In the construction business, it is essential to get equipment that is easy to use, move, and hopefully less-than-likely to bite. Equipped with Bosch’s Active Response Technology, first introduced in the Bosch Brute Tough™ hammer drill/drivers, the GTS1041A ReaXX portable jobsite table saw meets those specifications.
As innovative as the company is, Bosch also relies on the table saw’s first line of defense—a modular blade guard called the Smart Guard System. “It is the same guard we have on our tools today, that’s one of the very few components that wasn’t changed or manipulated,” says Craig Wilson, product specialist for the Bosch ReaXX. In cases where a user may have removed the Smart Guard System to execute non-through cuts, the supplementary protection of the Active Response Technology is in place.
ACTIVE RESPONSE TECHNOLOGY
How does it work? There is a sensor plate parallel to the blade. The Active Response Technology injury mitigation system monitors for change in the detection plate signal caused by an operator contacting the blade. Some materials, such as aluminum veneered plywood, may mimic this effect. And metal, metal foil composite, or wet lumber will cause the system to react if cut. The onboard electronics constantly run diagnostics and complex algorithms evaluating the objects.
So, what would happen if a user contacted the blade? “When human flesh touches the blade, an electrical charge, which is imparted onto the saw blade, is altered such that the saw knows there has been abnormal contact with the blade. The REAXX Jobsite Table Saw then immediately drops the blade away from the user, mitigating any severe injury to the user,” says Wilson, explaining just how serious the safety measure is.
Now you’ve touched the blade, it’s dropped, and you’ve fired a cartridge. Time to reset it. It’ll only take about 60 seconds. Each cartridge is a two-shot cartridge with one in the active position at all times. After firing once, rotate the activation cartridge to switch the inactive cartridge to the active position. All the tools and instructions are located onboard the saw for ease and convenience.
LED LIGHTS? THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT
The ReaXX has a series of LED lights: green, red, blue, and yellow. Green is easy; the saw is ready for use. Red is a user correctable error; “That would be something as simple as having the switch in the on position when plug[ing] in [the saw],” says Wilson. Blue means the saw requires service. Yellow? Yellow is bypass mode.
The sensor on the ReaXX detects skin by measuring the electrical properties of the human body. “There are materials out there—one of which is aluminum veneer plywood—that can essentially mimic those electrical properties that the human body has. Really, what the saw is looking for is a signal that’s representative of the human body; it’s different than what it detects from the vast majority of wood or other materials,” says Wilson. For this reason, the user can utilize the bypass switch—in which case the yellow LED would come on—to bypass the system.
Of course, if you ever have questions or concerns, you can always consult the app. Bosch’s Near Field Communication (NFC) app allows the user to get additional information, data, and statistics in order to help understand the system. “What we want to do is avoid the kind of confusion that can easily happen. We want it to be intuitive. Instead of an LED screen, we thought it would be easier to communicate that information to a user on a phone and be able to harvest that data for use,” says Wilson.
A STANDOUT SAW
The biggest question might not be about the safety feature on the Bosch ReaXX, but about the saw itself. After all, it is a tool meant for use. How does it stand up to its predecessors and competition? Wilson was quick to comment on that; “I think one of the unsung elements of the saw is that it is a fantastic saw. We put a lot of effort into ensuring that we’re not only focused on one feature of the saw that we hope the users really don’t have to use, as much as we’re focused on the precision and portability of the saw on and off the jobsite. We maintain our heritage in portability and precision.”
The Bosch GTS1041A ReaXX doesn’t just stop at portability, though. The Bosch team has made a significant effort into making sure users get precision with every use. “From a precision standpoint, it’s really in-the-shop-precision on the jobsite, so we put additional effort into the rip fence squareness to ensure that the users have a very good experience with the tool. This tool, similar to our other jobsite saws, has gone through extensive testing to ensure that, not only are the safety elements of the saw the best in the industry, but that we’re offering the market a highly durable, portable, and precise saw as well.” ■
For More Information:  Bosch manufactures and markets automotive OE and aftermarket products, industrial drives and control technology, power tools, security and communication systems, packaging technology, thermotechnology, household appliances, healthcare telemedicine, and software solutions. For more, visit www.bosch.com.
_________________________________________________________________________
Modern Contractor Solutions, July 2015
Did you enjoy this article?
Subscribe to the FREE Digital Edition of Modern Contractor Solutions magazine.
BUTTON_ClickHere