Bandsaw controller for automatically controlling the feed rate and cutting speed of the bandsaw cutting blade

A method of controlling the operation of a bandsaw comprising the steps of:

• inputting a desired cutting rate into an input device for a bandsaw controller, said controller being coupled to a bandsaw to control the operation thereof;
• inputting a break-in mode input to said controller;
• commencing operation of said bandsaw at a break-in cutting rate below said desired cutting rate in response to said break-in mode input;
• and
• automatically increasing the break-in cutting rate over a period of time by steps of known size to the desired cutting rate as determined by a break-in cutting rate control sequence contained in said controller.

A bandsaw comprising:

• a frame;
• an arm assembly movably mounted to said frame;
• a pair of spaced apart saw blade supporting wheels rotatably mounted to said carriage;
• an endless bandsaw blade mounted on said saw blade supporting wheels;
• a motor assembly coupled to drive at least one of said wheels;
• a cutting rate control assembly carried by said bandsaw and adapted to vary at least one of:
• (i) the speed of driving of said bandsaw blade;
• (ii) the force applied by said bandsaw blade during cutting;
• and
• (iii) the rate of movement of said carriage during cutting;
• and
• a controller coupled to said cutting rate assembly and adapted to control at least one of the blade speed, blade force and carriage movement, said controller being adapted for input by an operator to select a production cutting rate for cutting a workpiece and further for input by an operator to select at least one of a break-in cutting rate and a break-through cutting rate below said production cutting rate,
• said controller being formed to automatically increase said break-in cutting rate up to said production cutting rate over time by steps of known size.

A method of controlling operation of a bandsaw comprising the steps of:

• inputting a desired cutting rate into an input device for a bandsaw controller, said controller being coupled to a bandsaw to control the operation thereof;
• inputting a break-in mode input to said controller;
• inputting a break-through mode input to said controller;
• commencing operation of said bandsaw at a break-in cutting rate below said desired cutting rate in response to said break-in mode input;
• automatically increasing the break-in cutting rate over a period of time to the desired cutting rate as determined by a break-in cutting rate control sequence contained in said controller;
• and
• when said saw blade is in a position proximate exiting said workpiece, automatically reducing the cutting rate to a lower of the input break-through cutting rate and the break-in cutting rate when the saw blade is in said position proximate exiting the workpiece.

A bandsaw comprising:

• a frame;
• an arm assembly movably mounted to said frame;
• a pair of spaced apart saw blade supporting wheels rotatably mounted to said carriage;
• an endless bandsaw blade mounted on said saw blade supporting wheels;
• a motor assembly coupled to drive at least one of said wheels;
• a cutting rate control assembly carried by said bandsaw and adapted to vary at least one of:
• (i) the speed of driving of said bandsaw blade;
• (ii) the force applied by said bandsaw blade during cutting;
• and
• (iii) the rate of movement of said carriage during cutting;
• and
• a controller coupled to said cutting rate assembly and adapted to control at least one of the blade speed, blade force and carriage movement, said controller being adapted for input by an operator to select a production cutting rate for cutting a workpiece and further for input by an operator to select at least one of a break-in cutting rate and a break-through cutting rate below said production cutting rate, said controller being further formed to increase said break-in cutting rate by changing the rate of movement of said carriage during cutting, said controller being formed for input of a break-through cutting rate in addition to said break-in cutting rate, and
• said controller controlling the cutting rate of said bandsaw by selecting the lower of the break-in cutting rate and the break-through cutting rate when said saw blade exits said workpiece.