August/September 2011 - PAWPRINT PUBLISHING
August/September 2011 - PAWPRINT PUBLISHING
August/September 2011 - PAWPRINT PUBLISHING
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PANEL, WOOD<br />
& Solid Surface<br />
Issue No. 39/40 <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
The countdown to W12 begins here!<br />
See pages 3, 14 & 15<br />
Also inside this month: All the latest News;<br />
Furniture Fittings & Components; Panels & Panel Processing
NEWS<br />
W12 in exhibitions premier league<br />
A GLANCE at the already busy floor plan for W12 shows that the exhibition<br />
is in the very top flight of events focused on UK manufacturing.<br />
The widely acclaimed success of the joinery and furniture<br />
manufacturer’s exhibition in October 2010 is the reward for doubled<br />
visitor marketing.<br />
With further development and funding already in place for the 2012<br />
show, expectations from suppliers to the furniture and joinery manufacturing<br />
industries run higher than for many years. This has expressed itself<br />
in early re-booking for W12 (7-10 October 2012 at the NEC). Many experienced<br />
exhibitors assert that the ability to do business face to face at a genuinely<br />
national industry gathering becomes even more compelling when<br />
trading conditions are tough. Astute buyers seek out value rather than<br />
‘cheap’ — and are certainly looking for ways to diversify their own product<br />
range. A day at an exhibition is often viewed as free business consultancy.<br />
A year to go to the show sees very little space available in the main<br />
halls. Exhibition director, John Smith-Bodden, says: “A handful of spaces<br />
remain in halls 7 and 8 and we are delighted by the firm re-booking of the<br />
market leaders from W10. This is a market which appreciates the confidence<br />
and conviction of suppliers keen to demonstrate the latest products<br />
to the UK market. W12 is a simple and attractive proposition. It is<br />
well understood by the visitor base to be the gathering point for their UK<br />
industry — buyer active in the market will be at W12, investing to reduce<br />
production costs and expand capability.”<br />
Meanwhile the expansion of the exhibition is taking place in hall 6. Especially<br />
exciting is the launch of the Working with Design concept (see<br />
separate article in this issue) which is bringing major suppliers of materials<br />
and components into the halls. This is great news for visiting manufacturers,<br />
who get an even better return from their day at W12.<br />
As the 12 month run in to this major manufacturing even begins, the<br />
visitor awareness campaign kicks off. The show is delivering a high profile<br />
in both manufacturing and design led media areas, from now right up<br />
to the opening of W12. “By mid 2012 every serious buyer in the market<br />
will have W12 in their diary,” says John.<br />
Responding to visitor demand, W12 is now two co-located shows.<br />
Working with Wood exhibits the full range of woodworking technology<br />
whilst Working with Design shows manufacturers ways to increase their<br />
margins by using designed materials.<br />
W12 Exhibition ● Tel 01629 530998<br />
Email sales@w12exhibition.com ● www.w12exhibition.com<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid<br />
Surface<br />
is published by<br />
Pawprint Publishing Ltd<br />
Creative Media Centre<br />
Robertson Street<br />
Hastings<br />
East Sussex<br />
TN34 1HL<br />
Tel 01424 205428<br />
Fax 01424 205436<br />
email<br />
info@pawprintuk.co.uk<br />
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email<br />
sales@bishops.co.uk<br />
www.bishops.co.uk<br />
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Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 3
NEWS<br />
Benton ready for market upturn<br />
BENTON Furniture Ltd of Highbridge,<br />
Somerset, makers of exclusive<br />
bespoke interior<br />
furniture, is expanding its sales<br />
network to meet the signs of<br />
steadily growing market demands.<br />
The company has built<br />
an enviable reputation in the<br />
design, manufacture and installation<br />
of furniture in domestic<br />
and commercial markets, since<br />
being established in 1986. It is<br />
well placed to do this today,<br />
having recently upgraded its<br />
computer design software,<br />
manufacturing systems and<br />
timber processing methods in<br />
close working partnership with<br />
Weinig.<br />
Benton’s modern machinery includes:<br />
an Opticut S 50 CNC<br />
Weinig optimising and defecting<br />
cross cut saw with label printer; a<br />
CNC router and spindle moulder;<br />
and a Weinig Quattromat planer/<br />
moulder.<br />
Manufacturing bespoke products<br />
is very time consuming and<br />
expensive, where hundreds of different<br />
parts must be pre-cut and<br />
then further processed. This particularly<br />
applies to kitchen and furniture<br />
manufacturers. It represents<br />
a major logistic problem for these<br />
manufacturers to avoid losing<br />
track of cross-cut pieces — sometimes<br />
hardly distinguished in size<br />
by eye alone. Some manufacturers<br />
often have to work strictly on an<br />
order-by-order basis, but this<br />
means that a large quantity of<br />
wood is lost in the form of unusable<br />
residual pieces. Hardwood<br />
waste is particularly costly.<br />
Benton’s software allows users<br />
to simply take product data from<br />
customers’ specific programs and<br />
to change existing order lists into<br />
complete cutting lists, at the press<br />
of a button. In order to optimise<br />
the timber yield, parts from different<br />
orders can be combined together<br />
into a single cutting list,<br />
minimising waste and maximising<br />
yield.<br />
The software allows labels to be<br />
printed on a barcode with useful<br />
information on the cut piece, eg<br />
length, next process, job number,<br />
customer name or any other significant<br />
information in up to 14<br />
different fields, for the part to be<br />
easily and quickly recognised at<br />
assembly, to create the end<br />
product.<br />
The S 50 Weinig saw optimises<br />
and can also be used for defecting.<br />
The benefits the saw provides are<br />
substantial. Says Steve Benton,<br />
Product and Development Manager,<br />
“It is key to the whole production<br />
process, and is highly<br />
productive, simple and safe to operate.<br />
It replaces up to three manually<br />
operated cross-cut saws, and<br />
gives much greater flexibility and<br />
accuracy with perfectly square<br />
cuts. It is ideal for a small company<br />
like ours.”<br />
Benton’s received considerable<br />
software help from Daniel Dew of<br />
Millvision (based in the USA) and<br />
Adam Bumpsteed, UK Pattern Systems<br />
engineer (who linked the<br />
two software systems together).<br />
They provide the systems back-up<br />
service, direct, when required.<br />
In essence, the timber to be<br />
crosscut, from 10 mm up to 300 x<br />
1,000 mm solid stave, is placed on<br />
the S 50 in feed table and is<br />
marked for defects; then the useable<br />
timber is measured auto -<br />
matically by the saw and<br />
cross-referenced to the cutting list<br />
(linked from the main office pc). As<br />
the sections are cut, a label for the<br />
part is printed at the out feed<br />
printer, and the cut part is removed<br />
from the cutting list.<br />
Benton’s directors examine the quality of timber from the optimising<br />
and defecting cross cut saw.<br />
Said Richard, sales director,<br />
“With the elimination of the need<br />
for a tape measure, cutting list<br />
plans, plus the ease of repeatability,<br />
scalability, recognition of parts<br />
for assembly, client data and production<br />
schedule and with accuracy<br />
guaranteed, final assembly is<br />
faster and free from delays.<br />
“I must also add that the system<br />
works extremely well and reliably,<br />
with dependable prompt service<br />
attention from Weinig on their<br />
machines.”<br />
Today, Benton’s is in a good position<br />
to take full advantage of opportunities<br />
in retail and partner<br />
retail outlets, particularly where<br />
design and high quality bespoke<br />
furniture is concerned.<br />
Michael Weinig (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 01235 557600<br />
Email sales-uk@weinig.com<br />
www.weinig.co.uk<br />
Steve Benton (left) in discussion with Paul Heffernan, Weinig’s<br />
local representative, at the saw control.<br />
An attractive storage solution for a recess in a bedroom.<br />
Page 4 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
NEWS<br />
American Softwoods<br />
AMERICAN Softwoods, the promotional<br />
partnership of three<br />
major US softwood trade associations,<br />
the Southern Forest<br />
Products Association (SFPA), the<br />
Softwood Export Council (SEC)<br />
and APA — the Engineered<br />
Wood Association, has been relaunched<br />
in the UK under the directorship<br />
of Charles Trevor.<br />
The timber marketing communications<br />
and management specialist<br />
and former managing<br />
director of wood for good intends<br />
to bring a new focus to the promotional<br />
campaign, which has been<br />
active in the UK for many years.<br />
He said, “American softwoods<br />
have been exported for almost<br />
200 years, and it is our role to<br />
make sure the industry is fully<br />
aware of the advantages, oportunities<br />
and benefits of species such<br />
as Southern Yellow Pine, Douglas<br />
fir and hemlock in a wide range of<br />
applications, both commercial<br />
and domestic. We aim to encourage<br />
the use of American softwoods<br />
for both internal and<br />
external projects and to work with<br />
the timber industry, providing<br />
technical information and assistance<br />
to develop the market for<br />
these under-used species. American<br />
producers are keen to do business<br />
in the UK and are able to<br />
supply high class, well graded material<br />
suitable for many different<br />
end uses.”<br />
New information and technical<br />
guidance has been produced in<br />
the form of three new brochures<br />
focusing on the environmental<br />
credentials of Southern Yellow<br />
Pine, Profiles, and Decks, which<br />
will be available shortly in PDF format<br />
on the American Softwoods<br />
website.<br />
American Softwoods was one<br />
of the first organisations to confirm<br />
its support for Timber Expo in<br />
Coventry in <strong>September</strong>, and is<br />
working with the Timber Decking<br />
and Cladding Association to develop<br />
three seminars for the timber<br />
industry, the first taking place<br />
during Timber Expo, the second in<br />
London on October 5th and the<br />
third in Leeds on October 12th. A<br />
series of advertisements has also<br />
been created, focusing on low carbon,<br />
low impact and naturally renewable<br />
key messages, and a new<br />
web site is also in development,<br />
and, at time of writing, is expected<br />
to be ready to launch this summer.<br />
Mr Trevor continued, “Because<br />
of its sustainability, durability and<br />
beauty, interest in and demand for<br />
timber is increasing. So much so<br />
that, in Europe, some grades are in<br />
short supply. American softwoods<br />
are not only hugely popular but<br />
readily available and sustainably<br />
produced. American softwoods<br />
have been something of a wellkept<br />
secret of late and we are keen<br />
to bring their benefits and beauty<br />
to a wider audience.”<br />
American Softwoods<br />
Tel 020 8444 0885<br />
Email<br />
info@americansoftwoods.com<br />
www.americansoftwoods.com<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 5
NEWS<br />
Rialto Joinery start up with Joinerysoft<br />
DAVID Carey, owner of Rialto<br />
Joinery, based in Witney, Oxfordshire,<br />
has been involved in<br />
joinery since leaving school.<br />
Having served an apprenticeship<br />
with a local joinery firm, he<br />
then stayed with the company 20<br />
years before starting up his own<br />
company, part time, in 2004.<br />
Buying in his joinery initially<br />
while building up the business,<br />
David put together a business<br />
plan to invest in machinery and<br />
software. He says, “Purchasing<br />
software was always part of my<br />
start up investment plan because I<br />
knew that I needed help managing<br />
the paperwork associated with<br />
running my own business.<br />
“Joinerysoft was the obvious<br />
choice for me, because I have<br />
been on the receiving end of their<br />
professional quotations when<br />
buying in joinery for customers.”<br />
Just two years after launching<br />
full time into the business, David<br />
now has seven joiners working for<br />
him, with two staff in the office<br />
and four installers on site. David<br />
now manufactures a broad range<br />
of joinery items in house to individual<br />
customer specification, and<br />
relies upon Joinerysoft’s Joinery<br />
Management Software to provide<br />
the support he needs to manage<br />
all his paperwork from professional<br />
quotations to invoices.<br />
David hadn’t experience of joinery<br />
software before he started his<br />
own business: in fact, he wasn’t familiar<br />
with computers at all, but one<br />
thing he did know was that he hated<br />
paperwork. Never having seen JMS<br />
in action, David had a demonstration<br />
before purchasing, which reassured<br />
him that it could do<br />
everything he wanted. In fact, it<br />
could do more than he thought possible.<br />
He says, “I bought JMS straight<br />
away because I could see it would<br />
save me time and money. Paying in<br />
installments helped with cash flow,<br />
particularly during start up.”<br />
Concerned that he would find<br />
JMS difficult to use, David was<br />
pleasantly surprised to find that<br />
the software was easy to use:<br />
borne out by the fact that in the<br />
past two years he has hardly rung<br />
for support at all! “Having a joiner<br />
provide the training on Joinerysoft<br />
was good because he could see<br />
things from my side of the fence<br />
and explain everything in joinery<br />
terminology,” says David.<br />
Previously when quoting, David<br />
would calculate the cutting list in<br />
order to obtain accurate material<br />
lists for pricing. This was time consuming<br />
and prone to errors. Now<br />
he only enters information once at<br />
the design stage, and accurate<br />
pricing is automatic, as well as providing<br />
drawings on quotes, order<br />
confirmation, cutting lists, delivery<br />
notes and invoicing. Changes can<br />
be made simply be recalling the<br />
job with point and click technology<br />
allowing you to drill down to a<br />
specific item or change a profile<br />
with a click of the mouse button.<br />
The design element of JMS has<br />
proved essential for one of David’s<br />
top end clients: architects based in<br />
London. Quoting for a heritage<br />
job, they had to design and provide<br />
missing windows for a renovation.<br />
Using JMS, David was able<br />
to design and price the windows<br />
from historical photographs of the<br />
house. The architects were then<br />
able to enlarge the drawings on<br />
the JMS quotation to full size and<br />
paste them into the window<br />
openings on the house for the<br />
heritage team to approve.<br />
JMS has also received a full vote<br />
of approval from David’s wife,<br />
Carla, who works in the office.<br />
Prior to purchasing the software<br />
David would hand write all quotations<br />
for Carla to type up and send.<br />
A time consuming process including<br />
a longwinded description to<br />
clarify what the customer was getting.<br />
JMS accurate pricing and automatic<br />
quotations not only<br />
include true scale diagrams but<br />
also detail fittings, glass and materials<br />
used, removing confusion<br />
and reducing disputes later. Not<br />
only can David print the quotes<br />
himself, as soon as the order is<br />
confirmed, he can also print off<br />
detailed diagrams and specifications<br />
for the workshop so work<br />
can start without delay, and without<br />
duplication of input.<br />
The joiners in the workshop<br />
enjoy the level of detail they receive<br />
from the JMS drawings, specifying<br />
sizing, materials, fittings,<br />
moulds, glazing and finish. With<br />
customisable reports, the joiners<br />
can choose how much detail they<br />
receive. “Clearer communication<br />
has speeded up the workshop<br />
with fewer queries and less checking<br />
of details required,” he says.<br />
With all jobs designed and managed<br />
through JMS now, David has<br />
his paperwork so streamlined that<br />
he is able to spend just two hours<br />
early each morning in the office<br />
and spend the rest of the time in<br />
the workshop and continue to<br />
make joinery. Despite not having<br />
used computers extensively before<br />
purchasing JMS, David is now utilising<br />
the email feature within JMS<br />
and even emailing quotes directly<br />
from his computer. Customers<br />
hounding him for late quotes are a<br />
thing of the past!<br />
David is confident that JMS<br />
saves him time. Quoting for an<br />
£84,000 job recently took him just<br />
one day, compared to the week it<br />
would have taken previously. Having<br />
confidence that each job is<br />
priced accurately means that<br />
David is not only in control of his<br />
costs but can also ensure that<br />
profit margins are maintained.<br />
He confirms, “Pricing large jobs is<br />
easy with JMS, all drawings are consistent<br />
and I know that pricing is accurate<br />
because all the correct<br />
materials have been accounted for.<br />
There is less potential for error now.”<br />
He concludes, “The best thing<br />
about JMS for me is the time I save<br />
by only inputting information<br />
once. I can provide a consistently<br />
professional and timely response<br />
to customers without all the hassle<br />
associated with paperwork.”<br />
Rialto Joinery<br />
Tel: 01993 770772<br />
Email:<br />
rialtojoinery@googlemail.com<br />
Joinerysoft Ltd<br />
Tel 01608 643302<br />
Email<br />
enquiries@joinerysoft.com<br />
www.joinerysoft.com<br />
Page 6 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
NEWS<br />
New management<br />
for Weinig Concept<br />
ON July 1st, <strong>2011</strong>, Dr-Ing Otto Leible took office as General Manager of Weinig Concept GmbH<br />
& Co KG. He is the successor to Uwe Motzkau, who left the company on April 30th, <strong>2011</strong>.<br />
The 52 year old, who holds a PhD in mechanical engineering, is very experienced in the<br />
project business of the woodworking industry. From 1992-2003 he worked in several leading<br />
positions for sawmill technology manufacturer, Linck, in Germany and France.<br />
From 2003, Dr Leible was the general manager of Springer France SAS in Obernai (France).<br />
“We are convinced that we have found with Dr Leible a very qualified general manager<br />
and personality with a lot of experience in engineering projects in the woodworking industry,<br />
which enables him to lead our Concept Engineering Company,” says CEO Wolfgang Pöschl.<br />
The engineering company within the Weinig Group specialises in realising projects from<br />
the first idea and the planning to help with the financing, setting up of the turnkey plant and<br />
finishing with professional commissioning and training.<br />
Michael Weinig (UK) Ltd ● Tel 01235 557600<br />
Michael Weinig AG<br />
Tel 0049 (0) 93 41 86-0 ● Email info@weinig.com ● www.weinig.com<br />
Weinig site honoured as World Heritage site<br />
100 years after the foundation<br />
stone was laid, the Fagus plant still<br />
seems modern. And successful,<br />
high-precision products are still<br />
designed and made there. Undoubtedly<br />
an acknowledgement<br />
of this epochal building, which<br />
was declared a listed building in<br />
1946 and now is a World Heritage<br />
Site.<br />
Michael Weinig (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 01235 557600<br />
Michael Weinig AG<br />
Tel 0049 (0) 93 41 86-0<br />
Email info@weinig.com<br />
www.weinig.com<br />
THE OFFICES at the Fagus plant<br />
in Alfeld, Lower Saxony, normally<br />
see large orders<br />
processed for solid wood processing<br />
companies around the<br />
world. The production site is<br />
known to insiders as a high-tech<br />
centre for top-quality finger<br />
jointing systems from Weinig<br />
GreconLine, industrial instrumentation<br />
and fire protection<br />
installations from the reputed<br />
Grecon brand as well as Fagus<br />
shoe last production.<br />
However, enthusiasts of architecture<br />
associate more with this<br />
striking building. Built in 1911, the<br />
factory is an important piece of architectural<br />
history. The German<br />
architect, Walter Gropius, created<br />
a classic of industrial architecture.<br />
At that time revolutionary, unadorned<br />
façades and interiors<br />
flooded with light were the hallmarks<br />
of this construction made of<br />
a steel skeleton and glass.<br />
UNESCO has now declared the<br />
Fagus plant a World Heritage Site.<br />
This places it in a group of only 35<br />
German sites which have been<br />
awarded this honour to date.<br />
Originally the Fagus plant produced<br />
shoe lasts, which gave rise<br />
to the name which means beech<br />
in Latin. The founder of the company,<br />
Carl Benscheidt, who commissioned<br />
the building, was an<br />
entrepreneur with vision and a<br />
man with a social mission. In his<br />
view, a pleasant environment<br />
would encourage the high level of<br />
precision required to manufacture<br />
shoe lasts.<br />
This positive atmosphere is appreciated<br />
by Weinig employees in<br />
their work today just as much as<br />
their predecessors. Benscheidt<br />
commissioned a young architect,<br />
Walter Gropius, who was relatively<br />
unknown at that time, with the<br />
work, who then created his first<br />
great masterpiece.<br />
Mate Series CNC Router<br />
Model M12<br />
From<br />
£49,900<br />
● All new design offers traditional C R Onsrud build quality and performance<br />
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ATA ENGINEERING PROCESSES<br />
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Web www.ataeng.com ❆ www.cronsrud.com<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 7
NEWS<br />
Sharing technology cuts development time<br />
A TOTAL of 117 independent specialists<br />
in Planit’s CNC software, including<br />
Alphacam and Cabinet Vision, from<br />
around the world, attended the company’s<br />
annual global resellers conference<br />
at Atlanta, Georgia — representing<br />
1,000 years of CAM experience.<br />
Resellers from over 30 countries heard<br />
Planit Chief Executive, Bryan Pryce, say the<br />
group was working towards becoming the<br />
world’s number one specialist provider of<br />
CAD/CAM software solutions for the solid<br />
metal machining, sheet metal fabrication,<br />
woodworking and stone industries. He<br />
added that Planit’s wide range of software<br />
presented a definite competitive advantage,<br />
and that globally, resellers had<br />
demonstrated a 25% growth in achievement<br />
during the past 12 months.<br />
Chief Technology Officer, Russell Franks,<br />
said Planit and its global brands of Alphacam,<br />
Cabinet Vision, Cabnetware, Edgecam<br />
and Radan, were constantly looking for, and<br />
driving, market changes. “Thanks to the<br />
software you provide throughout your<br />
home countries, your customers can design<br />
anywhere in the world, and manufacture<br />
anywhere else in the world.”<br />
He spoke of the direction Planit and its<br />
software was now taking, including the role<br />
Above: Resellers from around the world gathered at Planit’s annual conference in Atlanta.<br />
Below: Jack Nicholson and Marilyn Monroe lookalikes, with Planit Chief Commercial officer,<br />
Patrick Love.<br />
of Cloud technology, and how increasing automation in the software will<br />
help resellers to make their own customers even more efficient, more reliable<br />
and less reliant on machine operatives.<br />
America’s Regional Director, Steve Sivitter, and EMEA/AP Regional Director,<br />
Simon Lee, spoke of the sales successes of 2010 and plans for <strong>2011</strong>.<br />
Other presentations at the three-day conference included a look at the history<br />
and development of computers and software from Danish delegate,<br />
Jørgen Sønder, who told the conference: “People like us are building software<br />
history: between us we have over 1,000 years of CAM experience.”<br />
Product director, Raf Lobato, explained how sharing technologies between<br />
brands — for example, the Radan nester is now incorporated<br />
within Alphacam and Cabinet Vision — had saved over 40 years in development<br />
time. He added that during the previous year Planit had expanded<br />
its worldwide network of developers, giving the Group a total of<br />
630 years of development experience.<br />
There were also sessions devoted to how Planit software plays a major<br />
part in the success of the aerospace and medical equipment industries.<br />
Delegates had flow into Atlanta from all over the world, including America,<br />
Germany, Turkey, China, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Russia, Finland<br />
and Taiwan. The highlight of the conference was the Global Reseller Awards<br />
Ceremony at a gala Hollywood-style dinner, with Jack Nicholson and Marilyn<br />
Monroe lookalikes. Bryan Pryce presented awards to the world’s 16<br />
leading resellers of 2010/<strong>2011</strong>, as well as a Special Achievement Award for<br />
Jørgen Sønder following his 25 years working with Planit products.<br />
Planit Software<br />
Tel 01233 506100 ● www.alphacam.com ● www.cabinetvision.com<br />
Page 8 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
NEWS<br />
Feel the heat, not the pinch, this winter<br />
TALBOTT’S goes from strength to strength with the introduction of its new hand fed<br />
wood waste heater.<br />
Talbott’s, an established name in the manufacture of wood waste heating equipment, has<br />
launched a new hand fed model, the Talbott 150-CMH. The well known and extremely popular<br />
“Talbott T500’, which was one of the first ever hand fed wood waste heaters introduced<br />
to the UK over 30 years ago, has now been replaced by the model 150-CMH.<br />
This 150 kW/500,000 BTU unit maintains the robustness and reliability of the T500 but has<br />
been re-tested in <strong>2011</strong> ensuring continued Clean Air Act compliance whilst utilising such<br />
fuels as MDF and chipboard without the requirement for an afterburner. This model is the<br />
largest of four within the range, with smaller sizes available.<br />
The Talbott range of hand fed units is designed to offer a simple and cost effective solution<br />
to the disposal of general wood off cut type waste including MDF and chipboard, whilst<br />
at the same time producing factory space heating. Talbott’s customers would typically see a<br />
payback on their equipment within 12-18 months due to the elimination of wood waste disposal<br />
costs and heating bills.<br />
Talbott’s can also offer competitive financing through Siemens and the Carbon Trust’s energy<br />
efficiency loan scheme, to which the company is an authorised supplier.<br />
This British manufacturer, based in Stafford, has completed numerous projects, from<br />
simple hand fed solutions up to automatic and highly efficient boiler projects.<br />
Talbott’s Biomass Energy System<br />
Tel 01785 213366 ● Email sales@talbotts.co.uk ● www.talbotts.co.uk<br />
A boost for storage and more with Combilift<br />
CHILTERN Timber Supplies’ proprietor,<br />
Gerry Barton, has been<br />
through quite a collection of<br />
forklift trucks at his Hemel<br />
Hempstead premises since he<br />
established the company in<br />
2006, but he has finally found<br />
the one truck solution to all his<br />
handling requirements with a<br />
Combilift C4000 model.<br />
The Combilift has enabled storage<br />
capacity to be increased by a<br />
good 30% as Gerry explains: “The<br />
13,000 ft 2 we have at our disposal<br />
is relatively tight for the amount of<br />
products we stock, and now that<br />
we can cut aisle widths to almost<br />
half their size in our undercover<br />
area this is a real boost.<br />
“The truck’s larger capacity than<br />
our old 3 t machine means that<br />
the top racks of the 5 m high outside<br />
cantilever racking can also be<br />
used to the full. In addition, previously<br />
redundant space at the bottom<br />
of the racking and either side<br />
of it can be utilised thanks to the<br />
Combilift’s manoeuvrabiity and its<br />
ability to block stack.<br />
“Time and efficiency is an issue<br />
for an outfit of our size to make<br />
sure we offer the best possible<br />
customer service,” says Gerry, “and<br />
the Combilift has been very beneficial<br />
on this count.<br />
“Its versatility to replace a combination<br />
of other trucks also eliminates<br />
the need for drivers to<br />
switch from one truck to another,<br />
reducing the number of forklift<br />
movements on site for better<br />
health and safety procedures.<br />
“At one point we thought we<br />
may have to look at larger premises<br />
due to the constraints on<br />
space, but the Combilift has enabled<br />
us to stay put and avoid the<br />
considerable costs associated with<br />
moving.”<br />
SIMPLY<br />
THE<br />
BEST<br />
— and<br />
always has<br />
been!<br />
Combilift Ltd<br />
Tel 07870 976758<br />
Email info@combilift.com<br />
www.combilift.com<br />
www.chilterntimber.co.uk<br />
www.lamontclamping.co.uk<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 9
NEWS<br />
SCM machines increase efficiency at Oakwood Joinery<br />
LOCATED in Sudbury, Suffolk,<br />
Oakwood Joinery Services (OJS)<br />
is a progressive and dynamic<br />
business that is benefitting from<br />
its recent investments in a range<br />
of classical woodworking machines<br />
from SCM.<br />
Owner and managing director,<br />
Malcolm Rogerson, wanted some<br />
windows manufactured for an office<br />
development in 1996, and<br />
upon approaching a local joinery<br />
manufacturing company, he<br />
found they were in financial difficulties,<br />
so he decided to invest in<br />
the company and soon became<br />
the owner. The company steadily<br />
expanded, then in 2001 moved to<br />
its existing, purpose built factory<br />
that has recently been extended<br />
to 10,000 ft 2 .<br />
When the recession hit in 2007,<br />
Malcolm Rogerson looked at this<br />
period as being an advantage to<br />
examine the whole business and<br />
change OJS’s operating methods,<br />
as previously the focus had been<br />
on longstanding traditional methods<br />
and tooling. As the Government<br />
increased business rates by<br />
30%, it meant OJS had to look at<br />
where savings could be made and<br />
overheads controlled.<br />
Malcolm Rogerson comments:<br />
“The world had moved on and the<br />
basic principles of our business<br />
were now being driven by safety,<br />
costs and the environment. When<br />
we looked at the layout and the<br />
machines we operated, it had<br />
turned from an efficient operation<br />
into a fragmented layout of equipment.<br />
For example, we had 13<br />
spindle moulders, all set up for<br />
performing only one operation on<br />
each machine. Elements of the<br />
production process came together<br />
as the goods went out of<br />
the door. Because we were busy,<br />
the ‘Emu’ effect was present where<br />
we just got the job done.”<br />
Along with OJS’s workshop<br />
manager, Scott Grimwood, Malcolm<br />
Rogerson looked in detail to<br />
exactly what the company was<br />
doing and decided a number of<br />
radical changes had to be made to<br />
the production processes. They<br />
identified that they needed to release<br />
valuable space and therefore<br />
dispose of machines that were either<br />
not being used or were surplus<br />
to requirements, and for<br />
example, all machines were<br />
switched on whether being used<br />
or not, wasting costly electricity,<br />
and also they were all linked to the<br />
extraction system, making it very<br />
inefficient.<br />
Malcolm Rogerson called in Phil<br />
Vaux of Blyth Woodworking Machinery,<br />
SCM UK’s distributor for<br />
East Anglia, and with Scott Grimwood<br />
they looked at various options.<br />
A CNC machining centre that<br />
many joinery manufacturers have<br />
purchased was a set too far at this<br />
time, and with the mix of work OJS<br />
undertook, including windows,<br />
doors, stairs, reception desks,<br />
screens etc, for building contractors,<br />
the public, major house<br />
builders and refurbishing companies,<br />
Phil Vaux recommended the<br />
purchase of several new SCM machines,<br />
part exchanging some of<br />
OJS’s old redundant traditional<br />
machines. Orders were placed.<br />
The new SCM machines include<br />
a Compact NT Planer Moulder, a<br />
L’Invincibile Spindle Moulder<br />
model TF 1400, a TI 155EP Class<br />
Spindle Moulder, a TEN 220 Class<br />
Single-End Tenoner and a Re-Saw,<br />
adding to existing SCM planers, a<br />
thicknessser and a sliding table<br />
panel saw.<br />
The two new spindle moulders<br />
each have SCM’s powerful ‘Easy’<br />
Electronic Controller fitted that<br />
makes setting up of the spindles<br />
fast, simple and precise as well as<br />
being safe and reliable with recovery<br />
of programs easily achieved.<br />
The TI 155EP Class has a tilting spindle<br />
providing even more flexibility.<br />
Both spindle moulders have interchangeable<br />
spindles ensuring fast<br />
changeover between jobs, avoiding<br />
the use of spanners, thus reducing<br />
set up times by as much as 75%.<br />
The SCM Compact NT replaced<br />
a four-sided planer and has a<br />
moulding facility as well as<br />
straightening and planing all<br />
round. Manufactured from a rigid<br />
single-piece steel main base, the<br />
Compact NT has a long table infeed<br />
system that ensures high<br />
quality finished products. Setting<br />
up is fast and easy and includes<br />
the latest pressure shoes, fences<br />
and exhaust hoods with an axial<br />
adjustment of 40 mm and a 40<br />
mm profiling capacity. The electronic<br />
control unit provides rapid<br />
adjustment of the work piece section<br />
and along with the integral<br />
safety cabinet, all controls are on<br />
the front of the machine for maximum<br />
operator safety.<br />
The TEN 220 Class tenoner has a<br />
rapid tool change system making<br />
changeover between jobs very fast<br />
with the machine ready to use in<br />
seconds. The two clamps for clamping<br />
two components together allows<br />
the simultaneous processing<br />
of two tenons at the same time. A<br />
rotating chip breaker with turret<br />
stops can be easily replaced for new<br />
profiles when required.<br />
Malcolm Rogerson is clearly<br />
very happy with his SCM machine<br />
purchases and concludes, “After<br />
the last three years, in our busy periods<br />
we can achieve a 30% increase<br />
in production with 50% less<br />
machines and with more factory<br />
space, our assembly area is now<br />
twice the size it was.<br />
“Our electric bill has been reduced<br />
and, thankfully, the noise<br />
level, due to the efficiency of the<br />
new machines, has dropped by at<br />
least 20% in the machine shop,<br />
which makes a better environment<br />
for our employees. As business<br />
increases as the country exits<br />
recession, we will certainly call on<br />
Phil Vaux again and invest in more<br />
SCM machinery to benefit Oakwood<br />
Joinery Services and further<br />
expansion plans.”<br />
Oakwood Joinery Services<br />
Tel 01787 880600<br />
www.oakwoodjoinery.me.uk<br />
SCM Group (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 0115 977 0044<br />
Email<br />
scmgroupuk@scmgroup.com<br />
www.scmgroup-uk.com<br />
Page 10 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
NEWS<br />
New Trend Modular Window System brochure<br />
TREND has launched its revised, new 64 page, Modular Window System brochure. The<br />
brochure includes the following new products and features:<br />
Five new alternative window profile styles in addition to the existing five styles, giving a<br />
total of ten; new doors and door frame tools; new tools to produce a splayed meeting rail on<br />
the Sliding Box Sash window; new routing jigs for Sliding Box Sash pulley wheels and weight<br />
pockets; new tooling stand; special drilling jig for Espagnolette lock handles.<br />
The MWS will run on any spindle moulder with the following specification: Flush mounted<br />
sliding table; spindle shaft 30 mm or 1 1 ⁄4”; usable spindle shaft 120 mm minimum; recommended<br />
motor power 7.5 hp (3 phase); power feed (mandatory); 220 mm aperture required<br />
through machine table; 240 mm diameter required inside the hood and with clear vertical<br />
access.<br />
The Trend TSM100 spindle moulder is an Italian made machine that has all of the above<br />
features to run the MWS. The TSM100 can also be specified with a manual or electronic tilting<br />
shaft, electronic rise and fall, tenoning hood, front table extension, reverse spindle rotation<br />
and infinitely variable speed control from 800 to 10,000 rpm.<br />
Trend has a network of dedicated Modular Window System dealers around the UK that<br />
are able to demonstrate how to make eight different window styles on one machine with<br />
only one set-up.<br />
Over 150 manufacturing companies are currently using the system to revolutionise the<br />
way they are producing timber windows.<br />
For further information on the Trend Modular Window System or the TSM100 spindle<br />
moulder, please contact Ian Small on 07989 329404 or Colin Peacock on 07779 803704.<br />
Trend Machinery & Cutting Tools Ltd<br />
Tel 01923 249911 ● Email enquiry@trendm.co.uk ● www.trend-uk.com<br />
New 18 V Li-ion cordless planer from Makita<br />
MAKITA’S new 18 V Lithium-ion<br />
cordless planer has the same<br />
performance as the 82 mm<br />
mains machine in the range.<br />
This powerful cordless machine<br />
will plane off up to 2 mm of material<br />
at each pass.<br />
The double sided blade drum<br />
will run up to 14,000 rpm without<br />
load, which can given up to 28,000<br />
cuts/min. The two blades can be<br />
easily changed for service and<br />
sharpening varieties.<br />
Depth of plane is accurately<br />
controlled by the fine adjustment<br />
knob at the front of the planer,<br />
which adjusts in 0.01 mm increments.<br />
This 82 mm planing width<br />
machine has a maximum rebate<br />
depth of 9 mm. The cutting blades<br />
are protected when not operating.<br />
As the planer is lifted clear of<br />
the material, a small foot drops<br />
from the baseplate, which acts as a<br />
stand to keep the blades off the<br />
material or bench surface, protecting<br />
them from damage.<br />
Weighing just 3.4 kg, including<br />
the Li-ion cell, this planer is exceptionally<br />
well balanced. The central<br />
top handgrip with softgripcovering<br />
and control trigger is well<br />
positioned for accurate control of<br />
the machine in horizontal or vertical<br />
positions.<br />
A large exhaust connector on<br />
the right-hand side of the planer<br />
enables easy connection to a dust<br />
extraction unit to collect waste<br />
material during operation.<br />
The Makita BKP180 cordless<br />
planer is available as a body-only<br />
unit for those carpenters who already<br />
have a number of 18 V<br />
Makita Li-ion cells, or as a complete<br />
kit with charger and two 3.0<br />
Ah Li-ion cells. Recharge time is<br />
just 22 minutes.<br />
More information about the extensive<br />
and comprehensive Makita<br />
Li-ion cordless range is available at<br />
the company’s website.<br />
Makita (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 01908 211678<br />
Email leads@makitauk.com<br />
www.makitauk.com<br />
No afterburner required<br />
Energy efficiency loans available*<br />
Ask about our New Release “150-CMH”<br />
150 kW Hand Fired Wood Waste Heater<br />
No afterburner required<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 11
NEWS<br />
The Nature Collection from Compac<br />
COMPAC has taken the beauty,<br />
colours and textures of stone and<br />
combined these and other key<br />
physical characteristics with<br />
quartz to produce what is claimed<br />
to be the best kitchen or bathroom<br />
worksurface range on the<br />
market: The Nature Collection.<br />
This exciting new range manufactured<br />
using BIO resins from renewable<br />
organic material, improves<br />
on the already outstanding technical<br />
qualities of its existing Quartz<br />
worksurfaces: exceptional hardness,<br />
resistance to abrasion, impact,<br />
acids and UV rays, and a material<br />
that is extremely easy to clean.<br />
The Nature Collection is thought<br />
to be the most technically advanced<br />
quartz worksurface available<br />
and has been created with a<br />
perfect finish, depth of grain and<br />
uniformity of textures and colours.<br />
Available in seven beautiful<br />
colours (Botticino featured in<br />
photograph), standard 3 m<br />
lengths and a range of thicknesses,<br />
COMPAC’s Nature Collection<br />
can be easily fabricated,<br />
formatted and profiled to meet<br />
the most challenging of kitchen or<br />
bathroom design layouts.<br />
The Nature Collection is so resistant,<br />
stable and long-lasting<br />
that Compac is able to offer consumers<br />
a Lifetime Warranty.<br />
Compac UK<br />
Tel 020 8564 9377<br />
Email London@compac.es<br />
www.compac.es<br />
Odessa Oak<br />
NATURAL Odessa Oak from LG<br />
Hausys, exclusively distributed<br />
in the UK by David Clouting Ltd,<br />
is a classic representation of a<br />
perfect oak veneer, combining<br />
the elegant look of real wood<br />
with cutting edge technology to<br />
create a beautifully fresh, light<br />
and contemporary foil for a wide<br />
range of furniture applications<br />
for use in domestic, commercial<br />
and retail environments.<br />
LG Hausys’ patented 3D Mirain<br />
printing technology puts foil printing<br />
onto a totally new level and<br />
provides the exciting opportunity<br />
for furniture manufacturers to accurately<br />
replicate the natural look<br />
and beauty of real wood for fabrication<br />
onto a range of products for<br />
kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms,<br />
studies and reception areas.<br />
David Clouting Ltd<br />
Tel 01376 518037<br />
marketing@davidclouting.co.uk<br />
www.davidclouting.co.uk<br />
Page 12 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
NEWS<br />
Biesse: Take a look inside …<br />
BIESSE will once again be opening its doors to the woodworking industry<br />
at its annual autumn open house event, BiesseInside.<br />
Hosted at Biesse’s headquarters in Pesaro, Italy, it promises to present<br />
visitors with the latest technology and innovation from the Biesse Group.<br />
Visitors from all over the world and from all areas of joinery, furniture and<br />
cabinet manufacturing will be able to see first-hand Biesse’s range of pro -<br />
ducts working in the Biesse<br />
TechCentre situated in the<br />
heart of Biesse. There will also<br />
be the opportunity to tour the<br />
manufacturing facilities to see<br />
the Kaizen lean production<br />
methods that are used by<br />
Biesse to ensure quality.<br />
The event promises to<br />
showcase Biesse’s newest<br />
products including many of the<br />
machines that were at the recent<br />
Ligna exhibition, including<br />
the new Rover A-S 5 Axis, which<br />
received wide acclaim due to<br />
its being what is believed to be<br />
the smallest five axis machine<br />
currently available. “Never before<br />
has five axis technology<br />
been so affordable!” a company<br />
spokesman told PW&SS.<br />
As well as the impressive<br />
Rover A-S, Biesse will be<br />
launching new pro ducts at its<br />
autumn event. There will be<br />
From woodwaste to final feedstock<br />
for briquetting/palletising<br />
Batch feed all types of woodwaste into a Scanhugger HL series Hopper Shredder and without<br />
further handling develop a premium material, a perfect product to make pellets or<br />
briquettes. With Scanhugger’s PLC drive SmartRam system and newly developed SmartFeed<br />
system, the pre-shredded material is metered into the Scanhugger EU Hammermill. The end<br />
result is a premium material, perfectly sized and ready for a pellet or breiquette press.<br />
The Scanhugger Shredder Re-shredder system is designed to meet your needs with<br />
capacities ranging from 500-3,000 kg/hr. This Scanhugger line-up of shredders,<br />
reshredders and a full range of options and<br />
auxiliary equipment, enables us to build<br />
turnkey woodwaste utilisation systems.<br />
Our range of auxiliary equipment<br />
includes: Chip conveyor and auger<br />
discharge systems; metal detection and<br />
metal separation systems; wood scrap<br />
conveyors and specially designed<br />
auxiliary hoppers.<br />
something for everyone from the joinery, furniture<br />
and cabinet industry. For those visiting from<br />
the United Kingdom, Biesse Group UK will plan<br />
your trip for you, meaning all you have to do is contact Biesse and turn up.<br />
Biesse Group UK ● Tel: 01327 300366<br />
Email info@biesse.co.uk ● www.biesse.co.uk<br />
Scanhugger UK<br />
specialises in<br />
wood waste & biomass<br />
fuel processing machinery<br />
material handling systems<br />
shredders/re-shredders<br />
chippers/guillotines<br />
transport augers<br />
woodwaste conveyors<br />
metal separation<br />
Mobile: 07788 597749<br />
www.scanhuggeruk.com<br />
Scanhugger UK is a trading name of Woodheat Solutions Ltd.<br />
Company Registration No. 7159457<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 13
NEWS<br />
Aspire to stunning CNC carvings<br />
ALPHACAM, a leading woodwork CAD/CAM software, is<br />
introducing a new module to create stunning low relief<br />
carvings from 2D designs and 3D models.<br />
Aspire for Alphacam is a totally new 3D relief modelling<br />
software for CNC routing and engraving projects such as carving<br />
decorative ornate panels and doors, swept flourishes, custom<br />
millwork, architectural mouldings, dimensional signage,<br />
bespoke company logos, custom gifts and awards.<br />
A full featured, easy to use module for all levels of decorative<br />
CNC work, its 3D component construction tools, believed<br />
to be unique, make it easy to work with existing 3D models<br />
and design 3D shapes. Users can quickly and easily convert<br />
2D sketches, photographs, drawings and graphic designs into<br />
high quality 3D carvings and designs.<br />
Solid surface seam setting solution<br />
THE SEAM Setter VCM from<br />
Omni Cubed, Inc, is a high quality<br />
clamping device which provides<br />
a quick and effective way<br />
to achieve top quality seams<br />
when jointing solid surfaces.<br />
Sold in the UK through national<br />
distributor CD (UK) Ltd, the Seam<br />
Setter VCM is an innovative “threein-one”<br />
installation tool used for<br />
joining seams, levelling seams and<br />
holding splash-backs and upstands.<br />
The Seam Setter VCM features<br />
durable 150 mm vacuum cups,<br />
which provide a reliable, full-contact<br />
hold. The tool is manually operated,<br />
using a ‘thumb-pump’<br />
mechanism, and vacuum cups can<br />
be re-pumped without losing the<br />
The Aspire technology comes from Redditch-based Vectric, renowned for its high<br />
quality routing and carving software.<br />
Managing director, Brian Moran, and creative director, James Booth, have over 30<br />
years combined “real world, hands-on” experience of working in the sign making,<br />
woodworking and engraving industries.<br />
Alphacam Aspire gives fully integrated artistic design and modelling functions<br />
which, together with Alphacam’s traditional CAD tools and leading CAM, delivers a<br />
totally optimal solution.<br />
As well as benefitting existing Alphacam users who want more customisation;<br />
who currently use wholesale suppliers of carved parts; are looking to diversify into<br />
new markets; or simply have spare machining capacity, the Aspire module will also<br />
be attractive to woodworking customers who previously wanted a more “art” based<br />
solution, or those who are unhappy with their current engraving package not<br />
excelling in important areas.<br />
Aspire can be added as a module to any Alphacam routing system, including<br />
Essential.<br />
It will also be available as part of the educational bundle, to ensure that students<br />
learn about the full potential of using CNC machines to produce ornate carvings at<br />
an earlier stage in their career.<br />
The attractive interface links to tabbed menus for easy access to drawing, modelling<br />
and clipart icons; a 2D/3D view concept; import and export to Alphacam icons,<br />
along with a fully searchable and printable PDF help document.<br />
Planit Software<br />
Tel 01233 506100 ● www.alphacam.com<br />
remaining vacuum. The two levelling<br />
components slide on rails for<br />
placement on each side of the<br />
seam, and feature non-spinning<br />
levelling feet with vinyl caps to<br />
prevent scratching of worktop surfaces.<br />
The extended rail-ends have<br />
soft vinyl caps, which make the<br />
tool a suitable solution for stabilising<br />
splash-backs or up-stands.<br />
Tightening handles are in quality<br />
machined aluminium and the<br />
tool is supplied with protective<br />
plastic vacuum cup covers.<br />
Made from long-lasting,<br />
anodised billet aluminium and<br />
stainless steel components, the<br />
easy-to-use product offers a reliable<br />
and convenient solution to<br />
achieve optimum seams between<br />
solid surfaces.<br />
CD (UK) Ltd is a leading distributor<br />
of specialist tools to the solid<br />
surface fabrication market and has<br />
been the UK distributor of Corian<br />
for over 30 years. It is also the exclusive<br />
distributor of Parapan high<br />
gloss acrylic surfaces.<br />
CD (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 0113 201 2240<br />
Email info@cdukltd.co.uk<br />
www.cdukltd.co.uk<br />
Page 16 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
FURNITURE FITTINGS & COMPONENTS<br />
Blue Diamond helps Optima door hinges stay<br />
quiet and smooth<br />
OPTIMA is a leading supplier of<br />
high performance partitioning<br />
systems used in prestigious<br />
buildings including banks,<br />
building societies and health<br />
care providers. For Optima,<br />
quality is paramount, so when<br />
the company began to experience<br />
noise and judder with the<br />
hinges on its range-topping<br />
glass doors, fast action was required<br />
to change the design and<br />
find an alternative supplier.<br />
Optima contacted Blue Diamond,<br />
a company with many<br />
years’ experience in the design<br />
and sourcing of engineering components<br />
and assemblies in a variety<br />
of materials. This experience<br />
includes the design and manufacture<br />
of similar hinges for glass<br />
products that include sliding<br />
wardrobe systems and external<br />
windows and doors.<br />
“We approached Blue Diamond<br />
to re-engineer our hinges to ensure<br />
quiet and smooth operation,”<br />
said James Durham, supply chain<br />
manager at Optima. “This included<br />
NEWS<br />
News from Vertongen<br />
VERTONGEN BVBA, the specialist<br />
Belgian manufacturer of machinery<br />
for window and door<br />
product, has recently introduced<br />
a new sales policy for the<br />
UK machinery market.<br />
Vertongen has reached an exclusive<br />
agreement with RJ Woodworking<br />
Machinery Ltd of St<br />
Helens, Lancashire, and R & J Machinery<br />
of Mallory Park, Leicestershire,<br />
to sell, distribute and service<br />
its range of Pentho Compact<br />
Single End Tenoners in the UK.<br />
Both well established companies<br />
will stock a Vertongen Compact<br />
Tenoner in their respective<br />
showrooms to show and demonstrate<br />
to potential customers, and<br />
improving the design and appearance<br />
and, where possible, taking<br />
cost out of the assembly.”<br />
The hinge assembly itself is<br />
made from stainless steel with a<br />
brushed finish and was being supplied<br />
as separate components<br />
which had to be assembled before<br />
being shipped out to customers.<br />
Optima wanted Blue Diamond to<br />
improve the look and finish of the<br />
hinge, as well as delivering the assembly<br />
fully labelled in a box<br />
ready for despatch: four variations<br />
were required for each of the four<br />
corners of the door.<br />
The engineers and designers at<br />
Blue Diamond discovered that a<br />
poorly-fitted plastic bush was<br />
causing the hinge to judder on the<br />
closing mechanism and the large<br />
glass doors acted as an amplifier<br />
so any little noise became exaggerated.<br />
Working closely with Optima,<br />
Blue Diamond was able to modify<br />
the existing design, meeting all<br />
the mechanical and aesthetic requirements<br />
as well as enhancing<br />
they will be assisted when required<br />
by Gerry Lynch, Vertongen’s UK<br />
sales agent since the year 2000.<br />
RJ Woodworking Machinery will<br />
cover the North of England and<br />
Scotland, and R & J Machinery will<br />
cover the Midlands and Southern<br />
England.<br />
This new sales strategy will enable<br />
Gerry Lynch to concentrate<br />
on the sales and promotion of<br />
Vertongen’s new Control range of<br />
CNC controlled automatic<br />
tenoners, profilers and one man<br />
operated window lines.<br />
Gerry Lynch<br />
Tel 01743 353254<br />
Email gerry.lynch@talk21.com<br />
www.vertongen.be<br />
durability. All drawings were originated<br />
by Blue Diamond using its<br />
advanced CAD-based systems and<br />
prototypes were produced for<br />
testing and appraisal. These were<br />
sourced by Blue Diamond from<br />
one of their approved suppliers in<br />
the Far East who, once Optima was<br />
satisfied, could then produce parts<br />
in high volume to Blue Diamond’s<br />
stringent quality control standards.<br />
Packaging, too, played a significant<br />
role in the part played by Blue<br />
Diamond, with each of the four<br />
different assemblies supplied to<br />
Optima carefully packed in a<br />
clearly labelled cardboard box,<br />
ready for shipping to customers.<br />
“We are delighted with the new<br />
hinges being supplied by Blue Diamond,”<br />
continued James Durham.<br />
“They have enabled us to take advantage<br />
of overseas sourcing in<br />
the confidence that there will be<br />
no shortfall in quality.”<br />
Blue Diamond Technologies Ltd<br />
Tel 023 8025 8966<br />
Email bdsales@rolway.com<br />
www.blue-diamond.co.uk<br />
Handles from Armac Martin<br />
SOMETIMES the simplest statement in the kitchen is the most effective.<br />
This purposeful range from Armac Martin is available in three<br />
overall sizes, 230 mm, 108 mm and 64 mm, the latter being ideally<br />
suited to spice drawers.<br />
As in all Armac Martin Birmingham made solid brass products, the full<br />
range of finishes will be available, particularly the ever popular satin and<br />
polished nickel and chromes.<br />
For the client, though, who wants something a bit different, speak to<br />
the bespoke/special/custom department.<br />
That department now accounts for nearly half of Armac Martin’s factory’s<br />
production!<br />
Armac Martin<br />
Tel 0121 359 2111<br />
Email gary@martin.co.uk ● www.martin.co.uk<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 17
NEWS<br />
Expanding range<br />
from Gibbs Sandtech<br />
GIBBS Sandtech has expanded its range of spray shop equipment to<br />
include a device for handling spindles during the spraying process.<br />
The sprung gripping system allows varying length components to<br />
be loaded as well as allowing them to be rotated through 360<br />
degrees.<br />
The extensive range of racks can be found at www.gibbsfinishing.com<br />
and with the ability to manufacture custom made racks with a competitive<br />
price and quick delivery, there is always something to suit your spray<br />
shop.<br />
Gibbs Sandtech<br />
Tel 01920 822404<br />
Email info@gibbsfinishing.com ● www.gibbsfinishing.com<br />
1 Meadow Street, Marsh, Huddersfield HD1 4QB<br />
Tel: 0870 760 9194 Fax: 01484 422605 Mobile: 07709 13149<br />
email: gareth@n-m-o.com www.n-m-o.com<br />
Used<br />
Wadkin PAR Four Side Planer<br />
Robland Z3200 Panel Scoring Saw CE 2000<br />
Startrite TA275 Saw Bench with sliding table<br />
Multico M3 & M1 Chisel Mortiser 240v<br />
Startrite 352 14” Bandsaw 240v<br />
Putsch SVP610 Vertical Panel Saw CE 2002<br />
Mesa GT700 Vertical Swing Chisel Mortiser CE<br />
Taylor JTL 12’ Panel Clam CE 2005<br />
Wadkin BEM Spindle Moulder with Power Feed<br />
Wadkin PAR 300 x 100 mm Four Side Planer<br />
Wegoma Double Mitre Saw 3.4 m<br />
Elcon 135R Vertical Panel Saw<br />
Steton BS740 Panel Band Resaw CE 2005<br />
Wadkin BAO/S 12” x 7” Planer Thicknesser DC brake<br />
Wadkin DM Chisel Mortiser<br />
Sedgwick 571 Chisel Mortiser<br />
Hoefek HB1000 Oscillating Edge Sander CE<br />
Robinson EV/T 16” x 9” Thicknesser DC brake<br />
Multico 16” Long Bed Surface Planer DC brake<br />
Wadkin UR Pin Router with Inverter Drive<br />
Wadkin BZB 30” Bandsaws<br />
APL Single, Two & Three Bag Extractors<br />
New from Onsrud<br />
ONSRUD Cutter revolutionised CNC routing with the introduction of<br />
the compression spiral cutter.<br />
Now with further development Onsrud Cutter offers the Marathon<br />
Compression Series, a long running compression tool, offering a combination<br />
of improved cutting geometry and a coating, believed to be<br />
unique, formulated to protect the cutting edge from high temperatures<br />
generated when routing laminated and composite wood products.<br />
Contact ATA Engineering Processes for full details of this new range and<br />
other recently introduced cutters for plastics,<br />
composites and aluminium.<br />
ATA Engineering Processes<br />
Tel 01442 264411<br />
Email sales@ataeng.com<br />
www.ataeng.com<br />
Over 70 new and used machines in stock<br />
For our full list, please check out our web site<br />
www.n-m-o.com<br />
Datum Tools Ltd<br />
Tel 01892 667800 www.flipstop.com<br />
Page 18 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Three gluing technologies in one with Stefani Panel Suite<br />
THE REVOLUTIONARY idea behind<br />
the SCM Group’s Stefani<br />
Panel Suite is to provide different<br />
edge gluing technologies in<br />
a single application unit and it is<br />
the result of two year’s research<br />
by the Stefani R&D team.<br />
By using a modular approach,<br />
each Stefani customer can achieve<br />
maximum flexibility by fitting different<br />
edge banding technologies<br />
on to a single machine, with EVA<br />
hot-melt glue technology applied<br />
with the glue tank, polyurethane<br />
glue technology applied with the<br />
second generation Stefani Slim<br />
Line technology and the latest<br />
generation of optical technologies<br />
such as Laser Line.<br />
The three technologies above<br />
are activated individually, but they<br />
are always available, making<br />
switching production between<br />
the technologies extremely fast,<br />
thus considerably reducing setting-up<br />
and down times. The cost<br />
can also be spread over time by<br />
setting up the machine for the various<br />
technical modules and installing<br />
them at a later stage as<br />
and when required.<br />
Switching between the various<br />
types of gluing is practical and<br />
fast, without the need for any tools<br />
or disassembling of any parts. In<br />
terms of production this means<br />
that one, or multiple changes, in<br />
the type of production do not affect<br />
daily productivity in any way.<br />
Based upon panel type, servoassisted<br />
cutting of the edge and<br />
automatic and intelligent dosing<br />
of the glue are available on all<br />
three technologies. The Panel<br />
Suite gluing machine can be fitted<br />
with 24-roll edging magazines and<br />
can apply edges on panels with a<br />
maximum thickness of up to 80<br />
mm with the EVA and Slim Line<br />
technique.<br />
“Melt on demand” is now available<br />
on the Slim Line. This new technology<br />
allows for the continuous<br />
control of the pressure that guarantees<br />
a constant amount of glue application,<br />
even under 100 g/m 2 . This<br />
ensures that only the glue required<br />
is melted, so there is absolutely no<br />
waste of raw materials.<br />
Also, with Slim Line and PU gluing,<br />
where the glue is applied to<br />
the edging material, distribution<br />
of the glue is more uniform because<br />
the problem of panel porosity<br />
is eliminated during<br />
application and the more uniform<br />
surface of the edge enables far<br />
less glue to be used compared<br />
with traditional edge banding —<br />
75% less than with hot-melt glue<br />
and 50% less than with poly -<br />
urethane glue. This translates into<br />
a glue layer thickness of a few<br />
hundredths of a millimetre compared<br />
to tenths of a millimetre<br />
with traditional edge banding.<br />
Furthermore, less glue means<br />
lower heating times and therefore<br />
greater efficiency and production<br />
readiness.<br />
Using less glue saves on the<br />
cost of materials and the energy<br />
required to melt the glue. Therefore,<br />
the slot distribution system<br />
has eliminated the glue pot and<br />
the various mechanical components<br />
of traditional gluing units,<br />
thus reducing maintenance costs<br />
and eliminating downtime, both<br />
of which have considerable influence<br />
on production costs.<br />
It is shown that a Slim Line<br />
panel processed with poly -<br />
urethane glue has the same cost<br />
of a panel processed with traditional<br />
edge banding using hotmelt<br />
glue, but with a far superior<br />
bond.<br />
SCM Group (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 0115 977 0044<br />
scmgroupuk@scmgroup.com<br />
www.scmgroup-uk.com<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 19
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Three-in-one from AXYZ<br />
A PREFERRED system for the processing of aluminium<br />
composite and metal composite panels, the three-inone<br />
PANELBuilder system from AXYZ Inter -<br />
national has evolved from years of testing<br />
and field interaction with fabricators of these<br />
materials. The system provides an allembracing<br />
three-in-one panel processing solution,<br />
comprising a specially configured large-format CNC<br />
routing machine and a dedicated software<br />
program to simultaneously groove, drill<br />
and profile-cut single or multiple sheets of<br />
ACM/MCM.<br />
The system can be configured to handle all standard<br />
ACM/MCM sheet sizes up to 8 m x 2 m. Key<br />
design features include a triple Z tooling<br />
arrangement (complete with three 5 hp router<br />
spindles), an automatic tool mister/coolant facility<br />
for machining plate aluminium, pop-up location pins for<br />
material alignment and a powerful vacuum hold-down system<br />
to firmly secure sheets during the routing process. Waste<br />
generated during this process is safely removed through a chip-extraction system<br />
complete with an automatic vacuum extraction manifold.<br />
The supporting PANELBuilder software includes both 2D and enhanced 3D design and layout capabilities<br />
for more complex panel processing requirements, in addition to precise panel nesting to maximise sheet utilisation<br />
and automatic tool path creation. Once a panel cyanotype has been created, it can be saved with parametric values for recall at any time.<br />
Panels can be easily created by changing the dimensions of the design, adding these to the job schedule and finally nesting onto the materials to be<br />
processed using the software’s powerful nesting feature. Significantly, PANELBuilder software is supplied loaded with many usable existing panel<br />
designs to help start-up and accelerate panel processing. It will also link with and enhance existing software programs to increase the ability to<br />
create panel blanks for ACM façade systems.<br />
The system is supported with a comprehensive range of specially designed cutting tools and accessories to accommodate multiple panel processing<br />
requirements. These include tools to profile materials in a thickness of between three and six millimetres and those that will provide the required fold<br />
angle and bend radius and specially configured tool options for the processing of exotic materials.<br />
The PANELBuilder system is backed by a comprehensive training programme to ensure the benefits are fully understood and maximised by<br />
operatives, together with ongoing technical support from the AXYZ International team of dedicated engineers.<br />
AXYZ International ● Tel 01902 375600 ● Email sales@axyz.co.uk ● www.axyz.co.uk<br />
Koolkut’s the saw for Sawtry<br />
ONE OF the challenges often<br />
arising as a result of rapid workshop<br />
growth is the need to be<br />
able to reliably, accurately and<br />
speedily cut large volumes of<br />
assorted sheet materials.<br />
Cambridgeshire based Sawtry<br />
Cabinets has found the solution to<br />
this challenge in Sagetech’s range<br />
of Koolkut vertical panel saws.<br />
Sawtry Cabinets provides a bespoke<br />
fitted bedrooms service, including<br />
design, manufacturing<br />
and fitting, mostly for local residential<br />
customers. The company<br />
uses melamine-faced boards<br />
heavily, and while the majority of<br />
the shaping work is handled by<br />
CNC routers, the 2.6 m x 2 m<br />
‘Jumbo’ boards that Sawtry uses<br />
must first be cut down to size, as<br />
the routers only take sheets sized<br />
up to 8’ x 4’.<br />
“Initially, I was working on my<br />
own,” David Shipp, Proprietor of<br />
Sawtry Cabinets, recalled. “I had to<br />
lay the boards on timbers on the<br />
workshop floor and cut them with<br />
a circular saw. That took a lot of<br />
space and created a serious dust<br />
problem. Also, 2.6 m x 2 m of 18<br />
mm melamine is heavy: simply<br />
getting the boards into position<br />
was difficult and time-consuming.”<br />
The business grew and David<br />
took on a couple of employees. By<br />
the late 2000s he was in a position<br />
to look for a better solution to the<br />
problem of sizing sheet materials<br />
for the routers.<br />
It was at 2008’s Woodmex exhibition<br />
that David came across<br />
Sagetech’s Koolkut moving column<br />
vertical panel saw range. Impressed<br />
by the company’s approachable,<br />
helpful attitude and the capabilities<br />
of the machines, he looked into the<br />
range in more detail.<br />
David settled on the Koolkut<br />
KK21S, specifically designed for<br />
boards 2.1 m wide, as the unit best<br />
suited to his requirements. “It was<br />
the Koolkut’s price that tipped the<br />
balance, though,” he observed.<br />
“Given the machine’s specification<br />
and capabilities, it’s really very attractive<br />
indeed!”<br />
Installed in 2009, Sawtry Cabinet’s<br />
Koolkut KK21S quickly became<br />
key to the company’s<br />
production process. The Koolkut is<br />
used to size sheets of a wide variety<br />
of materials, including<br />
melamine faced boards, veneers,<br />
MDF, chipboard and plywood,<br />
usually for the CNC routers.<br />
Asked what difference the<br />
Koolkut has made for the business,<br />
David was clear and to the point.<br />
“Huge,” he said. “It’s saving us enormous<br />
amounts of time: we’ve<br />
been able to accelerate our production<br />
process with no impact<br />
on quality. Put simply, the business<br />
is more profitable because of<br />
the Koolkut.”<br />
Given the difference the Sage -<br />
tech machine has made to David’s<br />
business and the very attractive<br />
pricing of the range, it’s perhaps<br />
no surprise that he gives his<br />
Koolkut panel saw “Ten out of ten”<br />
for value for money and is more<br />
than happy to recommend it to<br />
other businesses needing a quick,<br />
safe and economical solution to<br />
the challenge of cutting sheet<br />
materials.<br />
Sagetech<br />
Tel 0118 970 1950<br />
Email info@sagetech.co.uk<br />
www.sagetech.co.uk<br />
Page 20 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Exports of Medite and<br />
Smartply top €2.25 bn<br />
MEDITE Europe, a leading producer<br />
of MDF and part of<br />
Coillte’s Panel Products Division,<br />
has reached a significant<br />
production milestone with<br />
seven million m 3 of MDF panels<br />
produced in its Clonmel factory<br />
since it was established in 1983.<br />
In addition, Smartly Europe in<br />
Waterford, also part of Coillte<br />
Panel Products, has manufactured<br />
four million m 3 of oriented strand<br />
board (OSB) since it was set up in<br />
1996.<br />
This amounts to a substantial<br />
total of 11 million m 3 of timber<br />
panel products produced in Ireland<br />
from Irish timber with an estimated<br />
value of €2.5 billion. With<br />
90% of these products exported,<br />
€2.25 bn worth of timber panel<br />
products have been shipped from<br />
Ireland over the life of these plants<br />
to markets across the world.<br />
Geoff Rhodes, Coillte Panel<br />
Product’s marketing and business<br />
development director said, “This is<br />
a fantastic achievement. With our<br />
international exports so high, this<br />
is a real success story for Ireland.<br />
Over the years, both brands have<br />
produced award-winning marketing<br />
campaigns and have strong international<br />
profiles.<br />
“High standards, consistency,<br />
innovation and environmental responsibility<br />
are vital, and these impressive<br />
figures demonstrate that<br />
our customers recognise these<br />
qualities in both SmartPly and<br />
Medite products.”<br />
Since 2008, Coillte Panel Pro -<br />
ducts has continued to ask decision<br />
makers at every level and in<br />
every part of the supply and specification<br />
chain to be uncompromising<br />
in their choice of certified<br />
and locally grown and manufactured<br />
wood products. The aim of<br />
the international and multifaceted<br />
“Time 2 Choose” campaign<br />
is to ensure that specifiers are<br />
aware that Coillte’s panel products<br />
meet the environmental and performance<br />
expectations of today’s<br />
marketplace and encourages active<br />
consideration of wood products,<br />
rather than reliance on<br />
habitual or traditional decision<br />
making.<br />
Mr Rhodes continued, “The<br />
‘Time 2 Choose’ campaign not<br />
only raises awareness of Medite<br />
and SmartPly’s FSC certification<br />
and local manufacture, but also<br />
asks the trade and specifiers to<br />
question their purchasing decisions<br />
and to ensure they are making<br />
correct, environmentally<br />
responsible choices.”<br />
Commenting on the achievement,<br />
Gerry Britchfield, managing<br />
director of Coillte Panel Products,<br />
said: “Coillte Panel Products is<br />
unique in Europe because we are<br />
part of the company which owns<br />
the forests and hence the raw material<br />
— wood fibre — which we<br />
use to make our panel boards. This<br />
means we can guarantee supply<br />
to our customers in a way which<br />
other producers can’t. As markets<br />
for these value added products<br />
improve, fibre security is increasingly<br />
becoming an issue for our<br />
customers and highlights the<br />
strength of the Coillte Group strategy<br />
as an integrated forest products<br />
company.<br />
“Coillte’s forests are Forest Stewardship<br />
Council (FSC) Certified as<br />
being managed in a responsible<br />
way, as well as our panel products<br />
themselves being FSC certified,<br />
enabling us to export 90 per cent<br />
of what we product. SmartPly and<br />
Medite’s environmental credentials<br />
are critical for many of our European<br />
customers looking to reduce<br />
the carbon footprint of their<br />
buildings whilst using highly innovative<br />
panel products.”<br />
He went on to say, “These businesses<br />
have come through a difficult<br />
period since the collapse in<br />
the Irish construction sector but<br />
with a focus on innovation and<br />
customer service and a renewed<br />
emphasis on export markets we<br />
have turned them around. We are<br />
now finding new markets for our<br />
products and helping secure over<br />
500 jobs both directly in our plants<br />
and indirectly with the companies<br />
we do business with in Ireland.”<br />
Waterford-based SmartPly Europe<br />
is one of ten Irish companies<br />
selected to represent Ireland at<br />
the <strong>2011</strong> European Business<br />
Awards sponsored by HSBC. From<br />
around 15,000 relevant European<br />
companies, an independent jury<br />
selected the ten best-case companies<br />
in Ireland which had clearly<br />
demonstrated an ability to grow<br />
and thrive despite challengeing<br />
economic conditions.<br />
Medite is a market leader in<br />
MDF and has been very successful<br />
in bringing new and innovative<br />
products to the market, which<br />
adds value to the wood fibre resource<br />
managed by Coillte.<br />
Coillte Panel Products<br />
Tel 01322 424900<br />
www.coillte.com<br />
www.medite-europe.com<br />
www.smartply.com<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 21
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Mirror quality finish<br />
VALERIO Pellegrini of Siteworx<br />
Ltd is very enthusiastic about<br />
the potential of his Kündig Brilliant-2<br />
REd-L sander with<br />
oblique shear sanding technology,<br />
purchased in January 2010.<br />
The more you use it, he told<br />
PW&SS, the more you understand<br />
what its capabilities are: you really<br />
trust the machine, he says, even<br />
on the most expensive materials.<br />
Twenty years ago, Valerio and<br />
business partner, Luigi Clementini,<br />
moved from Tuscany to London<br />
and opened a site spraying business<br />
with a small workshop by the<br />
Thames. In 2009, the company<br />
moved to a 4,000 ft 2 unit close<br />
to the Thames Barrier, a site offering<br />
good road access<br />
throughout Greater London.<br />
Siteworx offers top quality<br />
workshop spray painting.<br />
Quality is the company’s key<br />
word: to this end, only the<br />
best pro ducts are used to<br />
guarantee a durable, hardwearing<br />
finish on a wide<br />
range of surfaces, including<br />
wood, MDF and metalwork.<br />
Preparation of the surface is<br />
key, especially with high gloss,<br />
where an extremely smooth<br />
surface is required. Siteworx<br />
had been sanding manually,<br />
but this was proving both<br />
time consuming and costly in<br />
terms of materials.<br />
Having recognised the<br />
need to automate the sanding<br />
process, Valerio began investigating<br />
the market, looking at<br />
several brands. He was recommended<br />
by one of London’s prestigious<br />
joinery contractors to<br />
contact Albert Holland of A12 Machinery,<br />
in Essex, with whom they<br />
had previously worked to resolve<br />
surface finishing issues, and to ask<br />
Siteworx uses only the best products to ensure a durable, hardworking<br />
finish on a range of surfaces.<br />
A mirror-quality finish, achieved by Kündig and Siteworx.<br />
A new definition of a “photo finish” from Kündig and Siteworx.<br />
about the Kündig oblique sander,<br />
similar to the one they had already<br />
purchased. A12 Machinery is an<br />
authorised dealer in Kündig UK’s<br />
dealer network.<br />
A visit to Switzerland, where<br />
Kündig is based, with a sample of<br />
Valerio’s own product, demonstrated<br />
that a Kündig sander produces<br />
excellent results and is easy<br />
to use, and the decision to purchase<br />
was made.<br />
The Kündig Brilliant-2 REd-L,<br />
which Valerio selected, has a first<br />
contact roller for accurate calibration<br />
of the material and a second<br />
head, which is an electronic segmental<br />
sanding pad, which can be<br />
used for sanding veneer and, on<br />
this particular machine, also lacquer.<br />
It also has a vacuum bed,<br />
belt blowers for cleaning the abrasive<br />
and variable speed to the<br />
abrasive, which is electronic inverter<br />
controlled; the segments in<br />
the pad are 22 mm.<br />
Several factors were key in Valerio’s<br />
decision to purchase this machine.<br />
One was that it represented<br />
excellent quality at a price that<br />
was within the available budget.<br />
Another was that it was the sanding<br />
group that moved rather than<br />
the panel, giving a fixed datum for<br />
ease of handling and setting.<br />
Valerio explained to PW&SS that<br />
the boards he works with come in<br />
a range of very slightly different<br />
thicknesses, and the fact that the<br />
thickness is set on the machine<br />
rather than the panel means that<br />
he does not have to continually<br />
readjust the base to allow for<br />
these differences in thickness,<br />
making the machine much easier<br />
to use. For Valerio, this was a key<br />
selling point.<br />
Albert Holland adds that this<br />
type of variation is “not a problem<br />
for the Kündig: you just set the machine<br />
to automatic. It is in effect a<br />
very straightforward machine for a<br />
very complicated process.”<br />
Albert is also enthusiastic about<br />
the standards Siteworx sets for itself<br />
and the standards that are<br />
achieved. “Their great selling<br />
point is the quality of the finish<br />
and their emphasis on<br />
punctuality. Siteworx can turn<br />
bare looking MDF into a high<br />
quality lacquer finish. The aim<br />
is to regularly produce a finish<br />
that can be used as a mirror.”<br />
Valerio told PW&SS that the<br />
standard requirement is to<br />
produce a surface that is very<br />
smooth and flat, especially for<br />
a high polish gloss. “Any details<br />
show through on the<br />
gloss finish. The Kündig prepares<br />
the panels really well,<br />
achieving a very flat surface.<br />
After spraying, we use the machine<br />
to fine cut back and<br />
then polish by hand. The quality<br />
is excellent.”<br />
Valerio is delighted with the<br />
precision of the machine as<br />
well as its ease of use: “It works<br />
to 0.1 mm and when you have<br />
a good knowledge from using the<br />
machine of how it works, the pressure<br />
on the belts, the pressure on<br />
the pads and the belt speed, you<br />
can adjust the variables: the more<br />
you use the machine, the greater<br />
your understanding of it and<br />
hence, the greater your appreciation<br />
of its sophistication.<br />
“The board responds exactly to<br />
your needs. You really trust the<br />
machine, once you understand<br />
what you can achieve with it. We<br />
use it with complete confidence<br />
on panels where, if anything went<br />
wrong, the consequences would<br />
be very expensive. In eighteen<br />
months, we have never had any<br />
doubts about the sander: it has<br />
never “played up”, and its reliability<br />
and accuracy is retained<br />
through all the different work that<br />
we do with it.”<br />
Albert Holland seconds the<br />
view of the “sheer quality” of the<br />
Kündig sander, adding, “It’s a privilege<br />
to sell products of the highest<br />
quality!”.<br />
Kündig UK Ltd<br />
Tel 0845 833 0565<br />
Email sales@kundig.co.uk<br />
www.kundig.co.uk<br />
Page 22 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Striebig saws prove popular at top London art colleges<br />
CENTRAL Saint Martin’s College<br />
of Art & Design has ordered a<br />
Striebig Evolution in advance of<br />
its forthcoming move to a landmark<br />
building at the heart of<br />
the capital’s multi-millionpound<br />
King’s Cross redevelopment<br />
scheme.<br />
Pete Smithson, one of the college’s<br />
technical co-ordinators, said:<br />
“The Evolution will replace a conventional<br />
table saw. As well as taking<br />
up far less room than a table saw<br />
in our new workshop, it will allow us<br />
to handle much larger panels.<br />
“After seeing a Striebig in a<br />
drama school’s workshop and visiting<br />
trade shows, it was clear that<br />
their saws are the best on the market<br />
and ideal for our needs.”<br />
The Evolution 4216 bought by<br />
the college has a cutting range of<br />
3,300 x 2,160 mm and a maximum<br />
depth of cut of 80 mm.<br />
It is one of nine models in the<br />
Evolution range, believed to be<br />
the most efficient and advanced<br />
manual panel saw available. It features<br />
as standard Striebig’s userfriendly<br />
“touch and saw” operating<br />
system. This delivers easy and convenient<br />
machine control through<br />
a touch screen panel that operates<br />
all of the machine’s functions.<br />
Other standard features include a<br />
digital measuring system, accurate<br />
to 0.1 mm, and an adjustable precision<br />
display that can be set to an accuracy<br />
of 1.0, 0.5 or 0.1 mm,<br />
according to the thickness of the<br />
panels being sized. It will be supplied<br />
with an optional scoring saw for the<br />
smooth cutting of laminate panels.<br />
Chelsea College of Art and Design<br />
has benefitted from greater<br />
accuracy and reduced panel manhandling<br />
since a Striebig Compact<br />
entry-level machine, featuring a<br />
digital measuring system, replaced<br />
a table saw in 2005.<br />
Resource manager, Steve Meadows,<br />
said: “We set up a new wood<br />
workshop here six years ago after<br />
A technician uses the Striebig Compact vertical panel saw at<br />
Chelsea College of Art and Design.<br />
The Striebig Evolution vertical panel saw bought by Central Saint Martin’s College of Art & Design.<br />
An ‘installation’ work produced by a student at Chelsea College of Art<br />
and Design with the help of a Striebig Compact vertical panel saw.<br />
four colleges merged into one,<br />
and because of the increase in the<br />
volume of board cutting needed<br />
we decided to replace our table<br />
saw. One of our technicans saw a<br />
Striebig working at a B&Q store<br />
and suggested it would be perfect<br />
for us, so after checking out the<br />
manufacturer and supplier we<br />
made the decision to buy.”<br />
Technicians at both colleges,<br />
which are part of the University of<br />
Arts London, use saws exclusively<br />
in their woodworking workshops<br />
to size panels for students.<br />
At Chelsea, the Compact sizes<br />
wood-based panels plus the occasional<br />
laminate and acrylic sheet,<br />
ranging in thickness from 3 mm up<br />
to 25 mm thick MDF panels. The<br />
materials are used by students in<br />
their work, which can range from<br />
sculptures and installations of all<br />
kinds to picture frames and display<br />
plinths needed for exhibitions.<br />
Steve Meadows said: “Because<br />
it’s so easy to load a panel onto the<br />
Streibig it has cut out all the backbreaking<br />
work of manhandling a<br />
heavy panel onto the table saw’s<br />
bed. It also delivers the kind of sustained<br />
accuracy when cutting repeat<br />
pieces you just can’t get on a<br />
table saw. Once it has been set up<br />
it makes fast work of making multiple<br />
cuts, like the request we had<br />
from a student for 1,000 two inch<br />
thick strips. I reckon that that on<br />
average it takes a third of the time<br />
to size a panel compared with<br />
using the former table saw.”<br />
The college’s Striebig 4164 is<br />
the smallest model in the ninestrong<br />
entry level series with a cutting<br />
range of 3,100 x 1,644 mm (10<br />
ft x 5 ft) and a maximum depth of<br />
cut of 60 mm. A space saving allrounder<br />
that brings Striebig quality<br />
within the reach of the smallest<br />
workshop, it has a powerful 3.9 kW<br />
motor and exceptionally efficient<br />
integral TRK dust extraction that<br />
far surpasses current European<br />
health and safety legislation.<br />
Features include automatic<br />
moving backing support, and the<br />
option of a scoring saw for laminates.<br />
It is based on a single, fully<br />
welded sawing frame to give<br />
decades of reliable service whilst<br />
maintaining cutting precision.<br />
An important reason why<br />
Chelsea chose the Compact 4164<br />
model was that with a height of just<br />
2.39 m, it could slot easily in to the<br />
area reserved for it in the workshop<br />
which has an extremely low ceiling.<br />
Whether requiring a machine<br />
with manual or automatic feed,<br />
the Compact series is characterised<br />
by flexibility and costeffective<br />
use. A huge range of<br />
original Striebig accessories are<br />
available.<br />
“We have never had a serious<br />
problem with the Striebig and it is<br />
still as accurate as the day it was<br />
installed,” said Steve Meadows.<br />
“With regular servicing it just goes<br />
on and on. It’s the best bit of kit we<br />
have in the workshop and our<br />
technicians have had many requests<br />
from the maintenance staff<br />
who want to use it.”<br />
The supplier of the saws to both<br />
colleges is Striebig’s sole UK distributor,<br />
TM Machinery Sales.<br />
TM Machinery Sales<br />
Tel 0116 271 7155<br />
Email sales@tmservices.co.uk<br />
www.tmpartnership.co.uk<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 23
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Cabinet Vision “essential to our success”<br />
WITH Planit’s Radan CAD/CAM<br />
software playing what CED Fabrications<br />
calls “an essential role”<br />
in its stainless steel commercial<br />
kitchen business for more than<br />
a decade, the company knew exactly<br />
what was needed when it<br />
set up a wood-based domestic<br />
kitchen division.<br />
“Radan has paid for itself time<br />
and again as a vital part of our<br />
sheet metal manufacturing<br />
process, and we realised that Cabinet<br />
Vision and Alphacam would<br />
be just as essential to the success<br />
of our new venture,” said CED’s<br />
sales director, Andrew Siddle.<br />
Based near Blackburn, CED Fabrications’<br />
long-standing core business<br />
has been to manufacture<br />
commercial stainless steel<br />
kitchens for hospitals, schools, colleges,<br />
restaurants, pubs, motorway<br />
service stations — “in fact, our<br />
products are suitable wherever<br />
there’s a commercial kitchen,” adds<br />
Andrew Siddle.<br />
CED commercial kitchens and<br />
servery display counters can be<br />
found in Virgin Trains’ buffet cars,<br />
along with Debenhams, Sainsburys<br />
and Tescos restaurants.<br />
Over the past couple of years<br />
CED has also been producing a limited<br />
amount of wooden fascias and<br />
solid surface worktops for its stainless<br />
steel and shopfitted counter<br />
carcasses. “It’s necessary for us to<br />
provide this additional service ourselves<br />
rather than relying on a third<br />
party, and our new domestic<br />
kitchen business developed out of<br />
that. There’s great potential for us<br />
to grow into a large business in that<br />
sector, and Cabinet Vision and Alphacam<br />
will play a vital role in our<br />
plans to achieve that.”<br />
The new woodworking plant<br />
houses an SCM CNC nesting/routing<br />
cell driven by Cabinet Vision<br />
Solid Ultimate with Screen-to-<br />
Machine, along with Alphacam<br />
router Advanced and Cabinet<br />
Door Manufacturing. Cabinet Vision’s<br />
Screen-to-Machine is believed<br />
to be the industry’s only<br />
fully integrated solution. It is capable<br />
of nesting and optimisation,<br />
and generates machine-ready<br />
code for saw, point-to-point machines,<br />
CNC routers, drill and<br />
dowel machines, chop saws, and<br />
other specialised woodworking<br />
machinery.<br />
While CED has been using Alphacam<br />
to create the components<br />
and send toolpaths and manufacturing<br />
instructions to the CNC machines<br />
producing the wooden<br />
panels and worktops to go with its<br />
commercial kitchen, the company<br />
is now using its Cabinet Door<br />
Manufacturing facility to meet demand<br />
for specialised production<br />
for the new domestic business. It<br />
gives instant parametric programming<br />
for the production of external,<br />
internal and fascia doors,<br />
along with an order-entry facility<br />
providing information for built-in,<br />
fully customisable bar coding and<br />
part labelling functions.<br />
The flagship Cabinet Vision Ultimate<br />
keeps simple tasks easy and<br />
makes complex jobs possible. Andrew<br />
Siddle explains it is ideal for<br />
CED’s new domestic operation because<br />
of its advanced solid modelling<br />
technology. “As well as<br />
producing pre-packed cabinets of<br />
standard sizes, Cabinet Vision Ultimate<br />
is also giving us the ability to<br />
offer bespoke sizes with no additional<br />
input from designers. Its<br />
flexibility to produce any size and<br />
variation of design is very important<br />
in helping to achieve good<br />
quality bespoke products while<br />
keeping costs down. It’s very impressive<br />
what it can do. Sometimes<br />
in business you look at something<br />
you want to do, and have to say ‘I<br />
can’t do that’, but with Cabinet Vision<br />
you can do it.” It allows CED to<br />
design the entire kitchen or a single<br />
piece of cabinet furniture, automatically<br />
generates a full cutlist,<br />
photo realistic renders, working<br />
drawings, optimised nested sheets<br />
and a full costing function. CED<br />
uses the costing function to create<br />
customised quotations directly<br />
from the design, including adjusting<br />
profit margins on individual<br />
jobs or components. This function<br />
gives full analysis on the breakdown<br />
of costs by material, labour<br />
and components, ensuring accurate<br />
costing.<br />
All of the advanced software<br />
readily links directly to CED’s various<br />
brands of machinery, providing<br />
enhanced productivity,<br />
exceptional reliability and additional<br />
flexibility, all contributing to<br />
increased profitability.<br />
Andrew Siddle’s confidence<br />
that Planit software will be essential<br />
to the domestic division’s success<br />
is borne out of lengthy<br />
experience of using a variety of<br />
Radan products for the successful<br />
fabrication of stainless steel commercial<br />
kitchen carcasses.<br />
CED’s standard products are designed<br />
in SolidWorks, which is<br />
then imported directly into Radan<br />
as 2D drawings and flatpattern developments.<br />
The toolpaths are automatically<br />
added and the CNC<br />
programs generated with Radpunch.<br />
Radpunch’s revised user interface<br />
and graphics display now<br />
simplifies operation, while enhancements<br />
to the manufacturing<br />
database mean more information<br />
about the production process is<br />
captured by the system for use in<br />
future programs. Andrew Siddle<br />
says “A major advantage of Radan<br />
is that it not only manages the<br />
standard components swiftly and<br />
accurately, but it also means the<br />
company can handle bepsoke<br />
parts in its stride.”<br />
Planit Software<br />
Tel 01233 506100<br />
www.cabinetvision.com<br />
Page 24 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
CED Kitchens invests heavily with SCM Group<br />
CED FABRICATIONS is one of the<br />
UK’s leading manufacturers and<br />
suppliers of commercial catering<br />
equipment, operating from<br />
a 55,000 ft 2 manufacturing facility<br />
in Clayton-Le-Moors, near<br />
Blackburn, Lancashire.<br />
CED, or Catering Equipment Design,<br />
was founded 21 years ago by<br />
Howard Rishton, managing director,<br />
firstly refurbishing catering<br />
equipment, then expanded to<br />
produce an extensive range of<br />
standard and bespoke catering<br />
equipment, with stainless steel<br />
featuring heavily in the product<br />
ranges. To continue expanding the<br />
company, CED looked at other<br />
products to manufacture and sell,<br />
and it was decided to explore the<br />
production and supply of kitchens<br />
to the trade.<br />
Howard Rishton comments,<br />
“We needed to look at other markets<br />
for further expansion of CED<br />
and there seemed to be a gap in<br />
the market for supplying quality<br />
kitchens including carcasses,<br />
doors and appliances, so last year,<br />
CED Kitchens was created as a<br />
separate company, with new manufacturing<br />
units taken on nearby<br />
to our main building and factory.”<br />
Howard Rishton contacted several<br />
potential suppliers of machinery<br />
including Ian McCarthy of SCM<br />
Group UK to discuss CED’s requirements<br />
machinery wise, basing<br />
their carcass production on the<br />
‘Nesting’ process using 18 mm<br />
MFC and cam and dowel construction,<br />
supplying carcasses fully<br />
assembled. Demonstrations on<br />
relevant equipment followed and<br />
orders were placed with SCM for a<br />
Morbidelli Universal 20 CNC machining<br />
centre, an SCM Olimpic<br />
S2000 single sided edge bander<br />
with return conveyor and a DMC<br />
wide belt finishing sander.<br />
The high specification Morbidelli<br />
is part of a fully automatic<br />
line, and has a 4,250 x 2,280 mm<br />
work table. A stack of panels is<br />
loaded on to the infeed platform,<br />
with vacuum system, mounted on<br />
the Universal’s mobile gantry, to<br />
collect the top panel from the<br />
stack and feed it on to the machine’s<br />
multi-function aluminium<br />
table that has a high capacity 500<br />
mc/hr vacuum system fitted to<br />
firmly hold down the panel to the<br />
table for the Nesting process.<br />
A powerful 8.5 kW routing head<br />
machines the required panels<br />
from the full-size sheet, optimised<br />
and programmed via the machine’s<br />
PC using Cabinet Vision. A<br />
Rapid 16 automatic tool changer<br />
feeds the routing head with tools,<br />
and an F18 drilling unit with vertical<br />
and horizontal drills with an integrated<br />
sawing unit for grooving,<br />
etc. Upon completion of the Nesting<br />
cycle, the completed panels<br />
are expelled automatically on to<br />
an unloading belt, where a labelling<br />
station produces labels<br />
that have bar codes and information<br />
contained for panel recognition<br />
later on in the factory.<br />
Panels are edge banded, normally<br />
with 2 mm thick ABS edging,<br />
on an SCM Olimpic S2000 T-ERL<br />
single sided edge bander that has<br />
auto panel spacing at the infeed<br />
followed by an edge machining<br />
unit with diamond cutters for a<br />
perfect edge before gluing. Hot<br />
melt glue is fed automatically from<br />
a hopper system with pre-melting<br />
to ensure the glue in the glue pot<br />
is always at the correct temperature<br />
before application to the<br />
panel edge.<br />
After end trimming and top and<br />
bottom edge trimming, a Round<br />
SK corner rounding unit, with two<br />
positions for different thicknesses<br />
of edge banding, trims the ABS<br />
edging perfectly, before profile<br />
scraping and an oscillating buffing<br />
unit completes the edging<br />
process. At the outfeed is a “Spinner”<br />
return conveyor system that<br />
transports the edged panels back<br />
to the infeed of the S2000 so that<br />
the operator can continue edge<br />
banding the other sides of the<br />
panel as required.<br />
CED Kitchens will be pressing its<br />
own doors, including high gloss<br />
finishes, using either a hot platen<br />
press or a membrane press. To ensure<br />
a perfect surface on the MDF<br />
core before pressing, CED Kitchens<br />
has installed a DMC Masterbrush<br />
MB 1350 M4 Finishing Sanding<br />
system with four operational units.<br />
With a 1,350 mm working width,<br />
the first two units, each 300 mm<br />
diameter, are rotating brush units<br />
with abrasive strips and can be<br />
counter rotating and operate at an<br />
angle, ensuring a top class, uniform<br />
sanding quality over the<br />
complete surface of the door. The<br />
third unit is a rotating disc, orbiting<br />
unit, with the movement of<br />
the supporting structures enabling<br />
the rotary discs to round<br />
the sharp edges and the brushing<br />
action to reach the machined and<br />
grooved areas on profiled doors.<br />
The fourth unit is another brush<br />
roller with horse hair to give a final<br />
finish to the door before pressing,<br />
with any dust being removed at<br />
the outfeed of the DMC by two oscillating<br />
blower rods and a turbo<br />
blowing unit.<br />
As production is now gearing<br />
up to commence supplying the<br />
new customers, CED Kitchens is<br />
determined to make a big impact<br />
on the kitchen supply market.<br />
CED’s sales director, Andrew<br />
Siddle, states, “We want to ensure<br />
we are capable of supplying top<br />
quality carcasses and doors to the<br />
trade, hence the massive investment<br />
with SCM and their own top<br />
of the range machinery, that we<br />
know will be able to produce our<br />
products to the highest standard.<br />
Installation and training on the<br />
new machines was carried out by<br />
SCM’s factory trained engineers.<br />
Our aim is to be a ‘One Stop Shop’<br />
to all of our customers who can<br />
purchase a complete kitchen from<br />
one supplier with confidence and<br />
we believe we have an exciting future<br />
in a new market to CED.”<br />
CED Kitchens<br />
Tel 01254 238282<br />
www.cedkitchens.co.uk<br />
SCM Group (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 0115 977 0044<br />
Email<br />
scmgroupuk@scmgroup.com<br />
www.scmgroup-uk.com<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 25
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Holz-Her sales & service exclusively from Weinig UK<br />
Holz-Her’s range of products<br />
Edgebander<br />
Vertical saw<br />
Beam saw<br />
Machine centre<br />
SINCE the take over of Holz-Her<br />
by Weinig AG, 15 months ago,<br />
Weinig UK has taken on exclusive<br />
full responsibility for the<br />
sales and service of the complete<br />
range of Holz-Her products<br />
in England, Scotland and<br />
Wales. All new sales and service<br />
requirements are handled by<br />
Weinig UK.<br />
Holz-Her customers can be assured<br />
of the same high level of<br />
service care that Weinig UK<br />
provides on its existing range of<br />
products.<br />
Weinig values prompt, efficient<br />
Investment completed<br />
ENGINEERED wood-based panel<br />
manufacturer, Norbord, has<br />
completed the final phase of a<br />
£25 million investment programme<br />
at its site in Cowie,<br />
Scotland.<br />
The investment improves and<br />
extends the particleboard operations<br />
and includes the replacement<br />
of a forming station and<br />
pre-press components.<br />
Karl Morris, managing director<br />
of Norbord Europe, said: “The installation<br />
of a state-of-the-art continuous<br />
press has already allowed<br />
us to considerably grow our market<br />
share in flooring and other<br />
construction-related products.<br />
“Work continued on a ‘24 hours<br />
a day, seven days a week’ basis<br />
while the forming stations were<br />
replaced and the new forming<br />
bins installed.<br />
“The completion of the final<br />
stage of works has provided us<br />
with added operating flexibility, a<br />
broader product mix, further quality<br />
improvements, capacity<br />
growth of over 10% and a reduction<br />
in total manufacturing costs.<br />
“These cost reductions are important<br />
as we strive to partially<br />
offset rising wood costs which are<br />
under pressure due to strong competition<br />
from the energy sector.”<br />
Norbord currently employs more<br />
than 250 people at its Cowie plant<br />
and a further 120 at a sister site in<br />
and reliable after-sales and offers<br />
a totally dependable service tailored<br />
to individual customer’s<br />
needs.<br />
The comprehensive Weinig<br />
service includes planned service<br />
contracts and individual training<br />
from its base in Abingdon.<br />
Morayhill near Inverness. It also employs<br />
in excess of 400 people at its<br />
plant in South Molton, Devon.<br />
Contacts for sales and service<br />
are: Paul Nightingale, Sales Manager;<br />
and Shaun Crump, Service<br />
Manager.<br />
Michael Weinig (UK) Ltd<br />
Tel 01235 557600<br />
Email sales-uk@weinig.com<br />
www.weinig.co.uk<br />
Norbord<br />
Tel 01786 812921<br />
www.norbord.com<br />
Page 26 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
PANELS & PANEL PROCESSING<br />
Alphacam serves up furniture winners<br />
A STUNNING combined reception<br />
desk, seating area and logo at the<br />
headquarters of leading fashion label<br />
Fred Perry, won a top industry award<br />
for a Cambridgeshire woodworking<br />
company.<br />
Along with the architects and materials<br />
supplier, The Cutting Room jointly<br />
won the Furniture Category of The<br />
Wood Awards 2010 for the highly complex<br />
project comprising 405 individually-shaped<br />
components made from 18<br />
mm birch plywood, which has a finished<br />
length of 7·3 m and weighs 2·5 tonnes.<br />
Cutting Room partner, Mark Durey,<br />
was delighted with the win, as the company<br />
is not a furniture maker, but a component<br />
manufacturer and CNC routing<br />
specialist. And he says the CAD/CAM<br />
software, Alphacam Advanced Router,<br />
was vital in helping the company produce<br />
the required effect.<br />
The original concept model was created<br />
in Rhino3D by Amr Assaad, an associate<br />
at architects Buckley Gray Yeoman,<br />
who liaised closely with The Cutting<br />
Room during the early stages about what they needed for the CAD file. The<br />
design was then swivelled and laid flat. “Once it became flat Alphacam<br />
managed the rest of the operation, through to generating the machine<br />
code for our Anderson Duo router that manufactured all the parts. We took<br />
a series of slices and put holes through for the dowels, which we did partly<br />
as a surface and partly as a solid model. Then we took the slices out and<br />
spun them into a plan view before nesting them into sheets.”<br />
He says Alphacam was instrumental in overcoming surface layer issues<br />
that could not be handled in Rhino. “We pulled in all the slices of different<br />
heights and progressed with the zero surface command. Once we’d<br />
got that, we ensured the geometry connected, which is very easy to do<br />
with the break function — and that’s absolutely vital for this type of work,<br />
showing where the geometry is open and manipulating the geometry<br />
to close it.”<br />
Thousands of lines of Alphacam CNC code were generated to create<br />
the toolpaths necessary to ensure that each of the individual panels was<br />
correctly shaped and had accurately placed dowel holes. Once the components<br />
had all been made, the unit was built over two days at The Cutting<br />
Room’s Huntingdon workshop to check everything was absolutely<br />
right; it then took a day to disassemble it, and a further two days to reassemble<br />
it at Fred Perry’s Covent Garden headquarters in London.<br />
“While almost all of the 405 components were different, we had every<br />
confidence that our Anderson Duo could produce the high precision<br />
work needed to make this project a success,” says Mark Durey. “Although<br />
it is quite old, we feel it is more robust than many new CNC routers, and<br />
Alphacam gives it the full capability of the more modern machines.” The<br />
Anderson has two heads with eight-station auto tool changers, along<br />
with twin 1,600 mm x 1,600 mm beds which were used as one large 3,200<br />
mm x 1,600 mm bed for the Fred Perry project.<br />
The shaped components were cut from a total of 70 sheets of 10 ft x 5<br />
ft birch ply. Once they had all been produced, hand sanding the 1,800 m<br />
of plywood edge then became a key element. “All edges were lacquered<br />
three times — meaning we sanded more than 5,000 metres of edge, plus<br />
the surfaces!”<br />
As well as undertaking the unusual one-off projects, The Cutting Room<br />
manufactures a variety of kitchen, bedroom and bathroom cupboard<br />
doors, on an SCM Routomat 3. The company also uses an SCM Record<br />
220 router with a single 10-station auto tool changer and 16 spindle drill<br />
block, mainly for the 3D work which makes up around 5% of the company’s<br />
turnover, along with overspill from the other two machines. All<br />
three CNC routers are driven by Alphacam.<br />
When The Cutting Room got its first CNC router, the company was putting<br />
the code in by hand and working<br />
out the dimensions on graph paper.<br />
“Then I saw how Alphacam would be<br />
ideal for putting our toolpaths in, so I<br />
bought it straight away. That was about<br />
20 years ago, and I’ve used Alphacam<br />
ever since as it’s absolutely the best software<br />
for our needs.<br />
“The more accurately we can work,<br />
the better, and that’s what Alphacam<br />
gives us. Working with Alphacam means<br />
we’re working to perfection. In the office<br />
we work to perfection on the programming,<br />
then in ‘real life’ when it gets to the<br />
machine, it’s also perfect, making it ideal<br />
for the quick turnaround 2D work that<br />
we do, especially the 2D panels and fascia<br />
doors that make up the majority of<br />
our turnover. And it easily handles our<br />
small number of 3D jobs.<br />
“It does everything we want it to …<br />
we owe our living to Alphacam.”<br />
Planit Software<br />
Tel 01233 506100<br />
www.alphacam.com<br />
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface <strong>August</strong>/<strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> Page 27
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