Since SawStop was first introduced on the market in 2004, over 6,000 saved fingers have been recorded. Split seconds that could have resulted in life-changing injuries were reduced to small scratches by this ingenious innovation.
The pioneering technology is designed to prevent serious injuries when operating table saws. Put simply, SawStop detects contact with skin, and stops the blade within milliseconds!
How SawStop Works
1. Monitor & Detect
SawStop consists of a cartridge that is connected to the saw blade and emits a light electrical signal of 12V 200 kHz which is continuously monitored by the safety system.
When skin contacts the blade, the signal changes because the human body is conductive.
Whoa, back up Einstein, what do you mean by “the human body is conductive?”
Conductors are things that an electric charge can easily flow through. For example metal and, fortunately (in this one case) the human body. This is because the human body is mostly water, plus salts, minerals and a whole bunch of other stuff that makes that water very conductive to electricity.
Once skin is detected, the change to the signal activates the safety system.
2. Brake Activation
The safety system consists of a powerful brake system, which springs into the spinning blade, stopping it in less than 5 milliseconds!
The blade’s angular momentum drives it beneath the table, removing the risk of subsequent contact.
Additionally, power to the motor is shut off.
3. Reset
Resetting the saw is easy. Simply replace the blade and brake cartridge and your saw is operational. The entire reset process only takes minutes.
Festool SawStop
SawStop is now in the more than capable (fully-fingered) hands of Festool. They have applied this ground-breaking technology to their TKS 80 SawStop Table Saw.
Festool has always had a sterling reputation for safety, but this table saw takes it to the next level.
Contact our experts today for more information or a demo. After all, the next finger it saves could be yours.
BONUS
Also, check out Festool’s TSC 55K, and its improved safety with the unique kickback stop. The kickback is the most common cause of serious injuries when using a plunge-cut saw. Festool’s unique kickback stop stops the saw blade in the blink of an eye, not only protecting your workpiece but also minimising the risk of injury to your hands.
