December 2020

Machinery Updates
MACHINERY
For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-fabricator.co.uk
CMS REAPS DIVIDENDS FROM QUADRA INVESTMENT
CMS Facades’ investment in an Emmegi Quadra L2 fully automatic cutting and machining centre in
November 2018 doubled its aluminium capacity almost overnight. Two years on, the company says the
payback on the machine is coming from the number of large-scale projects it is now winning.
Stephen Anderson, CMS Facades director, said: “We were the first company in Scotland to acquire a Quadra L2
and it has definitely given us a real competitive advantage when it comes to façade projects. We can now quote
for projects using bigger sections than we could have done previously and we’re building an impressive portfolio of
commercial and public sector installations as a result.”
When CMS purchased the Emmegi Quadra L2, they had already been awarded the façade contracts at Cala
Homes’ The Crescent development in Edinburgh and at BAM’s Atlantic Square commercial office development in
Glasgow. The Quadra meant that the company could machine the 3m x 3m sliding doors and 300mm curtain wall
sections required, and in timeframes up to 25% quicker than with their existing machine. www.emmegi.com
'SAFE & AFFORDABLE' SPEED AND LENGTH SENSOR
With the SPEETEC non-contact sensor for speed and length measurement, SICK has added a compact,
eye-safe laser surface motion sensor to its portfolio, which is able to measure a wide range of
continuous, web-fed or cut-to-length plastic products down to a resolution of 4 µm.
According to SICK, SPEETEC combines ‘unprecedented affordability’ with precision surface measurement for
process control and quality inspection tasks used in the manufacture of plastic products including processes
such as extrusion of plastic pipes or PVC-U profiles, and cut to length sheet materials. The Class 1 eye-safe
infra-red laser light eliminates the need for special guarding or safety measures required by many conventional
velocimeters. The SPEETEC uses the Laser Doppler principle to work at speeds between 0.1 and 10 m/s to
measure directly on the material surface with an accuracy of 0.1%, and a repeatability of 0.05%. www.sick.co.uk
BETTER PRODUCT & SERVICE THANKS TO SCHIRMER
Sternfenster has expanded the capacity of its state-of-the-art aluminium facility, with the addition of a new Schirmer
ALU BAZ Composite Orbit-C machining and cutting centre.
Representing a six-figure investment, the new Schirmer further expands Sternfenster’s aluminium bi-fold capability, while also
increasing precision and product quality. As well as offering rapid and ultra-precise cutting and milling of bar length, the ALU BAZ
Composite Orbit-C features a highly innovative machining module. This increases the speed of manufacture by combining linear
and rotary movements along eight axes, so that drilling and milling tools always take the shortest path around the bar profile.
Sternfenster’s Mike Parczuk (pictured left) said: “In bringing increased precision to how we cut and prep bar length, as well as
supporting us in manufacturing product and shipping it more quickly, the Schirmer allows us to deliver a better product – but also
critically, service, to our customers.” www.schirmer-maschinen.com/en/
APEER MAKES £285K MACHINERY INVESTMENT
Apeer has invested £285,000 in machinery in the last 12 months, with even more planned for 2021.
Among the new additions to its Ballymena facility is a waterjet cutter with a 3m x 2m bed, speeding up
processing time for cutting laminated glass and giving Apeer the capability to cut all types of glass, as well as
other materials, into any shape.
A new Butyl extruder and hot glass press, along with a new large glass washer was also installed in November,
while two additional jib cranes with vacuum lifters were introduced on site as part of Apeer’s commitment to
protecting the health and safety of its employees while also improving production workflow. In addition, a second
SCM Accord 25FX 5-axis CNC router will be installed in February, joining the first which was commissioned in
January 2018, as part of an on-going machinery replacement and upgrade programme. www.apeer.co.uk
40 T F DEC/JAN 2021 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN