SAWING FOR THE OLYMPICS

Top athletic performance through the precise machining of special materials and material combinations

The versatile high-performance band saw blades from WIKUS optimize the cutting of a wide range of material compositions for the German Institute for Research and Development of Sports Equipment (FES). The combination of high-performance band saw blades with excellent technical support ensures long-term sawing success in the production of precise competition-ready sports equipment for Olympic medalists – making the FES and WIKUS a successful team in “Sawing for the Olympics”.

Customer profile

Institute for Research and Development of Sports Equipment (FES)

The Institute for Research and Development of Sports Equipment (FES), which is funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and community is based in Berlin and has a branch office in Oberhof, Thuringia. The engineering competence center for German competitive sport oversees 40 projects in 14 sports, including four projects for the National Paralympic Committee Germany.

The main task of the up to 80 employees is to cooperate with the top associations of the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) in the main disciplines (including luge, bobsleigh, speed skating, skeleton, Nordic skiing/ski jumping, snowboarding, rowing, canoing, sailing, cycling, and triathlon), in the four development pillars (equipment technology, measurement technology, service, and support), and in the construction of Olympic series. The individual sports equipment of the FES has enabled German national teams to win numerous medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Challenges and requirements

The FES aims to develop the optimal athletic equipment, which differs from the standard athletic equipment available on the market because of the high degree of adaptation as well as its specialization for the respective athlete and discipline. In addition to years of experience in practical applications, this includes close cooperation with other disciplines in competitive sports research as well as innovative technology partners (e.g., in metal processing).

This is because a wide variety of high-tech materials are used and machined in the FES workshops. The composition of these is often unknown because of non-disclosure agreements. The correct selection and efficient use of band saws is therefore crucial for the development of individual athletic equipment and the achievement of athletic success.

At the beginning of the cooperation of FES with WIKUS, the goal was to replace the previous sawing solutions with new band saw blades and thus optimize both cutting performance and blade life. The sawing tools previously used by other manufacturers were not particularly suitable for the requirements and the variety of materials to be cut. The generated considerable noise, had high wear, and often did not provide satisfactory cutting surfaces.

The solutions:

More efficient and quieter cutting performance right from the start

In order to meet the challenges of the FES sawing tasks as well as to improve cutting performance and increase blade life, WIKUS employees – supported by local trading partner Adolf Neuendorf – carried out cutting tests at both locations in Berlin and Oberhof. WIKUS high-performance band saw blades proved their efficiency with all materials available on site, especially composites – including the classified, diverse high-tech materials used to manufacture the athletic equipment.

During the first cutting tests with the new band saw blades, FES employees stated that they noticed clear advantages of the WIKUS solutions compared with the previous band saw blades regardless of the cutting tool used. The saw products tested – from the PRIMAR^® M42 bimetal band saw blade to the FUTURA^® SN carbide band saw blades for hardened materials to the inexpensive yet powerful ECODUR® for aluminum and non-ferrous metals – all ran quieter and more smoothly and delivered better cutting surface results than the previous solutions. The ECODUR^® is now used at both FES sites.

ECODUR® minimizes abrasive wear with its carbide tooth cutting edges and thus ensures high sawing performance and cutting surface quality thanks to a patented chip division. It also offers further economic advantages in terms of cost savings. For example, less frequent blade changes are necessary because of the versatility in the application area.

Successful combination of high-tech band saw blades and support

In order to ensure sawing success and long-term efficient application, comprehensive tests were carried out at FES with consulting on the introduction of the new band saw blades. In addition to the cutting performance of the high-performance band saw blades, the holistic support made a lasting impression on the FES specialist. The personal instruction as well as the targeted setting of the ideal cutting parameters ensured that the band saw blades delivered optimum cutting performance right from the start. WIKUS subsequently received orders from both the Berlin and Oberhof sites – and the FES switched completely to band saws from WIKUS.

The feedback from FES on the existing partnership has been consistently positive since the start in 2021. According to FES employees, the high-performance and economical ECODUR^® carbide band saws from WIKUS has exceeded the service life of the previous solution in the course of the first year. It also scores high with an ideal price-performance ratio.

A reliable team for machining excellence

“The blade life of ECODUR^® from WIKUS is simply excellent. It exceeds the blade life of our previous band saw blades by a factor of two. Even carbon fiber in thicknesses of 50 mm or more are machined without problems. We are all thrilled with ECODUR^® and can highly recommend the saw blade to anyone who wants to process fiber composites.”