Tuesday, April 18, 2017

The Shipping Department

Alcon Post #11

Department Highlight

Alcon has a very busy shipping department, with finished parts being packaged and shipped daily to customers all over the world. The first stop for many of our parts is the laser engraver, where we add our logo and identification numbers for future re-identification and easier ordering of replacement parts. We also offer custom engraving depending on the customer's needs.

Our laser engraving station

Here at Alcon we take steps to make sure your newly manufactured product reaches your company free from damage and rust. To combat the challenges of nature we apply rust preventative and, for many knives, apply an edge guard that ensures the cutting edge is unblemished upon arrival. We also frequently skin pack parts before shipment. Skin packing allows for cleaner boxing and increased stability while in transit.

Before skin packed

After skin packed

We work with all major carriers on a daily basis, allowing the flexibility necessary to send your parts to you how and when you would you like. When you place your order with us, let us know what shipping options you require and we will do the rest!

For more information about the shipping department, visit our YouTube channel (link provided below) or visit our website to contact us with individual questions.

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

(330) 773-9171

Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Hydraulic Hose Blade

Alcon Post #10

Tool Highlight

Hydraulic hose blade

The Hydraulic Hose Blade is used by manufacturers and distributors to cut reinforced hose to length as required for shipment in bulk or as needed for specific pieces of hydraulically powered equipment. In the case of distributors, they would generally attach a fitting to each end of the hose. Due to the high pressure hydraulic fluid that is used in today's equipment, the hoses need to be reinforced with either a fabric, many times Kevlar (a DuPont product), high-strength steel wire, or both. This presents an extremely difficult application for any steel cutting blade.

To accomplish this difficult task, Alcon manufactures its Hose Cut-off blades from M-2 High Speed Steel, many times with a scalloped edge as shown above. M-2 has the best combination of toughness, wear resistance, and hardness that allows the blade to remain sharp and durable within the harshest cutting environments (cutting rubber, Kevlar, and steel). The scallop pattern provides a sawing action that produces a clean cut while minimizing cutting residue.

Click the link below to visit us on our YouTube channel to view the video about Hydraulic Hose Blades:

Hydraulic Hose Blade Video

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

(330) 773-9171

Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Calender Knives

Alcon Post #9

Tool Highlight

367 Calender Knife

Tire, rubber, and polymer producing companies use calender knives (see picture above, and Item 5 in schematic at the bottom) in the early stages of rubber or polymer production. After the polymer material is mixed to the required chemistry, it is next run through a calender to reduce the thickness to finished, or near finished thickness, using two or more horizontal cylindrical rolls. Calender knives are used to cut a strip of rubber or polymer from the roll for further processing downstream. Because the cylindrical rolls are expensive, the knives are sacrificed to prevent scoring (or grooving) the rolls. The knives are designed to be softer than the rolls and do not rotate. Rotation would promote scoring. Hence the need for pinholes in most calender knives. The knives are supplied sharp and as they become dull a "flat" is produced on the edge that becomes the bearing surface. As each blade becomes too dull to cut, the blade is unbolted from the handle (Item 4), indexed or rotated by hand to the next available sharp spot, and re-bolted to the handle.

2400-3 Calender Knife Carrier

Shown above is the calender knife carrier (also Item 3 in the schematic sketch below). The carrier performs several duties. It is adjustable along the calender bar (Item 2), supports the handle (Item 4), that carries the knife (Item 5) and contains the pressure adjusting the screw (Item 7). As shown in the schematic, the knife contacts the calender roll below the center of the roll. This aides in keeping the knife in the cut.

Calender Knife Bar Assembly - from our catalog

View a video about calender knives on our YouTube channel by clicking on the link: Calender Knife YouTube Video

If you have any questions, please call our customer service department at (330) 773-9171.

Our catalog options shown on our website:

Alcon's Calender Knives Selection & Custom Ordering

565 Lafollette St, Akron, OH 44311

(330) 773-9171

Visit our website at www.alcontool.com

YouTube: Alcon Tool Company

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Sleeves & Slitters

Alcon Post #8

Tool Highlight

Sleeve - inside view

Sleeve - outside view

Sleeves and slitters work together to reduce -or, in industry terminology, "convert"- wide rolls of material into narrower strips. Generally, the material from the original roll is unwinds, travels over a shaft mounted with sleeves, is slit (cut), then rewound onto cores for use by the end customer/consumer. Materials that involve this method of cutting include thin paper, film, and foil.

The slitter (knives) are mounted in holders that accommodate bearings allowing the slitter to walk along the rotating sleeve. Slitters cut with pressure through a radiused edge. While a sharp edge would ship quickly, producing a jagged cut as well as scoring of the sleeve, a radiused edge performs optimally for clean, consistent cutting performance.

Sleeves require a higher hardness than the slitters thereby sacrificing the less-expensive slitter, which can be easily replaced and/or resharpened. Replacing dull knives with properly radiused ones takes only minutes while replacing entire sleeves that need reconditioned can require hours or days in total.

All Alcon sleeves are through-hardened, which permits regrinding. Regrinding extends the life of the sleeve itself which means savings for your company. Eventually, all sleeves need to be reground due to the scoring (or grooving) of the sleeves. Alcon can perform this service as well and return the sleeve surface to its original condition and can match a set of sleeves to the same diameter within .001-inch.

To achieve optimal tool life and cutting profile, and to best-fit the specific cutting application, slitters can be manufactured from a variety of steels and materials. Alcon is prepared and capable of producing the slitters that you need to the exact specifications that you require.