material, which is vital for any type of construction but especially so in data centers where miles and miles of conduit need to align perfectly. Parts cut out of square would lead to compounding deviation over long distances.
Albrecht says the squareness accuracy of the CPO 350 is generally figured at ±0.002 per in. of diameter.
“So, from top to bottom of a 4-in. tube,” he says, “you’re looking at ±0.008 in squareness. That’s pretty darn straight.”
Albrecht says his company recently installed its cold saw for a customer in Texas involved in data center construction.
“The feedback we’re getting from customers – they are experiencing success stories,” he says. “They’re coming back and buying multiple machines. Right now, our automation department is swamped.”
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