Non-Contact Setup (NCS)
NCS is a sensor that maintains the cut height and calculates the remaining blade exposure during a setup without touching the chuck. This saves blade wear and chuck surface condition.
Blade Breakage Detector (BBD)
BBD is a sensor that continually checks the condition of the blade. If the BBD detects a break in the blade, the saw stops, thereby preventing damage to the part being cut.
Spindle
The air-bearing spindle is an electric motor that spins the blade at high speed for cutting parts. Air is used in place of other bearings to reduce wear and increase performance. Common power ratings are 800W, 1000W, 1500W, and 2200W. The higher the wattage (W) of the spindle, the more powerful it is.
Wheel Mount
The wheel mount adapts to the spindle shaft (The front of the rotating shaft) and holds the blade or flange, depending on the setup.
Hub
Hub style wheel mounts do not use a flange, the blade sits directly on the wheel mount, and a nut locks it in place.
Flange
Flanges hold the blade either to a wheel mount or directly to the spindle shaft. There are two types, F Type and M Type.
F - Type
F - Type flanges use a wheel mount to attach to the spindle and is generally less accurate that M - Type flanges.
M - Type
M - Type flanges do not use a wheel mount and attach directly to the spindle shaft. This type of flange is the most accurate method of mounting.
Wheel Cover
The wheel cover contains the blade and feeds water to for cooling during cutting.
Cutting Water
Cutting water is used to lubricate and cool the blade and part; it is also used to control debris from cutting. Often there are additives in the water to enhance the effectiveness.
Cooling Water
Cooling water is used to stabilize the temperature of the spindle.
Bellows
The bellows direct water and debris away from vital parts.
Chuck Table
The Chuck table is used the hold the part being cut, it does this by using vacuum. There are several types of chucks.
Porous
Porous chucks use a permeable material such as ceramic to distribute the vacuum onto the part. These chucks can only hold one size part.
Universal
Universal Chucks are metal with concentric rings etched onto the surface. These rings allow the chuck to hold different sized parts without a loss of vacuum.
Magnetic and Clamped
Magnetic chucks and clamped chucks are simply universal or porous chucks with an added system for holding film frames or hoops, using either magnets or clamps.
X AXIS
The X-axis moves the part across the blade during cutting. The user defines things such as speed, to determine how fast the part is to be cut; and index value of the X-axis, to determine the stroke or how long the cut is. The movement of the X-axis is right to left across the blade.
Y AXIS
The Y-axis moves the blade to the proper location for each cut. This movement happens between cuts. The index value is user defined and strokes from the front of the machine to the back.
Z AXIS
The Z-axis moves up and down to set the blade to the proper height, as defined by the user. This ensures that the part is cut to the proper depth.
Theta
The Theta is what the chuck table and part being cut sits on. The Theta rotates the part so both axis's are cut.
Indexing Step
The indexing step is the distance of movement defined by the user for each axis of movement.
Indexing Accuracy
Index accuracy is the machines ability to accurately move a giving index step.