Last month’s article, Spida Machinery’s Automated Apollo Saw—Evolution, talks about the development of Spida saws from the CSS to the Apollo. For decades, Spida has been known for cutting-edge technology in our cutting equipment. This month, I’d like to take a closer look at some of the additional features that make the Apollo one of the best saws on the market.
Safety Features
Safety is a paramount consideration for Spida Machinery, so when developing the Automated Apollo Saw, we included 3 very important safety features and a couple more things to know about.
The first safety feature is called a Safe Grip (#1 in the picture). [For photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] The Safe Grip is an air-actuated device that clamps down on the material next to the fence prior to the saw blade being pulled through the material on the bench top. No longer does there need to be hands near the cutting area. Note that the sawyer’s left hand is well away from the saw blade in the picture.
The second safety feature is a bright red laser light (#2 in the picture) – this laser tracks the direction of the saw blade as it’s being pulled across the bench. It serves as warning to keep all fingers, hands, arms, toes, ears, and other vital extremities away from the red laser line!
And the third safety feature (#3 in the picture) is the plexiglass shield that is attached directly to the saw blade shroud. It moves with the saw blade head and helps prevent small pieces and dust particles from flying around.
As always – Spida recommends the proper PPE be worn in the workplace.
Additional safety and optional extras include two emergency shut off switches, a dust chute, and an optional, robust dust collection system.
On-Site Training
An essential part of our installation and training process is the time we spend with the intended operators of the machine and, of course, anyone else who wants to learn. We stay with you while you learn the software and the operational features and benefits. Safety is always paramount, so we spend time talking through each feature.
Every installation includes a brief safety review of the saw operation. Spida Machinery’s tech, Leland Dalzell, is shown here at a recent Automated Apollo Saw installation, going over the safety features of the saw with several potential sawyers. Training is usually completed in under 4 hours, with our techs staying with the sawyers for several additional hours of actual use to ensure there are no questions.
Top-Notch Software
As I mentioned last month, the Automated Apollo Saw software has a very intuitive UI. The sawyers can load any job in the default path and start cutting truss members. What is presented in the cut list is a function of the utility software provided by the plate manufacturer. A job can include every member of a truss, or select pieces as determined by the utility program defaults.
The sawyer can recall any truss, or any member, in the event that a piece is broken or misplaced. In addition, the sawyer can also manually enter a truss member into the UI in special situations.
So, are you ready to learn more? Call your regional Spida Machinery Account Manager for more information and pricing. They can answer your questions and get you pricing information right away.