Mustafa Karan, General Manager of KARAN Machinery, the developer of Multiwire Multi Wire Cutting Machine, which is a new technology in the natural stone sector, answered our questions about the advantages of the product, technical features, ease of installation and operation, staff shortage solution and new orders.
When and where was your company established?
It was founded on 09.01.1971 in Bursa.
Where and on what area was your factory established?
Our company, which was first established as a small workshop by Enver Karan in Bursa, moved to the organised industrial zone in 1981 and now has a closed area of 5500 m2.
Could you briefly introduce your new product Multiwire Multiple Wire Cutting Machine?
After ST machines used for cutting sized strips in natural stone production and Gangsaw machines used for cutting slabs, Multi Wire plate cutting machines called Multi Wire, which use diamond cutting wires developed especially for granite plants in the last 15-20 years, have been rapidly included in natural stone production. As KARAN machinery, we have seen that the sector will quickly turn towards this new technology in our country and we have accelerated our production activities in this direction. Thanks to multi-wire cutting machines, it is possible to produce slabs not only from natural stone blocks, but also from rubble that can be sized in ST machines.
The most critical feature of our multi-wire machines we have developed is that they have technologies that will ensure the most efficient operation of polymer-coated diamond cutting wires used in cutting. Although the high cutting speed mainly depends on the quality of the cutting wire, it also depends on the design and quality of our machine for the efficient and safe operation of the wire. For this reason, we have received very important support from HARTEK, the manufacturer of HRK diamond cutters, which has international studies and very serious R&D investments on this technology for many years, regarding the working parameters of the cutting wires and the prevention of the problems to be encountered.
Can you give information about the technical specifications you have developed for Multiwire Cutting Machine?
As a machine manufacturer in wire cutting technology, we have produced machines that work with a triangular model system that allows the wire to rotate with less bending to increase the breaking resistance of the wires. This system prevents premature wire breaks due to fatigue compared to other models. While the existing wires make the rotation movement over the flywheels, they make molecular breaks that are invisible to the eye. The movement occurs hundreds of thousands of times a day. Invisible hairline cracks become unable to carry the strength after a while and cause rupture. For this reason, while the old system works between 4 flywheels, the new system works between 3 flywheels and fracture is minimised. Our researches and test studies have supported this theory, and therefore mobilised us to produce a triangular model.
First of all, we designed our first machine for cutting thick stones that can be arranged with 5 wires and 10 cm intervals. Now we have produced a 36 wire model that can cut 2 cm. It can use 5.3 mm and 6.3 mm thick wires. We subjected the machine to a 6-month trial and test run by creating suitable working conditions in the garden of our factory. During this time, we identified system control deficiencies and mechanical deficiencies and made the necessary transformations. We subjected each of our transformations to working tests again. We brought marble and granite blocks from different regions and subjected granite and marble blocks in different local conditions to aggressive cutting trials.
The most important feature of our machine is the independent operation and independent tensioning of the wires during the drive of the wires. The tensions are controlled very precisely in a digital environment, and the system positions itself accordingly by feeling the tension differences that occur during operation.
What are the advantages of this product for the users?
The most important advantages for our customers are production speed (reducing overhead costs corresponding to square metres by making more production per unit time), cutting stones of different hardnesses with the same machine (marble, travertine, basalt, granite, gabbro, etc.), saving electricity, cutting stones with cracks that cannot be cut in machines such as catrak and st due to impact-free operation, reducing the epoxy requirement of the product, increasing the capacity of polishing machines due to the precision of the resulting size and surface quality, and of course reducing labour costs. Undoubtedly, these items are in the class of serious expenses in the cost tables in front of every company in our sector. In this way, total production costs are significantly reduced.
What kind of technological solutions do you offer to your customers with the machine?
Our basic solution has already been mentioned above, but an important advantage is that it minimises possible personnel errors due to the automatic control of the system itself.
Can you briefly inform us about the ease of installation and operation of the Multiwire Multi Wire Cutting Machine?
One of the main privileges of Multiwire machines is that the existing infrastructure and foundation costs are much more affordable. The assembly times are shorter than that of the gangsaw machine, especially the measurement changes are fast and it has a system that minimises personnel error. While the gangsaw requires an average of 230 m3 of concrete and 20 tonnes of rebar, the Multiple Wire Cutting Machine requires 50 m3 of concrete and 5 tonnes of rebar. Since it does not work with impact, it does not damage the foundation and balance sensitivity of the machines around it over time.
What advantages does your machine offer for companies with staff shortage?
As we mentioned in our article, a higher amount of production with less personnel. For example, 1 personnel can control 4 such machines at the same time very comfortably. In fact, the basic element is that the machine controls itself and does not leave too much work to our colleagues.
You made your first sale to Altıntaş Marble. Did you have new orders afterwards?
Our first machine, which is still working in FSM Marble Marmara Island, has 5 wires (with max. 100 mm spacing) and 2 machines with 10 wires (with max. 100 mm spacing) are working side by side in Natural Granite Bergama factory.
+90 532 585 51 95
+90 532 585 51 95