Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a stress relieved length of steel having an oxidised surface layer includes: a heating chamber; a reaction chamber coupled to the heating chamber; and a conveying mechanism conveying the length of steel along a path through the heating chamber and reaction chamber. The heating chamber includes a heating apparatus arranged to heat the length of steel in a heating portion of the path. The apparatus further includes a control means including a sealed unit defined by the heating chamber and the reaction chamber and arranged to control both the temperature of the length of steel and the atmosphere to which the length of steel is exposed in an oxidisation portion of the path within the reaction chamber in which the oxidised surface layer is formed. A method of manufacturing a stress relieved length of steel having an oxidised surface layer is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method (100) of producing toothed blades from a strip material (200, 250) is disclosed. The method (100) comprises: cutting the strip material using combined laser cutting (102a) and mechanical machining (104a) or using waterjet cutting (102b) to form a plurality of teeth in an edge of the strip material (200, 250), wherein the cutting is controlled to cut each of the teeth using a flexible programmable geometry. A toothed blade production line (300, 400) arranged to produce toothed blades from a strip material using the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for manufacturing a stress relieved length of steel having an oxidised surface layer is disclosed. The apparatus (100) comprises: a heating chamber (102); a reaction chamber (104) coupled to the heating chamber (102); and a conveying mechanism arranged to convey the length of steel along a path through the heating chamber (102) and reaction chamber (104). The heating chamber (102) comprises a heating apparatus arranged to heat the length of steel in a heating portion (110) of the path. The apparatus (100) further comprises a control means comprising a sealed unit defined by the heating chamber (102) and the reaction chamber (104). The control means is arranged to control both the temperature of the length of steel and the atmosphere to which the length of steel is exposed in an oxidisation portion (112) of the path within the reaction chamber (104) in which the oxidised surface layer is formed.

Abstract: A method (100) of producing toothed blades from a strip material is disclosed. The method (100) comprises: laser cutting (102) the strip material to form a plurality of teeth in an edge of the strip material; and mechanically machining (104) the strip material to remove at least part of a heat-affected portion of the edge resulting from the laser cutting. A toothed blade production line (400; 500) arranged to produce toothed blades from a strip material is also disclosed.