A reimagining of conventional tube saw design has led to an innovative, cordless model that cuts the widest range of piping and tubing sizes and materials with greater precision, efficiency, and longevity.

The semiconductor industry requires extensive piping and tubing systems to deliver essential liquids and gases under high pressure to critical equipment and systems within facilities, equipment, and infrastructure.

Semiconductor piping is a crucial component of the complex manufacturing processes involved in semiconductor fabrication. For these ultra-high purity applications, the quality of components like piping that must be cut to length and welded is directly linked to the quality of the end product.

Semiconductor manufacturing devices require ultra-pure water in their processes because any impurities will destroy the wafers being produced. Similarly, in the etching process, the use of ultra-high purity gas or chemicals is crucial to ensuring the removal of any debris created as a byproduct during manufacturing.

Piping materials must have low levels of impurities, such as trace metals, particles, and organic compounds, to prevent contamination of the semiconductor materials and avoid adverse effects on device performance.

To install or replace this piping and tubing, the mechanical contractors that serve the semiconductor industry often utilize tube saws to cut the materials to length prior to welding.

However, ensuring the maintenance of liquids and gases at a high level of purity, or even achieving an ultra-high level of purity, presents a significant challenge for this sector. This means any cuts in the piping or tubing need to be extremely precise, square, and free of contaminants such as tiny metal fragments.

Unfortunately, typical tube saws often are not engineered to reliably make such precise cuts, "particularly given the variations in pipe and tube sizes, wall thicknesses, and exotic material types from industry to industry," says Chris Belle, CEO of Tri Tool Technologies. Founded in 1972, Tri Tool Technologies is a leading provider of machining tools, custom machining solutions, and on-site services for the aerospace, defense, power generation, oil and gas, life sciences, and semiconductor industries.

To service more than one industry, mechanical contractors frequently must procure multiple tube saws to cut piping and tubing of different sizes and types, increasing installation costs and complexity. Moreover, this equipment traditionally requires replacement in less than a year with regular use, further contributing to expenses.

Fortunately, recent advancements in the industry are addressing many of these challenges while meeting the requirements for high and ultra-purity applications. Through a meticulous engineering approach, tube saws have been developed that ensure consistent, accurate, and precise cutting of a wide range of pipe and tubing sizes and materials.

Additionally, the incorporation of a cordless design has enhanced versatility, enabling cutting in locations without access to a power source. Moreover, to minimize capital expenses, there is a new tube saw available in the market that is designed to withstand demanding environments, eliminating the need for premature replacement, and ensuring long-lasting performance.

Reengineering Traditional Tube Saw Design

With a view into the needs of sectors like semiconductor, Belle of Tri Tool considered what could be done to increase the precision, reliability, and longevity of conventional tube saw design.

Although the OEM has traditionally focused on higher end, custom machining tool applications, Belle directed the company's engineers to design a tube saw that could reliably make precision cuts for the widest range of markets.

The Tube Saw was engineered with the aim of eliminating weak points in conventional designs and was based on feedback from customers and mechanical contractors. The result is a table- or pipe stand-mountable OD clamping tube saw with a self-centering clamping system that ensures precise, square cuts. The jaws clamp securely to the material being cut and self-lock to prevent loosening. Jaw extensions snap into place to hold smaller materials.

To promote accuracy, an integrated laser line indicates the center of the cut on tube and thin wall pipe. To facilitate precision, the saw passes around the perimeter of the material to be cut after the plunge cut. A feed handle is geared to prevent the operator from overrunning the cut, yet provides smooth control. The design of the cutting head creates a square cut with high quality surface finish.

In considering the market's needs, Belle also saw a demand for greater versatility.

"Most tube saw manufacturers focus on high purity and sanitary piping, which is primarily thin wall tubing. For applications that require cutting thicker wall tubing and piping or exotic materials like Inconel®, which is common in aerospace, you generally need a second machine. So, there was a market need for a more versatile tube saw," says Belle.

The newly designed tube saw can cut a wide range of tubes and pipes, ranging from 1/4" to 6" OD and 1/8" to 6" ID respectively. Its capabilities include precision cutting of thin wall stainless steel within the range of .035" to .150" (schedule 10 pipe), as well as the ability to handle challenging materials like titanium and Inconel ®.

To enhance productivity when cutting various materials, the saw comes with different blade options. Assorted blade diameters and tooth counts are available for different wall thickness and materials.

The machine increases productivity by enabling quick diameter changes without the need for tools, and it can make cuts in a single pass. The advanced tube saw demonstrates superior performance in cutting thin walls, including specialized metals such as titanium tubing, which is often brittle.

"The clamping force, plunge cut, and radial cut are very important when it comes to cutting titanium to length," says Belle. "You don't want it to tear as you are cutting."

To give mechanical contractors the freedom to use The Tube Saw anywhere, the machine is designed for use with a cordless motor but can be used with a corded motor as well. Ambidextrous interfaces provide the capability to reconfigure the tool for use on either side of the machine, accommodating both left-handed and right-handed users. This can also facilitate placement of The Tube Saw in tight spaces or against a wall.

A prevalent issue encountered with conventional tube saws is that their design leaves crucial components, such as bearings, susceptible to the fine metal particles that detach from pipes and tubes during the cutting process. The presence of even the tiniest metal fragments in the bearings not only reduces accuracy and performance, but also results in abrasive wear and damage. In some industrial environments, traditional tube saws are essentially deemed disposable in a span of six to nine months due to the ingress of metal particles into the bearings during cutting operations.

As a preventive measure, the new tube saw design incorporates sealed precision bearings to ensure smooth, accurate cuts over years of use. To increase longevity, a variable speed motor provides cutting speed control for long blade life and material finish. Hard anodized coatings throughout the machine components provide corrosion protection and robustness for harsh environments.

In today's high-pressure industrial landscape, precision tube and thin wall pipe cutting plays a crucial role in various sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing. For this industry, as well as the mechanical contractors that install high purity pipe and tube, the use of a meticulously engineered tube saw that offers enhanced precision, reliability, flexibility, and longevity can significantly enhance both quality and productivity.

For more info, contact Tri Tool Technologies at phone: (888) 305-1337 or (916) 571-0003; or web: www.tritool.com.