Fagor Arrasate participates in development of smart shears for high-strength steel

Fagor Arrasate, a designer and manufacturer of presses, coil cutting and processing lines, and systems for manufacturing complex metal parts, is participating in a European investigation project to design smart shears for high-strength steel with a predictive system that warns about cutting tool deterioration.

The project, called IntellCutProcess, will analyze the various parameters that are involved during the cutting process, such as cutting strength, the die looseness or separation, and the cutting angle. The data obtained will allow for the optimization of the cutting tool regarding aspects such as the material used and the protective coating.

The shear will be equipped with sensors that will measure the different cutting quality indicators, such as the burr height and the cutting area profile. With this information, the system will be able to monitor the cutting tool's degradation state. In addition, the predictive system will allow for scheduled production downtime for required interventions.

To validate the results of the research, a fully sensorized shear prototype for the cutting of heavy-thickness metal sheet will be built first. Afterward the new equipment will be installed in an actual operational cutting line.

The program is financed by the European Union’s RFCS-2019 (Research Fund for Coal and Steel) Program, in which six partners participate.