Apparatus and method for inspecting and testing industrial power saws or the like

An apparatus for use in testing and inspecting a material cutting machine such as a motor driven band saw or the like, said apparatus comprising:

• a programmable computing unit including a data entry keyboard and a document printer, said computing unit being programmable to receive, store and reproduce identifying information regarding a machine being tested, said computing unit also being programmed to calculate a cross-sectional area of a work piece being operated on by said machine;
• first switch means adapted to be mounted in proximity to said machine for measuring the commencement of an operation to cut a work piece, said first switch means being operably connected to said computing unit to initiate the measurement of a period of time required to make a cut;
• second switch means adapted to be mounted in proximity to said machine to signal the completion of a cutting operation, said second switch means being operably connected to said computing unit to generate a signal associated with the completion of the time required to complete a cutting operation
• electrical current sensing means adapted to be interposed with electrical current conductor leads connected to a motor associated with said machine;
• signal conversion circuit means connected to said current sensing means for producing a signal to said computing unit which may be recorded and reproduced to indicate the current to said motor during a test on said machine;
• whereby said programmable computing unit may be commanded to compute and record the actual time required to complete a cutting operation by said machine, the electrical current required to complete said cutting operation and to compute the cutting rate of the machine in terms of work piece cross-sectional area per unit time.