For developing a new cutting solution for vegetation management that is safer, less energy intensive and more durable, JAK-Metalli has been nominated for the Swedish Steel Prize 2018.
The Swedish Steel Prize is awarded annually to recognize the most innovative design utilizing high-performance steel. JAK-Metalli Oy, from Finland, is one of the four finalists for this year’s prize, which will be awarded during a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden on May 24. The award ceremony is part of a three-day event where hundreds of international participants will take part in seminars and site visits at SSAB.
JAK-Metalli is nominated for its Spiral Cutter, a unique cutter head with a modular design for clearing vegetation from roadsides, city parks and bike lanes. It operates at an incredibly low 175 revolutions per minute, opposed to 1,500 revolutions per minute with traditional chain crushers. This means extremely low energy consumption and operational costs, as well as an overall safer work environment.
“The goal was to develop a better way to cut grass and small trees with as little force and power as possible. We saw that we could achieve this with a design that cuts like a scissor rather than crushing,” explains Kimmo Tossavainen, Development Manager at JAK-Metalli.
The inventive JAK Spiral Cutter blade benefits from laser cut geometries of wear-resistant steel for a maximized wear lifetime. To keep weight to a minimum, high-strength steel was used in the cutting arm.
“We are focused on providing a solution that is far more durable than traditional chain cutters. During the development process, we calculated that wear-resistant steel would be the correct material to use. Without it, the Spiral Cutter would not have been realized. The material allows for a lightweight design and is durable as well as strong,” explains Tossavainen.
The Swedish Steel Prize jury’s motivation for selecting JAK-Metalli as a finalist for the Swedish Steel Prize 2018 is:
JAK-Metalli has invented a unique cutting principle for the cleansing of roadside vegetation that provides a much more controlled operation for small trees than conventional chain crushers. The innovative design utilizes the potential of high-strength and wear-resistant steel. This has resulted in a lightweight cutter head that allows for high productivity and a safer work environment, combined with extremely low energy consumption as well as operational costs.
