P PAANNEELL,, WWOOOODDIssue No. 141/142 February/March 2020 Alphacam ensures GB Kent’s brush with success Turn to page 8 for the full story News: pp 3-6, 16 l CNC Machinery, Equipment

PPAA NN EE LL ,, WW OO OO DD&& SS oo ll ii dd SS uu rr ff aa cc eeIssue No. 141/142 February/March 2020

Alphacam ensures GB Kent’sbrush with success

Turn to page 8 for the full story

News: pp 3-6, 16 l CNC Machinery, Equipment & Software: pp 8-13Woodwaste & Dust Control: pp 13-15 l American White Oak: pp 18-19

AS LEADERS in the engineeredwood panel industry, Norbord isrenowned for providing pro-ducts of the highest quality tothe construction industry.

Equally important is Norbord’scommitment to the health andsafety of its staff, and this was re-cently demonstrated with thelaunch of the new safety campaignwith a fun day for employees andtheir families in Cowie.

The Stronger Together cam-paign highlights the company’songoing dedication to the main-tenance of a safe and enjoyableworking environment. Norbordholds the belief that this is integralto the performance and efficiencyof the company.

Norbord staff and their familieswere joined by the hosts of CentralFM and treated to live music froma local band on the day. All en-joyed the wide variety of fun ac-tivities but the atmosphere of excitement was also about creating ateam-building experience. The impetus behind the event solidified Nor-bord’s message that employee satisfaction is essential.

The event provided an opportunity for the employees and their fami-lies to meet with members of the local police force and fire brigade. Nor-bord also hosted a design competition for local children and the winningdesigns are now proudly on display outside of the plant.

This strong emphasis on maintaining positive relations between Nor-bord plants and the surrounding community is another core facet to the

Norbord ethos.There was an educational as-

pect to the day as visitors werepresented with the opportunityto embark on a tour of the site.Here they were able to learn moreabout the sustainable woodpanels produced in the facility,from tree to end result.

Nick Fedo, general manager atthe Norbord plant in Cowie, said:“At Norbord, we take pride inensuring every single member ofthe team feels they work in asafe, productive and progressiveenvironment.

“The aim of our family fun daywas to bring our team and theirfamilies even closer together andI think we definitely succeeded.It was fantastic to see so manypeople get involved on the day.

“I’d like to thank everyone formaking the day a huge success.We are already looking forward toplanning our next event.”NorbordTel 01786 812921www.norbord.co.uk

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Panel, Wood & Solid Surface February/March 2020 Page 3

NEWS

The winning entries in the Stronger Together children’s drawingcompetition, proudly displayed at Norbord’s Cowie plant.

Norbord’s ‘Stronger Together’ campaignlaunches with a family fun day

Page 4 Panel, Wood & Solid Surface February/March 2020

NEWS

FOR THE SECOND YEAR in a rowCombilift is a finalist in the IFOYAwards — one of the most pres-tigious and hotly contested in-ternational awards in thematerials handling industry.

The company is the only manu-facturer to have two of its pro-ducted nominated for a 2020 IFOYAward (International Intralogisticsand Forklift Truck of the Year)which honours the best productsand solutions of the year.

The Combi-CBE4 (above) is a fi-nalist in the Special Vehicle Cate-gory. This 4000 kg capacity electricpowered, all-wheel drive forkliftincorporates compact counter-balance design with multi-directional capability for the versa-tile handling of mixed sized loads.

It features the company’s inter-nationally patented independentelectric traction (EP.2956350)which provides all front and reardrive wheels with 100% tractioncontrol, therefore negating theneed for differential lock on slip-pery surfaces.

By inputting the wheel base pa-rameters, the traction commandsare calculated by the control system.As the truck drives and steers, thespeed and rotational direction ofthe wheels are controlled inde-pendently, allowing the truck to ne-gotiate tight turns with no tyre wear.

The Combi-CS (right) has beennominated in the Warehouse Truck

Lowlifter Category. It is believed tobe the only pedestrian counter-balance stacker that will operate ina conventional reach truck aisle forspace saving and productive stor-age and handling.

It features Combilift’s inter-nationally patented and awardwinning multi-position tiller armwhich can be turned ot the left orright of the unit to position therear drive wheel, allowing the op-

erator to remain at the side of themachine rather than at the rear asis the case with other pedestrianstackers. This ensures optimum vis-ibility of the load and surroundingsas well as guaranteeing maximumsafety in areas where other per-sonnel or members of the publicmay be present.

The competition entered its nextround when finalists underwentthe IFOY audit and innovation

check by industry experts in mid-February in Hanover, Germany.

“Following the nomination ofthe Combi-PPT powered pallettruck last year, we are delightedthat the IFOY committee has recog-nised two of our innovative pro-ducts as being worthy of finaliststatus in 2020,” said Combilift CEOand co-founder, Martin McVicar.Combiliftwww.combilift.com

Combilift products nominated intwo 2020 IFOY Award categories

MAKITA’S new cordless ratchet wrench is a versatile, compact and lightweighttool suitable for use across a wide range of applications and considered idealfor accessing tight spaces. With a number of innovative features included,the WR100DZ has been designed to ensure optimum efficiency and operatorproductivity.

The WR100DZ ratchet wrench utilises Makita’s CXT Compact eXtreme Technol-ogy (CXT), making this an ultra-compact and lightweight (1.0-1.2 kg) machine, suit-able for extended use.

The inclusion of an LED job light meant that the WR100DZ can light up theproject space and aid working in restricted, dark spaces, maximising productivity.The wrench can be used across a number of applications, including automotive,

manufacturing, building, HVAC andfabrication.

For ease of operation, the WR100DZincludes a variable speed trigger toeasily control the speed and a triggerlock which prevents the trigger frombeing accidentally pulled, which alsoimproves operator safety by prevent-ing the tool from being accidentallyturned on. The locking position alsoenables operation as a hand ratchet,when the motor is not engaged, so theoperator can run-up the nut using the machine without overtightening and then add that final bit oftension by hand.

The WR100DZ is supplied with two socket adaptors (6.35 mm square drive and 9.5 mm square drive),that can be removed to convert the tool into a pass-through ratchet wrench. This is considered ideal fortightening 13 mm nuts onto long threaded bolts, such as a threaded rod. The WR100DZ also includes areversing lever, which ensures the tool can rotate both clockwise and anticlockwise.

Kevin Brannigan, marketing manager at Makita, said: “The WR100DZ has been designed with ease ofoperation in mind; the inclusion of CXT means its compact, lightweight design improves handling intight spaces and overhead applications and enables operators to use the tool for extended periods of timewith minimal fatigue and with maximum control.”

The WR100DZ is a 12Vmax machine with a no-load speed of 0-800 rpm and maximum fastening torqueof 47.5 Nm. The tool produces vibration of 2.5 m/s2 and sound pressure level of 74 dB(A).Makita l www.makitauk.com


NEWS

Datum Tools LtdTel 01892 667800 www.flipstop.com

The site is alive with the sound of musicMAKITA has launched the latestaddition to its radio range, withthe DMR115 Job Site Radio. WithBluetooth functionality and alight weight of 4.8-5.5 kg, it isconsidered the perfect compan-ion for construction workers.

The new DMR115 Job SiteRadio is a robust and simple to useDAB/DAB+ radio. IP65 rated, it hasa highly durable design with elas-tomer bumpers to protect againsttough jobsite conditions.

The Job Site Radio has a power-ful Bluetooth sensor to connectwirelessly for audio streamingfrom mobile devices up to a rangeof 10 metres away, and includestwo stereo speakers and an addi-tional subwoofer to produce highquality sound. In addition, theMulti-Amplifier provides clear hi-fisound reproduction without de-creasing sound quality even whenthe volume is high.

Matt Chilton, product managerat Makita, says, “Workers oftenspend long hours onsite, from tak-ing on heavy-duty construction

work to fixing snagging — so it’sonly right they have high quality,reliable entertainment available tohelp make even the most labori-ous of tasks more enjoyable.

“We’ve designed our latestDMR115 Job Site Radio to providenot only the best in sound quality,but the best in convenience. Theradio is equipped with a dualpower source for AC or Makita LXTand CXT batteries, providing flexi-bility regardless of the powersources available onsite. In addi-tion, the USB slot will allow for mo-bile charging onsite, so you neverneed to worry about draining thesource phone’s battery.

“This, in combination with ahigh quality sound woofer to pro-vide deeper and richer basssounds, a My Equaliser (MY EQ)mode to adjust treble and bassand six selectable sound modesto suit various music genres,makes the radio the ultimate on-site companion.”Makitawww.makitauk.com

New CXT ratchet wrench from Makita


CNC MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT & SOFTWARE

A COMPANY widely recognised as theworld’s finest brush manufacturer pro-duces its handles on a custom-builtCNC machine tool, which is one of onlytwo in the world, and programmed byAlphacam software.

The CMS Triposto router has threebeds on each of two tables, with eighttool holders on each head. It enablesGB Kent and Sons to manufacture sixwooden handles of any shape in onequick cycle and one operation, as wellas providing the absolute micron accu-racy required in the wooden handles toensure the bristles fit perfectly.

Kent’s Chief Engineer Darren Neepexplains that the cycle time for simpleshapes can be as short as one minute,while an average complex shape withconsiderable five-axis work can take upto 15 minutes. “But as the router cuts sixbrushes at a time — three on each ofthe two tables — we can produce six simple brushes every three minutes.”

He says Alphacam is vital to the company’s complete CAD and CAMoperations, as it has more than 60 different products, including hairbrushes, bath brushes, clothes brushes, and shoe brushes, each requiringindividual programs. The brushes, made from several woods, includingBeech, Cherry, Satinwood, Ebony and Sapele, vary from around 100 mmin length, to 400 mm, and need between two to 20 cuts. “Even machin-ing six of our larger and most complex bath brushes, which is full ofcurves, angles and different radiuses only takes around 25 minutes.”

He says if the work were done on traditional CNC machines it wouldrequire several set-ups for individual operations, but with Alphacampowering the Triposto, it generally produces finished brushes with allrequired radiuses, holes, countersinking and profiles, by machining halfthe brush on one bed, then transferring it to the second station for theremaining work, leaving no secondary machining other than finishing.

As well as optimising productivity, the machine also provides the tighttolerances the CNC filling machine needs to insert the bristles. “Mostbrush manufacturers use what’s known as a bar anchor to fix their bristles,but because we are more quality focused, our bristles are fixed with as9 mm staple, which requires that the thickness and profiles are accurateto within 0.5 mm. This has to be absolutely right, or the bristles won’t stayin the board.”

That quality is the reason the company has survived since it wasfounded in 1777, and has held the Royal Warrant covering nine monarchs’reigns, from King George III, through to the current Queen.

Quality and speed of production were the driving force behind GB

Kent investing in the Triposto purpose-built machine and Alphacam.Technical manager Steve Davis, who manages IT and production, saysthat previously some of the handles were manufactured in-house withageing equipment, and some were produced in China, but both werecausing quality issues. He says an ageing workforce meant they werestarting to lose the skills required to run the old machinery … and theyalso wanted to bring all production in-house so they could put ‘Made inEngland’ on their brushes. Another factor was the need for shorter leadtimes so they can react to customers’ demands much faster.

“Our craftsmanship and unprecedented quality has held our reputa-tion for almost 250 years. Combining this latest hi-tech manufacturingprocess with our traditional methods, means every brush leaving our fac-tory is still the world’s finest.”

Alphacam manages all aspects of production, from CAD, through CAM,to the post processing. Darren Neep creates 3D models of each brush inAlphacam Designer, then imports them into the CAM function to createthe toolpaths and post process them to the Triposto. “I can generally com-plete a program within two hours, and then there’s another hour on themachine to prove it out and make any tweaks … and then we’re ready tostart cutting.”

Jigs and fittings are also created in Alphacam Designer, and once theyhave been transferred to the CAM functionality, he runs a simulation toensure there’s no conflict with toolpaths, that may cause collisions.

In conclusion, Steve Davis says: “We initially opted for Alphacam’s 3+2-axis package, but subsequently upgraded to the full Advanced five-axismodule. This has been vital in helping us go from a company with no CNCexperience less than two years ago, to now producing around 800 highquality brushes a day.”Alphacam l Tel 0118 922 6677 l www.alphacam.com

Alphacam ensures GB Kent’s brush with success



Integrated solutions for all woodworkingrequirements with SCM at Holz-HandwerkSCM WILL TAKE PART in the up-and-coming edition of Holz-Handwerk (Nürnberg, 18-21March 2020), where it will pres-ent to the international marketits integrated process tech-nologies. These solutions meetthe widest range of productiondemands for secondary woodprocessing.

As an indication of just how theNürnberg event represents an im-portant appointment for the Ital-ian company, SCM will presentitself with a new design and con-cept aimed at increasingly high-lighting the continuous brandstrengthening in this sector.

The exhibiting area in Hall 10.0,stand 303 will have a completelynew look and feel; sturdy, solid, in-dustrial and more in line with theGroup’s solidity and closer to theproduction framework of its part-ner companies. An exclusive andessential guise, starting with thechoice of materials respecting ecostandards, and in line with the cor-porate social responsibility pro-gramme already in place since2019. Indeed, the Group imple-mented a programme of concreteactions to reduce refuse and wasteaimed at encouraging all 4,000 ofits employees across the globe toadopt a more eco-sustainable,environmentally aware lifestyle.

At the Holz-Handwerk stand,

the vast range of technologies andservices which have always al-lowed the Italian Group to standout, will be arranged in fiveworking areas made up of cellsand stand alone machines inte-grated with one another, dedi-cated to different applicationareas:l Solutions for higher produc-tivity: automated sizing, edge-banding and drilling solutions forpanels.

l Solutions for the artisan.l SCM surface technologies.l Solid wood processing.l A new concept of the SCMSmart&Human Factory for theworld of furnishings, whichproved such a huge success atLigna 2019. SCM’s highly flexibleand modular Industry 4.0 styleproduction model is revolutionis-ing the interaction between man,machine and robot. At the Nürn-berg trade fair it will be gauged to

the needs of all woodworkingbusinesses, including artisans.

In these five areas, visitors willhave a chance to discover how themost innovative SCM models inte-grate with one another to injectlife into strong performing, solidprocesses, aimed at making eachmachining stage easier and faster,whether you are a small artisanbusiness or a vast multinationalproduction plant. All the controlprocesses for the machine, associ-ated software and the entire pro-duction flow will be visible at asingle glance.

German market trends and

priorities for 2020The new entries on show at Nürn-berg are the result of the strategicvision of a vast, solid businessGroup which ended 2019 in linewith its record results from 2018and a turnover in excess of €700m,of which 70% was in the timber di-vision alone. On the German mar-ket, in particular, 2019 once againsaw the Group consolidate its ex-cellent growth recorded over thepast five years with a CAGR of13.5%. An outstanding result ifcompared ot the overall markettrend recorded in the same fiveyear period, down –3.8%.

Credit also goes to the strategyimplemented by SCM, based onconsistent, steady investments

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Integrated solutions for all woodworkingrequirements with SCM at Holz-Handwerkwhich see the Group increasinglyproviding client assistance; anever more widespread presence ofits technical assistance and furtherstrengthening of the sales team,to offer an all-round consultancyservice in advance of sales.

It also guarantees significant,regular investments in R&D in linewith the important transformationsunder way in production technolo-gies and once again, in 2020, thepriorities will lie with innovation,digitalisation and client support.

On this subject, at the Nürnbergfair, the area assigned to digital so-lutions will keep its central loca-tion. In the area focusing on thenew ‘SCM Integrated Digitisation’concept, visitors will have achance to discover software solu-tions and digital services specifi-cally designed for planning,preparation and production, aswell as monitoring, maintenanceand servicing. SCM will invite itscustomers in a customer-centricjourney with five stop-off pointsand they will have a chance to dis-cover the solution to their needs.

The SCM MES solutions will sup-port customers in productionscheduling and planning. TheMaestro CNC and Maestro OttimoCut software will support wood-working companies in design, op-timisation and data generation.Maestro active, the multi-touchadvanced machine interfaceawarded the prestigious GermanDesign Award and RedDot Award,will provide a full production con-trol and an easy interaction withthe machine. Maestro ConnectDigital Services Platform will allowmachine status monitoring, main-tenance optimisation, issue man-

agement, spare parts suggestions,smart learning as well as aug-mented reality service supportwith Smartech glasses.

The machining areas on

display at the trade fairl Smart&Human Factory. SCM’sstate of the art production modelfor the furniture industry, made upof flexible, modular and easily re-configurable cells integrated byindustrial, collaborative robots, inline with demands from Industry4.0, will be at Nürnberg in a ver-sion which is accessible to all busi-nesses. Taking centre stage in thisarea will be the new MorbidelliX200 machining centre for nest-ing, ideal for batch 1 productionand designed to apply the bestperformances of the ‘all-in-one’

technology of the SCM five-axismachining centres for panels, tothis kind of machining as well. In-tegrating with the panel machin-ing process will be the Stefani XDedgebanding machines, suitablefor industrial production and in-tensive use over and above thesingle daily shift, and a drilling cellmade of a new Morbidelli CX220compact drilling machine, idealfor machining small batches,whose innovative drilling headsguarantee performance and ex-clusive efficiency in compact sizes.Panel loading and unloading willbe done by an anthropomorphicrobot to relieve the operator of themore repetitive, low added valueduties.l Higher productivity solutions.From the Gabbiani PT panel sizing

machine which, thanks to the Flex-cut unit, guarantees a productionincrease of up to 30% due to thesimultaneous execution of cutsboth lengthways and transver-sally, to the all-in-one potentialityof the Morbidelli M200 machiningcentre for drilling and routingwhich can save up to 60% ondrilling cycles. Rounding off withedgebanding, the Stefani KD of-fers no-compromise edging onany kind of panel, and is followedby the passage of the panelthrough the Action P clamp for aneffective cabinet assembly.l Integrated surface treatment.At Nürnberg, SCM proves itself aunique partner in the industry of-fering a vast range of integratedsolutions for the entire surfacetreatment process. The pressing,

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sanding and painting solutions inthe ‘SCM Surface Technologies’area are designed for exclusive,sought-after finishing solutionscapable of satisfying all theprocess and end product require-ments. The process sees the DMCEurosystem playing a leading rolein sanding. It will present a com-pletely new planetary unit at thetrade fair, which is consideredideal for timber rustication, struc-turing and chamfering, yet withextremely high finishing capaci-ties even on MDF. The SuperficiMini sprayer makes its mark at thefinishing stage, a plug & spray ma-chine suitable for those who, upuntil now, have opted for a man-ual spraying method. The new Ser-giani GS for pressing is making itsmark; specifically designed for theGerman market, this electric pressoffers a 50% saving on consump-tion compared to the standardmachines in this category.l Joinery solutions. SCM provesitself to be a solid, reliable partnerin this market segment and espe-

cially in Germany where, in 2019,it recorded a 6% increase inturnover compared to 2018. If welook at the four year period from2015-2019, sales on the Germanmarket increased by 40%. The newClass PX 350i mobile carriage cir-cular saw is holding centre stagein this area with tilting blade up to46° to work in complete safety

with minimum space and a per-fect hold on the panel. Integratingthe process is the Minimax ME40top performing, high productivityedgebanding machine, and theStartech CN Plus fully automaticdrilling router, considered the bestof the range in the entry level cat-egory for the quality/price ratio itoffers; it stands out for its high per-

formance speed, the significantpower of the electro-spindle onthe drilling head and it does notrequire any intervention from theoperator to complete the process.l Technologies for solid wood.Two models will be on displaywhich perfectly integrate into theproduction process of fixtures:Accord 42 FX, with twin machin-ing unit and three and five axesequipped with independentheads, which best combine theneed for power and profiling withthe need for production creativityand flexibility; Superset NT, thethroughfeed mulder with unlim-ited uses — profiles for windows,doors, stairways, moulding andfurniture — equipped with a setup system which reduces the setup time by up to 20 times whenchanging process.

As well as these products, par-ticularly suitable for the needs ofGerman businesses in the indus-try, SCM can offer a wide variety ofsolutions for fixtures includingstand alone machines, angularmachining centres and high au-tomation and productivity inte-grated cells and lines.SCM GroupTel 0115 977 0044www.scmgroup.com



AUTOMATION solutions makedaily working life in the work-shop easier. At the Holz-Hand-werk 2020 trade fair, Homag willshow how, when used correctly,automation can transform pro-cesses in the workshop.

TRANSBOT: automation

from a new perspectiveSometimes, a new perspectivehelps you to discover opportuni-ties. one of these opportunities isthe TRANSBOT system (picturedright). At Holz-Handwerk, Homagwill present the basic version ofthe TRANSBOT system. The solu-tion for automatically transportingmaterials between processing ma-chines or cells, or even manualworkstations, TRANSBOT workswithout any mechanical aids, suchas rails. The basic version does nothave an overarching control sys-tem: a tablet is sufficient to controlthe TRANSBOT.

Driverless transport systemsrepresent automation that is freefrom rigid interlinking or rigid sys-tems. Thanks to TRANSBOT, a pro-duction path can go frommachine to A to machine B todayand to a completely different ma-chine tomorrow. The scalable sys-tem opens up brand newpossibilities for networking ma-chines and systems and providesthe necessary flexibility for furtherdevelopment in the future.

LOOPTEQ: return for

economic edge processingLOOPTEQ O-300 (below) is consid-ered a perfect addition to single-sided edge banding machines as anaid to economic workpiece return.

The LOOPTEQ O-300 is particu-

larly easy to combine with an edgebanding machine.

Manual parts handling is re-duced to a minimum The auto-matic return of the workpiece alsooffers enough time for a qualitycheck, as every workpiece auto-matically goes back to the opera-tor, providing enough time toinspect every workpiece.

At the end of the edge process-ing, the workpiece is transferred tothe LOOPTEQ O-300. Differentpart sizes are identified at thepusher using sensors. The pusherthen moves the workpiece to thereturn belt via the air cushiontable, depending on the size.Transporting the workpieces ontothe return belt is also made easierby the inclines on the air cushion

table. Finally, at the end of the aircushion table, the parts arebrought into position on the re-turn belt around a rotary cone.

PAQTEQ cardboard

cutting machineThe PAQTEQ C-250 cardboard cut-ting machine (above) enables indi-vidual, customised cardboardpackaging for a product, just intime, for optimal production.

The cardboard cutting machineprocesses fanfold corrugatedcardboard into precisely dimen-sioned cardboard boxes fullyautomatically. It completes thecutting, perforating and groovingin long runs just as efficiently andreliably as in batch 1 production.Grooves and cuts can be executedin the running direction of the cor-rugated cardboard fed in, as wellas crosswise.Homag UK LtdTel 01332 856500Email [email protected]

Automation solutions for woodworkers



WOODWASTE & DUST CONTROL

INSTALLATION of a Z7 seriesCNC router supplied by AXYZAutomation Group has helpedboost production at East Loth-ian, Scotland-based Old SchoolFabrications.

Established in 2011, the com-pany specialises in a wide range ofbespoke design and build projectsinvolving the use of various tradi-tional and contemporary materi-als. These include primarily solidoak for commercial furniture withrouted detailing, birch plywood forcustomised exhibition stands andfurniture, solid surface interactivemuseum stations and architec-turally-sensitive sculptural objectsfor indoor and outdoor locations.

Described as an ideal entry-levelrouting/cutting solution for smallcompanies and in particular thosewishing to increase the level of au-tomation without the need for asizeable capital investment, the Z7includes production-enhancingfeatures normally found on moreexpensive CNC machines.

In addition to the familiar solidsteel frame construction to accom-modate the most vigorous routing/cutting likely to be encountered

and a solid aluminium vacuum/clamping deck for maximum mate-rial hold-down efficiency and rout-ing/cutting accuracy, the Z7 in-stalled at Old School Fabricationsincludes the latest AXYZ A2MCmachine controller. This enablessmoother and faster machine mo-tion, with the elimination of‘bounce’ and vibration.

Key design features of the Z7 in-clude a processing area of 1,524mm x 2,440 mm, a single-headtooling configuration and rackand pinion drive system on boththe X and Y axis. As with all AXYZCNC routers, the Z7 can be cus-tomised with a number of op-tional production tools forenhanced performance. These in-clude the AXYZ ATC (AutomaticTool Change) system that providesup to 33 tool-change stations forwork requiring multiple tools, theAXYZ Zone Management facilityfor optimum material hold-downefficiency and the latest helicalrack and pinion drive system in-corporating a multiple gear teethconfiguration. This provides amore even distribution of theworkload, leading to faster

throughput speeds, reduced ma-terial wastage and machine wearand ultimately a longer than nor-mal machine life.

Commenting on the contribu-tion made by the Z7 router tobusiness growth at Old SchoolFabrications, director Neville Raestated: “We were immediately im-pressed by how simple and wellmade the Z7 router was and howit fitted perfectly with our in-creased production objectives andbespoke manufacturing require-

ments. The AXYZ team of special-ist engineers were extremely help-ful throughout the entire assess-ment, procurement and instal-lation process and I would nothesitate in recommending thecompany to other potential users.”Old School FabricationsTel 01875 833257www.oldschoolfabrications.co.uk

AXYZ Automation GroupTel 01952 291600www.axyz.co.uk

Boosting production with an AXYZ router

A UK FABRICATION company has purchased a wood waste heaterfrom Wood Waste Technology to save money on heating and wastedisposal bills.

Pinnacle Worksurfaces was established in 2003 and manufactures andfabricates a wide selection of acrylic soft surfacing products, such as Corian®,Tristone®, Hanex®, etc. Managing director, Paul Probert, became aware ofwood waste heaters when visiting an exhibi-tion, and realised it could be just the solutionhis business needed.

Pinnacle Worksurfaces’ 3,500 ft2 premisesin Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, has no work-shop heating. As well as being uncomfort-able to work in cold conditions, the freezingtemperatures could also cause issues withproduction, as the adhesives would takelonger to set, or wouldn’t set properly if theworkshop wasn’t warm enough. In order tokeep the workshop warm on very cold days,the business would use a diesel heater, whichwould cost around £150 a week to run.

In addition, the business generates a sub-stantial amount of wood offcuts, includingsoft woods and MDF, so a considerableamount of money had to be spent hiringskips to dispose of the waste wood.

Paul Probert explains: “Once we realisedthat the wood offcuts could provide freeheating for the workshop, saving us moneyon waste disposal and heating bills, it justseemed logical to invest in one. We con-tacted Wood Waste Technology for more in-

formation and a quote, and worked out that with all the savings we’d bemaking, we’d soon get a return on the investment.”

Pinnacle Worksurfaces ordered a WT5 heater, which Wood Waste Tech-nology’s experienced engineers installed late last year.

Paul continues: “We are delighted with the heater — it’s excellent valuefor money. It’s lovely having such a warm workshop, and we’ve more than

halved the amount of skips we need to hire,as much of the waste can now be burned inthe heater.

“The heater is really easy-to-use, and theteam at Wood Waste Technology has beenexceptionally helpful. We would advise anybusiness that generates a substantialamount of waste wood to investigate thebenefits — we are glad we did!”

Kurt Cockroft, managing director at WoodWaste Technology, says: “We are delightedthat we have been able to help PinnacleWorksurfaces save money on heating andwaste disposal.”

Wood Waste Technology’s years of expert-ise in wood waste solutions has helped manycompanies reduce their waste disposal andheating costs. As well as offering site survey,design, manufacture, installation and on-going maintenance for new units, the com-pany also services all types of wood wasteheaters and supplies genuine spares.Wood Waste TechnologyTel 01785 250400www.woodwastetechnology.co.uk

Wood waste heater for Pinnacle Worksurfaces


WOODWASTE & DUST CONTROL

21st Century upgrade for historic manufacturerDUST CONTROL SYSTEMS (DCS),now part of Filtermist SystemsLtd, has completed a majorupgrade of the dust extractionsystem at the premises of oneof the UK’s premier kitchen fur-niture manufacturers: a com-pany steeped in manufacturingheritage.

Coventry-based manufacturer,Burbidge & Son Ltd, has been in-volved with the production ofwooden kitchen furniture sincethe early 1970s, but the company’shistory in woodworking manu-facture dates back over 150 years,and five generations of the Bur-bidge family. It all began withHenry Burbidge, back in 1867, pri-marily manufacturing turnedwooden products for a variety ofdiverse industries; bobbins forlocal textile companies, bannistersand newel posts for the buildingtrade, and sports goods such ascricket stumps and croquet mal-lets for a customer list that in-cluded Slazenger.

Over the decades to follow, thecompany developed strong con-nections with the region’s motorvehicle industry, manufacturingcomponents for the likes of Morrisand MG, as well as a brief period ofmanufacturing plywood compo-nents for the Black & Decker Work-mate. Other strings to thecompany’s manufacturing bowhave included goods for the musi-

cal instrument market, with itemssuch as recorders and drum sticks,and even more offbeat with theproduction of stiletto heels,wooden handles for electric ket-tles, and even solid wood toiletseats for Harrods.

By the 1990s however, Bur-bidge had grown to be one of theUK’s leading kitchen furnituremanufacturers and now, almost 30

years later, the company is stilldrawing on its rich woodworkingheritage, still family-owned, andheaded by Ben Burbidge; Henry’sgreat, great grandson.

With previous first-hand knowl-edge and experience of the capa-bilities DCS had in the design andinstallation of dust extraction sys-tems for the woodworking indus-try, and especially in the kitchen

furniture manufacturing sector,Burbidge’s operations director,Mike Procter, had no hesitation incontacting them to evaluate thecompany’s requirements and toexplore possible options for bring-ing the system up to date.

“We had decided the time wasright to review the whole extrac-tion system with a view to improv-ing its overall efficiency, as well asensuring optimum safety stan-dards were being achieved, and Iwas also keen to explore the pos-sibility of including Ecogate® tech-nology at Burbidge to, hopefully,make some cost savings,” saysMike. “Over the years, the com-pany’s expanding collection ofwoodworking machinery has in-evitably led to the situation wherewe had multiple fans and filterunits, serving all areas of the fac-tory, and all working at full power,all day, every day.”

A site visit by sales director, AndyHives, to review and appraise theexisting extraction system con-firmed that, although the system’scapacity was fully meeting its statu-tory health and safety criteria, therewas considerable scope to improveefficiency and the potential to re-alise significant cost savings as well.Fume extraction from the com-pany’s Cefla paint line was still re-quired on an almost continuousbasis but, in common with most

Four out of six extraction fans and two of the three filter units remain to provide an air volumecapacity in excess of 85,000 m3/hr.

Ecogate® automatic dampers were installed into the new FastClip ductwork which was fittedthroughout the factory.


NEWS

furniture manufacturers, the Eco-gate® energy survey carried out atBurbidge revealed that only a smallnumber of the dust producingwoodworking machines in the fac-tory were ever in operation at thesame time, and so dust extractionwas only required on a partial basis.

“Excluding the paint line,” AndyHives explained, “the surveyshowed that the maximum ex-traction volume required, at anygiven point in time, was only twothirds of the volume currently

being extracted to the three ex-ternally-sited filter units. Effec-tively, one of the three filter unitswas surplus to requirement, andcould be removed altogether.”

DCS decommissioned the re-dundant filter unit and recon-figured the extraction system, in-stantly reducing power consump-tion by 120,000 kW hr/yr by theremoval of two 37 kW fans. Al-though some existing ductworkwas retained, new FastClip duct-work was installed throughout the

factory, and automatic Ecogatemotorised dampers were installedto serve each machine. In addi-tion, extraction was provided at afurther six ‘push-to-run’ machineclean-up points.

Ecogate greenBOX® units con-stantly monitor and control themotorised dampers; opening thedampers to enable extractionwhenever machines come online,and closing them again as a ma-chine shuts down. The greenBOXunits also control the EcogatePowerMASTER Variable SpeedDrive units (VSDs), which in turncontrol the extraction fan speeds.An Ecogate® system exploits thelaws of physics, and a relativelysmall reduction in fan speed cangenerate disproportionately largerreductions in power consumption.At Burbidge, the new extractionsystem is capable of removing justover 85,000 m3 of dust-laden airevery hour, which is over 30,000m3/hr less than the previous sys-tem, and it is this reduction in vol-ume that translates into reducedenergy use and cost savings. Thepredicted savings to be made byinstalling Ecogate® technology onthe reconfigured system add up toa further 122,000 kW hr/yr, givinga total saving of over 242,000 kw

hr in the first year following instal-lation, which represents a 55 percent reduction in total annualpower consumption.

Installing the Ecogate® technol-ogy has delivered more benefitsthan simply reducing the com-pany’s electricity bills, confirmsBurbidge’s production manager,Tim Foreman: “The Ecogate® sys-tem and extraction installationwork has made a significant differ-ence ot the factory environment;there’s much less air being re-moved from the building now,and we also have warm, filtered airreturned to the factory, so it’smuch easier to keep the placewarm and, with fewer fans inoperation, it is also much quieter.”

In conclusion, Mike Procteradded: “Our spend on electricityhas reduced, and the new duct-work has smartened up the ap-pearance of the factory, but I wasalso very impressed with how DCSmanaged the project; they stuckto the agreed plan, which was de-tailed on a chart showing the workschedule for each day, and en-sured the least possible disruptionto our production.”Filtermist Systems LimitedTel 01952 290500Email [email protected]

ECOGATE greenBOX® Controllers and PowerMASTER Variable Speed Drive units installed at Burbidge.

A new 5.5kW bag filter unit, installed to serve the accessorymanufacturing area, provides extraction for a variety of smallmachine tools which have been fitted with Gallito extractionhoods.


NEWS

THWAITE HOLME Kitchens & Bedrooms Ltd manufactures bespoke kitchens and bedrooms. Each fitted kitchen or bedroom is designed andmade in the workshop near Dalston, Carlisle, by a very skilled team with years of experience in cabinetry and bespoke furniture who pride

themselves in the quality of their products. Styles run from classic to con-temporary, and kitchens are fitted by Thwaite Holme’s own team of experi-enced fitters.

During the summer of 2017, Thwaite Holme invested in a matrix table fromLamont.

“Alan [Lamont] demonstrated a matrix table to us many years ago and it wassomething we were keen to purchase, but never quite got round to,” director IanPostle thwaite told PW&SS. “We had a smaller hydraulic table which we used formany years, but it was too small and we needed a larger one with bigger capacity.

“Alan was the obvious choice. We had seen the product in both trade journalsand other workshops, and were impressed. His place is only 20 miles away, so heis handy and local. We went up to see Alan at his premises and discussed ourneeds. Alan came back with a design and price, and the table was manufacturedspecifically to our needs.”

The design of the table was bespoke: at the same time as purchasing the ma-trix table, Thwaite Holme invested in an OMEC 750CN dovetailing machine. Thematrix table was constructed with a special section in the bottom left hand cornerdesigned specifically for the assembly of dovetail drawers. Together, the dovetail-ing machine and the matrix table opened up a whole new field for Thwaite Holme.

The matrix table is also used for the assembly of frames and doors.Ian described the advantages brought by the matrix table as “speed and accu-

racy of assembly, and bigger capacity. It is vertical rather than horizontal, and thisis much more convenient and space saving.”

When asked if he would recommend Alan and the matrix table, Ian replied, “Ab-solutely, 100% I would recommend him. We would tell him the issues we had, andhe was very good at coming up with solutions. I was very happy with the wholeprocess.”Lamont l Tel 01461 40017Email [email protected] l www.clampingmachines.co.uk

Bespoke matrix table for bespoke kitchen maker

I-JUMP is Mansfield’s populartrampoline park frequented bygreat numbers of children andtheir accompanying guardians.

When designing the interior,i-Jump needed to create a practi-cal and easily managed spacewhile still being fun. In order toachieve this, i-Jump has coveredthe walls using Norbord’s Sterling-OSB Zero. SterlingOSB Zero is aprecision engineered wood panelproduct that is suitable for useacross a great range of construc-tion projects. It does not containany added formaldehyde, makingthis an ideal choice for i-Jump.

Stephi Grayson, i-Jump’s opera-tion’s manager, has described theversatility of SterlingOSB Zero asone if its most unique features. Thisallowed the company to person-alise the boards by adding its ownvinyls and company logos withoutincurring significant costs.NorbordTel 01786 812921www.norbord.co.uk

The versatility of SterlingOSB Zerotransforms i-Jump Trampoline


AMERICAN WHITE OAK

AMERICAN WHITE OAK (AWO) isa wide-ranging and diversespecies from the United States,and one of the largest commer-cial hardwoods used in the UKfor interior joinery and furnitureapplications, from flooring tokitchens, staircases and furni-ture amongst others.

Due to the sheer size of theUnited States, AWO varies vastlyfrom one region to another and itis vital that the right product isemployed for the correct applica-tion to avoid disappointment.

With over 250 years of hard-wood experience, James Lathamprides itself on stocking the mostrelevant range of AWO productsfor the UK market. As with thequality variations from state tostate, so there are many ways toenhance the product during pro-cessing to make a superior qualitylumber. Likewise, there are manyways to cut corners and cut costs to produce a weaker quality material, albeit at a lower m3

price. True value comes from the yield the wood provides against the price paid.All of the AWO James Latham stocks is from mills where the company has enjoyed con-

tinuous, consistent supply for many years. James Latham takes the time to send its staff outto these suppliers on a regular basis to learn the full story behind the production and ensure

continuing quality to best matchcustomers’ requirements.

At the top of the range is theSuper Prime material. Supplied byone mill, this extremely high speci-fication AWO is exclusive to JamesLatham against its own demandingrequirements. It is selected to bedefect free. That is no sap, no wane,no side bend, no knots, no pinholes and a consistent colour.

For the customer who prefers tobuy a regular FAS (Prime Export)grade, James Latham has tailoredsupply from the Augusta and Sala-manca mills, in Virginia and NewYork State respectively, both ofwhom produce a really nice, clean

all round AWO. Their processing methods from sawmilling,through drying to grading and packaging are all qualitycontrolled to the highest standard, with no corners cut, resultingin an end product which offers terrific yield and overall value tocustomers.

To complete the package, James Latham has its partners Hori-zon wood products, situated in the heart of Pennsylvania, and of-fering what is believed to be a unique conversion method in theNorth American market, in so much as the company processesonly one log at a time through its bespoke production facility. In-deed, the Horizon method is so slick that it actually enables themto produce their ‘log-intact’ material, which gives the craftsmanthe closest thing they will ever find to a solid wood book matchveneer.

Not all American White Oak is the same …James LathamEmail [email protected]

Outstanding American white oak …

Horizon log yard

Documents

P PAANNEELL,, WWOOOODDIssue No. 141/142 February/March 2020 Alphacam ensures GB Kent’s brush with success Turn to page 8 for the full story News: pp 3-6, 16 l CNC Machinery, Equipment