Pneumatic Tooling

Swanstrom Tools USA designs and manufactures pneumatic tools for commercial and industry markets. We serve the plastics and industrial manufacturing sectors, with hardworking tools and cylinders built for years of continuous operation. Pneumatic cutting tools outperform traditional manual tools by providing more force, cutting power, and precision for a range of applications. They also reduce fatigue and repetitive stress for workers thanks to ergonomic design features. Learn more about the unique capabilities and benefits of our pneumatic cutters.

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Pneumatic Tools for Plastic Processing

Manual plastic cutting and trimming operations cause worker fatigue that can lead to errors or slower cycle times. Swanstrom’s pneumatic cutters solve these problems by removing the hand tool from the operators hands. Our pneumatic blades, forged from high carbon high chromium steel, are designed for plastic processing, cutting, and trimming tasks at high volumes.

Our pneumatic cutters feature induction hardened edges and joints for quick response movement. Pneumatic tools offer many benefits over manual degating, including:

• Lightweight and compact design that reduces hand fatigue and wrist strain.
• More control directing and cutting due to the lighter weight and easier handling.
• More accurate cuts in precision molding and trimming applications to meet customer quality requirements.
• Research-backed reduction of injury risk.

Swanstrom’s in-house design team can also develop tools and modular configurations for unique or specialized applications.

Blade and Cylinder Configurations

Swanstrom has developed high-performance options for different tasks throughout the plastics and industrial manufacturing industries. Our modular tooling options accommodate different blade and cylinder selections:

• Blade Profiles: Angle, flush, notch, and straight for applications such as curve cuts, gate trimming, and sprue removal.
• Cylinder Options: Series of choices from compact 05/10 models to heavy-duty 30/50 models that can deliver up to 850 pounds of force in every cut.
• Customized Setup: Interchangeable heads, rebuild kits, mounting brackets, and custom guarding.

Each model can support manual and automated cutting processes because they are compatible with either handheld jigs or robotic end-of-arm-tooling systems.

Reduce Fatigue and Boost Productivity

Compressed air provides a significant power boost so operators use less manual force in their wrists, hands, and elbows. Over the course of a shift or a production run, this results in lower hand strain and a reduced risk of workplace injuries from repetitive motion or cumulative trauma disorders. What’s more, because our tools are lighter, they are more maneuverable, easier to hold, and facilitate better grip control. Our pneumatic tools are also very easy to maintain.

Pneumatic power also standardizes cutting strokes, which means speed and strike rate is consistent for better performance. Controlled stroke mechanisms and automatic rests also reduce human error, minimize safety incidents, and deliver higher-quality results.

These advantages benefit all workers, but they carry even more benefits for injection molding production teams who need to make high-volume cuts with extreme accuracy. Manufacturers see additional benefits, such as:

• Higher throughput and greater productivity.
• More consistent part quality, repeatability, and customer satisfaction.
• Less downtime due to manual processes, breakage, rework protocols, or safety incidents.

Built for Injection Molding Applications

Pneumatic cutters can support virtually all industrial manufacturing environments, but they are especially advantageous for injection molding operations. They are suitable for many common injection molding tasks including deflashing, gate trimming, and sprue removal, which require operators to precisely cut away excess material. Swanstrom Tools creates innovative designs for our different markets, and we continually refine our pneumatic cutters to meet the needs of injection molding teams.

Features that matter for these applications include:

• Non-reactive blade materials that are compatible with mold release agents, lubricants, oils, and plastic material, for long-term performance.
• Consistent actuation through pneumatic cylinders.
• Compact and durable tool bodies built for high-impact and high-volume applications.
• Control features that minimize misfires, stroke failure, or human error.
• Flexible options that work with manual and automated processes.

With these features, contract manufacturers and OEMs can easily use Swanstrom pneumatic cutters for custom trimming and in finishing stations.

Pneumatic Cutting Tools for Industry by Swanstrom Tools

Swanstrom Tools has been a trusted name for decades. We put our 35 years of hand tool expertise to work so plastics manufacturing teams can use pneumatic cutters instead of heavy and fatiguing traditional cutters. We use ergonomic design and pneumatic shear data to develop tools with the right blade geometry, cylinders, and custom features for every job. Contact us today to learn more about our selection of pneumatic cutters, serviceable components, rebuild kits, and custom tool-making capabilities for manual or automated work.