No More Fingers Cut Off! The New Bosch Reaxx Table Saw Can Tell Flesh from Wood

Source: Robert Bosch Tool Corporation

Construction sites are fraught with safety risks, especially those equipped with dangerous tools such as table saws, where losing a finger can take place suddenly in a matter of split seconds. Bosch, a leader in the construction industry, has come up with a new portable table saw they call REAXX^TM, which can tell flesh from wood with its flesh-detecting Active Response Technology^TM.

This new table saw will enhance jobsite safety by avoiding messy accidents. Once flesh is detected, the blade will drop out of the way. Although this type of safety technology already exists, Bosch's innovation lies in the combination of increased safety and the efficiency of the tool.

The SawStop system halts the blade once the difference in conductivity between wood and flesh has been detected. The major drawback of this technique is the potential for the brake to ruin the blade. The Bosch Active Response Technology, meanwhile, spots wayward fingers and, instead of stopping the blade, releases a piston immediately pushing the blade aside and dropping it below the tabletop. In this circumstance, it takes mere seconds to reset the blade and the working process is not adversely affected by this minor set-back.

The Bosch Company's experience dates back more than a century ago, and its products have acquired a reputation of high quality, superb design and excellence of performance. The North American Power Tools Division of the Robert Bosch Tool Co. was established in 2003 and soon became the global leader in power tool production, trade and design.

Like the majority of large global market players, the Robert Bosch Co. not only grew by introducing innovations and new product lines, but also by acquiring companies engaged in the industry. Recently, two companies merged with the Robert Bosch Co.: Sia Abrasives, a Swiss company specializing in sandpaper and other abrasives, as well as Freud, an Italian company manufacturing cutting tools, such as saw blades, router bits and shaper cutters.

Robert Bosch's recent acquisition of Freud was a shrewd move, as Italy is one of the leaders in the global trade of machine tools for working wood. Last year, Italy exported 288 thousand units of machine tools for working wood totaling 1,331 million USD, 5% over the previous year. Its primary trading partner was Poland, where it supplied 8% of its total exports of machine tools for working wood in value terms, accounting for 45% of Poland's total imports.

From 2007 to 2014, Italy was a net exporter of machine tools for working wood. Over this period, exports consistently exceeded imports in value terms. However, in physical terms, the difference was less pronounced.

Germany and China were among the other main global suppliers of machine tools for working wood in 2014. The fastest growing exporters from 2007 to 2014 were China (+14% per year) and Poland (+9% per year). China, by virtue of this sustained growth, was able to significantly strengthen its position in the global export structure.

Italy's top 5 trading partners in 2014 were Poland, the U.S., France, Germany and the United Kingdom, with a combined 35% share of Italy's exports of machine tools for working wood. The share of Poland increased modestly (+4 percentage points), while the share of Germany illustrated dropped imperceptibly (-1 percentage points).

Source: World: Machine-Tools For Working Wood - Market Report. Analysis and Forecast to 2020