Stalled Cutters, Blades Spread Apart?

It is 3am and you are on the scene of a MVA with a single occupant trapped in a late model Subaru that has the passenger side of the vehicle resting against the right shoulder wall. Your rescue company makes quick work of stabilizing the vehicle and negating any hazards. The windshield is removed and a firefighter positions the hydraulic cutters at the top of the B-Pillar to make the first cut. What are some signs that you should be looking for as the cutter starts the cut? If your cutters encounter Boron or other UHSS that cannot be cut, watch out for the blades to spread apart as the tool stalls out. The moment you notice the blades start to separate, stop cutting and reposition the cutters on a different area of the B-Pillar. Many late model vehicles use tailored blanks to stamp out sheet metal parts. A tailored blank has varying thicknesses throughout the entire part.  So you could easily go from a thickness of 1.8MM to 1.0MM within a few inches. Just remember, if your cutters stalled on a thick part it may still cut through a different part of the Pillar.

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  1. 0300hrs this morning, 2006 F150 four door cab on drivers side, entrapment. Broke a blade on our Amkus AMK 22 cutter while attempting to cut the B post… a few different positions, angles. Made the cut with a sawzall/ demo blade. The sawzall blade teeth melted, but made the cut. Tough job..understand we are the first nationwide to break a blade on the Amkus tool. Metallurgist report will be interesting.

    Chief Frank Rizzio
    Pea Ridge Fire Department
    Pea Ridge AR