A saw device, comprising: a) a swing arm movable along a swing arm path between a first swing arm position and a second swing arm position; b) an actuating assembly configured to transfer a force to the swing arm resulting in a bias on the swing arm in a direction toward the second swing arm position; c) a control system configured to control the actuating assembly; and d) a detection system configured to detect the operability of the actuating assembly using a voltage drop across a cylinder portion of the actuating assembly generated by passing a test current through the actuating assembly from a stable DC power rail without activating the actuating assembly; wherein e) the control system is configured such that power is not provided to a motor of the saw device when the detection system outputs a signal indicating that the actuating assembly is not operable; f) the actuating assembly includes a pyrotechnic module, positioned within the cylinder portion, which is activated by passing a firing current through the actuating assembly; g) the detection system includes a comparator block; g1) the comparator block is configured to generate a first output when the pyrotechnic module is installed in the actuating assembly and the test current is passed through the actuating assembly; g2) the comparator block is configured to generate a second output when the pyrotechnic module acts as an open or is not installed in the actuating assembly; g3) the comparator block is configured to generate a third output when the pyrotechnic module acts as a short in the actuating assembly and the test current is passed through the actuating assembly; and g4) each of the first output, the second output and the third output is different from the other of the first output, the second output and the third output. a) a swing arm movable along a swing arm path between a first swing arm position and a second swing arm position; b) an actuating assembly configured to transfer a force to the swing arm resulting in a bias on the swing arm in a direction toward the second swing arm position; c) a control system configured to control the actuating assembly; and d) a detection system configured to detect the operability of the actuating assembly using a voltage drop across a cylinder portion of the actuating assembly generated by passing a test current through the actuating assembly from a stable DC power rail without activating the actuating assembly; wherein e) the control system is configured such that power is not provided to a motor of the saw device when the detection system outputs a signal indicating that the actuating assembly is not operable; f) the actuating assembly includes a pyrotechnic module, positioned within the cylinder portion, which is activated by passing a firing current through the actuating assembly; g) the detection system includes a comparator block; g1) the comparator block is configured to generate a first output when the pyrotechnic module is installed in the actuating assembly and the test current is passed through the actuating assembly; g2) the comparator block is configured to generate a second output when the pyrotechnic module acts as an open or is not installed in the actuating assembly; g3) the comparator block is configured to generate a third output when the pyrotechnic module acts as a short in the actuating assembly and the test current is passed through the actuating assembly; and g4) each of the first output, the second output and the third output is different from the other of the first output, the second output and the third output. g1) the comparator block is configured to generate a first output when the pyrotechnic module is installed in the actuating assembly and the test current is passed through the actuating assembly; g2) the comparator block is configured to generate a second output when the pyrotechnic module acts as an open or is not installed in the actuating assembly; g3) the comparator block is configured to generate a third output when the pyrotechnic module acts as a short in the actuating assembly and the test current is passed through the actuating assembly; and g4) each of the first output, the second output and the third output is different from the other of the first output, the second output and the third output.