SpaltFix S-376

The saw rocker is solid, fitted with two ball-bearings and made from high-quality fine-grain steel – ensuring maximum stability, smooth running and a long service life – even under continuous load. The feed rate of the 900 mm diameter Widia saw blade is powered by a hydraulic cylinder, ensuring both powerful and controlled operation. The tension of the 4-groove v-belt drive can be adjusted fast and easily – with minimal effort – thanks to a handy adjustment plate with two tensioning screws and an easy-to-open protective cover. To ensure reliable power transmission, the solid saw shaft (diameter 45 mm) is mounted in two robust cast housing bearings. Two return springs ensure that the saw blade returns automatically – fast, safely and with minimal maintenance. For added stability and guidance during cutting, two adjustable wooden side guides are fitted, which reliably stabilise the saw blade. At the point where the Widia circular saw blade might come into contact with the machine frame, wear-resistant aluminium inserts are fitted to protect the blade; these can be easily replaced if necessary. The correct tool for changing the saw blade is included as standard and is mounted on the machine, ready to hand.

The modern control unit features a high-resolution display for showing machine information and changing various system settings. A rotary dial with pressure and touch functions (TouchEncoder) allows fast and easy access to the following menu items: Display of operating data: - Saw blade speed, - Daily hour counter (resettable), - Total hour counter, - Hydraulic oil temperature, - ‘Secure Mode’: The protective cover over the splitting area or the gap blade cover is open – ‘Secure Mode Open’: Emergency stop has been actuated; the maintenance cover can be opened; - rotation field detection to prevent the electric motor from rotating in the wrong direction; - Software version. Displays and settings: - Hydraulic pressure gauge with adjustable maximum pressure to protect the system, - Cut delay for a continuous workflow, even with thinner pieces of timber, - Selection of timber type to optimise the SawControl function. Display and setting options for the optional special equipment: - Automatic blade adjustment (can be enabled or disabled), - Cut length display, - Daily solid cubic meter counter (resettable), - Total solid cubic meter counter, - Daily loose volume metre counter (resettable), - Total loose volume metre counter, with conversion factor setting.

To ensure that your logs are positioned perfectly for the splitting process after being fed into the machine, the splitting channel is designed with a 10° incline. This ensures that the wood is automatically in the correct position and does not tip over. In addition, high-quality split-trough liners with energy-absorbing damping plates are fitted. These effectively reduce the likelihood of pieces of wood bouncing back and reliably prevent short sections from tipping over or slipping in the splitting chute. This means the operator needs to intervene manually in the splitting process less often – saving time whilst also improving process reliability and ease of use.

The automatic splitting process starts with just a single movement of the joystick. The Autospeed function, integrated into the Compact valve block, performs fully automatic adjustment of the splitting speed to the required splitting force – ensuring maximum efficiency during every splitting process. Thanks to the intelligent control system with three integrated sensors (without any mechanical switching elements), the process is controlled entirely electronically – without the need for any manual adjustment or replacement of components prone to wear. The pressure piece moves automatically to the splitting blade, splits the wood and then returns automatically to its starting position – precisely, reliably and with minimal maintenance. For shorter lengths of timber (e. . 25 cm in length or shorter), the short-stroke function can be activated using a rotary switch on the control panel. This limits the splitting stroke to 40 cm, which significantly reduces the cycle time – ideal for increased output and noticeable time savings. If the splitting stroke is reduced, some split pieces of wood may remain in the blade area and prevent splitting blade adjustment downwards. To adjust the height, a full splitting stroke is required to ensure that the knife is free to move again. For even greater efficiency when working with short pieces of timber, the short stroke length can also be adjusted: By adjusting the sensor position, the stroke can be reduced to suit individual requirements – for maximum time savings whilst maintaining consistent gap quality. Available as an optional feature: Automatic blade adjustment with integrated log diameter measurement. The diameter is measured automatically at each section. If a difference of 3 cm or more is detected, the system triggers an automatic full splitting stroke – without any operator intervention.

The adjustable longitudinal stop ensures that the trunks are all the same length – without having to keep checking the measurement marks. In conjunction with the hydraulic clearance mechanism, the stop is automatically moved away from the trunk before the cut begins, to prevent the saw or the timber from becoming jammed. The stop can be adjusted to 20, 25, 30, 33, 35, 40, 45 or 50 cm tool-free in a matter of seconds. This means that the desired cutting length can be adjusted flexibly at any time – without any loss of time. For offcuts that are too short to reach the stop, there are clearly visible length markings on the rear panel to the left of the saw blade. This means that even the final section can be aligned manually with ease and precision, or cut to the required length.

Thanks to the optimised hydraulic system, which features a high-performance triple-stage grey cast iron pump, two separate hydraulic circuits can be operated efficiently and simultaneously. This means that, during the splitting process, other tasks – such as sawing at the same time – can be carried out without any loss of performance. A space-saving compact valve block with an integrated Autospeed function ensures that the speed of the splitter is adjusted automatically, reducing cycle time and thereby increasing productivity. The internally routed channels significantly reduce the risk of leakage, which not only improves operational safety but also minimises maintenance requirements. The integrated multi-valve block with additional functions, combined with a joystick control system, also enables precise operation of all hydraulic functions – intuitively and conveniently. A high-quality return filter reliably protects the entire system from contamination and thus plays a key role in ensuring the longevity of all components. Four hydraulic couplings also ensure maximum flexibility, allowing the optional longitudinal and transverse conveyors to be connected fast and easily. To facilitate maintenance work, all hydraulic components are labelled and clearly documented in the hydraulic diagram and the spare parts list.

The large protective cover over the splitting area allows easy, tool-free access to the pressure piece and the adjustable longitudinal stop. Thanks to an integrated gas spring, the cover is easy to open and stays securely in the open position. An 8- -mm-thick polycarbonate panel ensures a clear view of the work area, protects against chips and, at the same time, guarantees a high level of safety at work. To ensure ergonomic handling, the arrangement of the pivot point of the protective cover has been such that, when opened, it swings upwards rather than towards the operator. In addition, the position of the gas spring can be adjusted individually, so that the opening width can be tailored to the operator’s height. The cover over the splitting blade can also be easily lifted to allow a blade change. Both the protective cover over the splitting area and the cover for the splitting blade are equipped with safety limit switches: If a cover is opened, all hazardous machine movements stop automatically. To ensure fast and easy maintenance, there is a large protective cover on the rear of the machine which can be opened tool-free. Behind this, all the key components – such as the saw blade, V-belt, gearbox, lubrication points and oil cooler – are easily accessible. An integrated safety limit switch with an interlock ensures that the cover cannot be opened whilst the saw blade is running – for maximum safety during operation.

The hold-down device holds the trunk securely against the rear wall of the cutting range – directly in front of the saw blade. This ensures that the timber remains securely fixed throughout the entire sawing process. Mounted on a rotatable bearing in the feed area, the hold-down device closes automatically via a hydraulic cylinder before the sawing process begins and presses the trunk securely against the saw with even pressure. Robust ridges on the contact surface provide additional grip and reliably prevent the wood from twisting or slipping. The result: No slippage, no dead travel, significantly shorter cutting times – and thus full utilisation of the maximum cutting diameter.

To ensure that even shorter pieces of timber can be sawn safely and precisely without them tipping into the kerf as they are fed through, the hydraulic wood flap is automatically swung upwards when the saw feed is activated via the joystick. It serves as an additional support for the trunk. When the saw feed is activated, the wood flap swings down automatically, reducing the risk of jamming during sawing, particularly with curved trunks. After sawing, the piece of timber falls directly into the splitting chute by gravity.

Available as an optional model for the 4- or 5-metre articulated conveyor belt, this model allows the conveyor belt to be swivelled hydraulically by 12° to the left or right. Depending on the strap length, the lateral adjustment range is ± 0.7 m (for a 4 m strap) or ± 0.9 m (for a 5 m strap). The swivel function can be used to its full extent regardless of the length of the logs and allows the ejection direction to be adjusted flexibley, e. . to fill larger containers or trailers evenly, or to switch between several containers without having to reposition them. The control system is conveniently controlled via a lever located directly on the control panel.

To minimise the need for blade changes, MULTI splitting blades are available in various combinations of the number of logs, enabling efficient processing of wood diameters of varying sizes. This means that small diameters can be halved between sections, medium diameters can be split into 3 or 4 pieces depending on the blade design, and larger diameters can be split into 6 or 7 pieces – all without needing a blade change! In the solid knife frame, the cutting edges are arranged in a staggered pattern along the splitting direction, so that they do not split at the same time. The vertical cutting edge causes the piece of wood to be split before it then comes into contact with the other side cutters. This significantly reduces the splitting force required. Between the two parts of the splitting blade, the vertical main cutting edge splits even thinner pieces of wood into two. All main and side cutting edges are double-edged, so that the splitting process can better follow the grain of the wood, which also results in fewer splinters. The well-designed frame construction prevents the wood from becoming jammed between the knife and the machine frame. This prevents jamming and ensures that the frame blade remains height-adjustable at all times. The splitting blade is equipped with four brass plates and two plastic blocks, which ensure it is guided perfectly within the machine frame. The hydraulic blade adjustment selects the appropriate blade section from the MULTI blade set, tailored to the log diameter and the number of logs. Thanks to an integrated lifting point, the MULTI splitting blade can be easily replaced using a lifting tool once the fastening on the blade adjustment cylinder has been loosened.

The integrated SawControl function uses a sensor fitted directly to the saw shaft to monitor the saw blade’s speed in real time and automatically controls the feed rate. An indicator light on the control panel shows whether the saw blade speed is within the optimum range or not. A minimum speed must be reached before the sawing process can even begin. If the speed falls below this limit whilst sawing, the operation is automatically interrupted. At the same time, the saw blade is pulled back slightly by return springs – this allows the speed to increase fast again, and the sawing process continues automatically. If, however, the maximum permissible speed is exceeded, the machine will stop. This reliably prevents the saw from becoming overloaded, ensures safe operation and extends the machine’s service life.

Industrial-standard control electronics with a standard control voltage of 24 V and the following functions: - Monitoring of the saw blade speed and control of the saw feed (“SawControl”). This prevents power surges or the saw becoming overloaded. - Monitoring of the safety circuit: The protective guards, which can be opened tool-free, are equipped with a safety limit switch to ensure maximum convenience and operational safety. - Control system for the splitter using a solenoid valve: Three sensors detect the position of the pressure piece: Retracted, short-stroke position and extended. Ensures low-wear operation, as no mechanical components are fitted. - Continuous sensor-based monitoring of key system parameters such as pressure, oil temperature and saw blade speed; a warning on the control panel if limit values are exceeded; and automatic shutdown in the event of overload. - Automatic splitting blade adjustment, including timber volume estimation as an option: Once the log diameter has been determined automatically by the sensors, the splitting blade is automatically positioned centrally in relation to each piece of timber. This ensures that the quality of the timber remains consistent at all times. Communication with the control system takes place via the TouchEncoder. To facilitate maintenance work, all electrical components are labelled and clearly documented in the circuit diagram and the spare parts list.

Thanks to its well-thought-out design, the V-belt pulleys are located outside the SpaltFix’s base frame. This makes it easy to change the V-belts without the need for fiddly threading.