Rodriguez Supplies Gears for Cutting-Edge Kongsberg Tool

Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems are utilising gears from engineering component supplier R. A. Rodriguez (UK) Limited in their new VariAngle Tool (patent pending: http://www.our-patents.info/kongsberg). R. A. Rodriguez have been supplying quality precision components to the best of UK and European manufacturing for over 50 years. Their KHK Duplex worm gears have been integral to Kongsberg's new V-notch cutting tool, that cuts any angle between 0° and 60°.

Originally founded in Norway, Kongsberg offer reliable digital cutting solutions across a range of industries, including packaging, signage, display and manufacturing markets worldwide. Their innovative tools improve the speed, safety and efficiency of their customers' production processes.

Joining Kongsberg's line of cutting systems is the VariAngle tool, which is designed to cut a range of angles into card or foam board. The tool automatically changes the cutting angle of the knife in increments of 0.5 degrees. The angle range offered by the VariAngle allows both straight cuts and V-notch cuts to be made with the same tool.

With conventional V-notch cutting solutions, users typically have to stop production to change tools or adjust the blade angle. The new VariAngle system lets manufacturers run the cutting table without the need for interventions during production. The cutting tool also eliminates the need for the operator to handle sharp cutting blades, reducing the risk of injury to workers.

"The VariAngle tool opens up design freedom and significantly increase productivity for the user," says Rune Øvereng, Manager of Mechanical Engineering and Facilities and Procurement at Kongsberg.

The highly accurate KHK Duplex worm gears are an important component of Kongsberg's cutting tool. The gears, provided by R. A. Rodriguez, are 1.5 module, 30:1 gear ratio and finished to Kongsberg's specific design.

"KHK Duplex worm gears are designed to allow adjustment of backlash down to a minimal amount without disassembly of gears, by axially shifting the worm. This enables adjustment at the point of assembly and also during the working life of the gears without changing the centre distance between the worm and worm wheel," says David Hey, Export Sales Manager for R. A. Rodriguez.

R. A. Rodriguez offer over 30,000 types of standard KHK stock gears. The gears are made in a variety of materials including carbon steel, stainless steel, brass, nylon and cast iron. They are suited to a range of applications including those that require high-speed rotation or high-precision motion, as shown by the success of the Kongsberg case.

"These gears are the perfect worm gear solution where high repeatable accuracy is required such as the VariAngle Tool or other critical applications such as rotary tables used in precision machine tools." David Hey concludes.

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