A successful rip saw installation sets up everything that follows — accurate cuts, smooth feeding, full duty-cycle performance, and a clean handoff from machinery delivery to production. The work splits naturally into two phases: the preliminary placement, alignment, and anchoring that your facility team can handle before your Mereen-Johnson technician arrives, and the commissioning, calibration, and operator training that the technician completes on-site.
In the video below, we walk you through the basic steps to install a rip saw on your end. Handling the preliminary work yourself frees up your Mereen-Johnson service technician to focus on getting the machine running and training your staff effectively — which is where the highest-value portion of the on-site visit happens.
What You’ll Learn From the Video
This walkthrough covers the preliminary installation steps every Select Rip Saw customer should complete before the factory service technician arrives. By the end of the video, you’ll know how to:
- Plan the machine’s footprint — including clearance for infeed and outfeed material handling, dust collection ductwork, electrical hookups, and operator access
- Position the saw on a properly prepared floor with the correct orientation relative to upstream and downstream equipment
- Level and align the machine to the tolerances required for accurate ripping
- Anchor the machine so it remains stable under full production loads
- Connect power, air, and dust collection to factory specifications, ready for final commissioning
- Complete pre-startup safety checks before your service technician runs the machine for the first time
Handling these steps yourself can shave a full day or more off the technician’s on-site time, freeing them to focus on calibration, integration with optimization systems like the Rip Navigator, and operator training.
Before Your Mereen-Johnson Technician Arrives
To get the most out of your factory technician’s on-site visit, complete this preparation checklist before they arrive:
- Confirm the installation location is ready. The floor should be level, clean, and prepared to accept the machine’s weight (Mereen-Johnson Select Rip Saws can weigh in excess of 6,500 lbs depending on model and configuration).
- Verify utility connections are in place. This includes electrical service at the correct voltage and phase, compressed air at the specified pressure, and dust collection ductwork sized for the machine’s CFM requirements.
- Plan material handling integration. If the saw will be integrated with infeed conveyors, the Rip Navigator Tracker, the Scout Deck, or downstream sorting equipment, confirm spacing and orientation in advance.
- Designate operators and maintenance team members who will be on-site during commissioning and training. The technician’s time is most valuable when they’re working directly with the people who’ll run and maintain the machine.
- Have a copy of the operator’s manual and any factory-provided installation documentation available for reference.
What the Mereen-Johnson Technician Handles On-Site
Once preliminary placement and connection work is complete, your factory service technician will handle the steps that require Mereen-Johnson expertise and factory-spec calibration:
- Final mechanical alignment of the arbor, feed chain, and pressure beam to factory tolerances
- Calibration of the laser alignment system (if equipped) — up to six laser lights with traveling lasers that move in sync with each shifting saw
- Pneumatic system commissioning — arbor brake function, air-loaded press rolls, air-loaded traveling shoes
- Electrical and control system verification — including the floor-mounted color touch screen operator interface, variable frequency drive setup, and any integration with optimization systems
- First-cut verification to confirm the machine is producing glue-line quality cuts within factory spec
- Operator and maintenance team training — the highest-leverage portion of the on-site visit and the part that’s hardest to skip without consequences down the line
After Installation: First 90 Days
The first three months after installation set the maintenance baseline for the life of your machine. During this period:
- Follow the daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance schedules outlined in the Select Rip Saw maintenance and model-specific guides for your machine (Model 312, Model 524, etc.)
- Document any cut quality issues or unusual machine behavior and reference our Select Rip troubleshooting guide
- Train backup operators so machine knowledge doesn’t sit with a single person
- Stay in contact with your factory service technician during the warranty period — small adjustments early can prevent larger issues later
Related Setup, Maintenance, and Reference Guides
For complete coverage of Select Rip Saw setup, operation, and maintenance, review these related resources:
- Select Rip Saw maintenance
- Select Rip tooling change
- Select Rip calibration & troubleshooting
- Model 312 maintenance guide
- Model 524 maintenance guide
- General rip saw maintenance
- General saw safety guide
- Rip Navigator installation
Planning a Select Rip Saw Installation?
Whether you’ve just placed an order for a new Select Rip Saw, are scoping a facility expansion that will need new ripping capacity, or want to discuss integration with material handling and optimization systems, our team can help. Mereen-Johnson’s installation, training, and ongoing service programs are designed around getting your machine to full production capacity as quickly as possible — and keeping it there.
Contact Mereen-Johnson or call (612) 529-7791 to discuss your Select Rip Saw installation, integration, or training needs.