Sedus opts for extreme furniture production flexibility
Plants on show to visitors at the HOMAG Treff will include a veritable batch size one champion in the field of ultra-flexible industrial production. Prepared for the future production of high volumes of high-grade office furniture by the company Sedus Systems GmbH, this plant is just as capable of also processing small-format parts to a high degree of angular accuracy. The nerve centre of the batch size one plant is a KFL 624 sizing and edging line. Two laserTec units for production of an optical zero joint and two FK31 powerTrim profile trimming units guarantee an extraordinary level of processing quality, particularly at the workpiece corners. An edge thickness compensation function during processing guarantees optimum quality by achieving a constant radius progression along the upper and lower side of the workpiece irrespective of edge thickness tolerances.
Individual solutions – perfectly tailored to suit every customer
HOMAG Group Engineering is revered by woodworking experts around the world for its expertise in the engineering of complex production processes with interlinked plants. Currently in the process of completion in the HOMAG production halls are orders for customers in countries as far flung as Japan, Brazil and Germany. Complete large-scale plants measuring up to 70 metres in length, for anything from series through to batch size 1 production of living room and office furniture, fitted kitchens and doors, are all waiting in the HOMAG production halls for the critical gaze of visitors to the in-house exhibition.
Also on show will be a plant for flexible entry-level batch size one production, configured for quantities from 400 parts per shift. This entry-level solution is equipped with an automatic workpiece infeed system for producing the required measurements and angles. This plant also comes equipped with a laserTec unit and an FK31 powerTrim unit.
Another machine line for series fitted kitchen manufacture comprises two KFL 526 double-sided sizing and edge banding machines for longitudinal and transverse processing, and is configured for banding both thick and thin edges.
Other plants currently in the process of construction will also be on show for appraisal by visitors. One example is a fitted kitchen production plant being prepared for the company Beckermann. A production line for door and frame processing will also be on show to interested visitors.
Edge banding on shaped components: Conventional and with laser
Unveiled at this year’s LIGNA in operation on a processing center, the laserTec process certainly caused something of a stir. Several routers with laserTec have since been sold, and the system is operating at an optimum standard of process reliability. One of these completed routers has now been settled into its new home in the production halls of German office furniture manufacturer Palmberg. Visitors to the HOMAG Treff will not only have another chance to experience the laserTec method at first hand, but also to witness another intriguing highlight: Extension of the moving gantry machine to include the “classical” gluing method. The HOMAG BMG 512 will be taking centre stage complete with powerEdge gluing unit, providing the optimum symbiosis of high productivity with operating simplicity. The edge magazine and gluing unit are mounted at the front on the operator’s side, making edge changeover and monitoring both efficient and ergonomic. Independent Y axes ensure high outputs. While the trimming spindle is operating, for instance, the gluing unit is already at work inserting the edge.
Woodworking shops keen to invest in laserTec
The optical zero joint is attracting a lot of interest from small and medium woodworking operations, particularly in throughfeed. A laserTec which has already been sold to Tischlerei Posch, a joinery belonging to the Weiland Group, will be on show at the exhibition mounted on the Ambition 2272.
In short:
laserTec is now not just about efficiency and quality but flexibility too. Whether stationary or throughfeed technology, woodworking shops or industry – every batch size and almost every kind of material can be simply and reliably processed using HOMAG laserTec. Visitors to this year’s HOMAG Treff will have the chance to witness the system live in action and also take a long close look at the produced edge quality directly after processing. All in all, the laserTec method in not just a neat solution from the optical point of view, it is also highly efficient. Compared to traditional methods of edge banding, the patented diode laser-based laserTec method from HOMAG cuts energy consumption by around 20 %.
Producers who wish to precoat their own edges for laserTec need look no further than the new HOMAG KBE 100. This machine does an excellent job of preparing the edge material for processing with laserTec.
The next laminating technology generation: reacTec
reacTec met with a highly enthusiastic reception as one of the biggest highlights of the LIGNA. Visitors were highly impressed by its positive properties, which combine a level of surface hardness similar to urea with the processing ease of hot melt. Anyone who missed the chance to witness the benefits of reacTec in action at the show will be able to catch up at the HOMAG Treff.
Big on performance: Standalone machines from HOMAG
A KAL 330 machine engineered to produce workpieces for furniture manufacturer and interior fitter Groh & Thier will also be on show at the Treff. This model is capable of processing workpiece thicknesses of up to 100 mm, making it ideally equipped to meet future challenges. The machine is designed to allow the use of both PU and EVA, and also offers facility for simple retrofitting of a laserTec unit. The machine will be demonstrated at the exhibition working together with the ZHR 05 return conveyor from LIGMATECH.
Design elements such as worktops or shelves with workpiece thicknesses of 80 – 100 mm are right in vogue at present. To address this special design trend, two additional double-sided edge banding machines will be featured which permit all-round processing of this type of component.
Catering specifically to woodworking shops and as an entry-level machine for industrial producers, HOMAG has developed a new KAL 211 edition range. Spanning the complete spectrum from the smallest model to the technically ultra-flexible fully automatic resetting edge bander, this series covers the complete range of requirements, from the cabinet shop to the industrial manufacturer. A particular highlight of the machine is the newly developed HOMAG QA 65 gluing unit with its array of impressive features such as shorter heating-up times and a higher melting output. In addition, the new powerControl PC22 system provides user-oriented and intuitive graphic support for machine operation using the latest touchscreen technology. Here too, the laserTec method can be used or retrofitted without problems on practically all the individual machines.
The topic of energy efficiency is on everyone’s lips at the moment – and this is an area which opens up the prospect of new market potential for our customers. One example is the production of thermal insulation panels.
A new generation of double-end tenoners for furniture and structural element production will be on show to visitors at the HOMAG Treff which is configured for profiling insulating panels with a thickness of up to 280 mm. This machine can be fitted with up to 8 motor units.
Total window technology– from mini to maxi
Window machining centers from HOMAG, the market leader in this specialist field, produce anything between 10 and 50 windows per shift, making them the ideal answer for all sizes of operation. Visitors to the HOMAG Treff will have the chance to appraise the wide range of possibilities on offer: From the entry-level machine for mixed production workshops with a wide processing range taking in windows, doors and furniture components, to the powerProfiler BMB 900, the new multitalent from HOMAG for up to 50 windows per shift providing the ultimate in CNC precision.
Venture 316: 5-axis technology for all
The “smash hit for all”: Based on the new BMG 300 platform, the VENTURE 316 raises the bar in terms of stability and precision in the 5-axis entry level machine category. This machine addresses practically every conceivable customer need in terms of furniture and door production and also interior fittings. A small number of standard tools covers practically every type of assignment without the need for non-standard units or tools, making this the ideal workhorse for producers who are not yet sure what their customers will be wanting tomorrow or the day after.
The Venture 316 is a machine to set whole new standards: just looking at its weight – around 30% higher than comparative products – and its large, stable mobile gantry leaves no doubt that this is an industrial standard machine on offer with a woodworking shop price tag. This extraordinary machine also comes with a range of features as part of its standard equipment such as a pneumatic interface at the spindle, rack and pinion drive in the X and Y axis, vibration sensor to protect the spindle and an effective component height of 250 mm from the console which is fully usable with all the processing units.
NEW: Venture 313 with easyEdge unit
This complete solution for CNC processing including edge banding provides a consistent addition to the Venture models based on the BMG 300 platform.
The Venture 313 provides a low-cost entry into the world of CNC processing with scope for edge banding. The 15 kW 4-axis trimming spindle with fluid cooling, the large-scale 35-spindle drilling head and 28 exchange slots make this an extremely efficient high-performance machine. The easyEdge unit can be used to edge shaped components with edging material of up to 2 mm in thickness and workpiece heights of up to 60 mm. The fifth axis provided by the FLEX5+ unit additionally permits work to be performed at any angle.
In high demand: Automation from simple to complex
Automation does not always mean resorting to a costly robot or feed gantry. A simple, low-cost automation facility for extension arm-type machines is available in the form of the dockable feed system TBA. The TBA feeder turns the CNC router into a production cell, making it ideally suited for hybrid operation comprising small-scale production runs and batch size one: While small series can be processed in automated mode, one-off parts can equally be produced without restrictions. This is a solution which ideally combines productivity, flexibility and economy.
Making more of a CNC router with units and clamping systems
The extensive range of exchange units and clamps on offer creates the ideal way to optimize and extend the application of a CNC router. But which products are best suited to your specific needs? How can you most reliably clamp unusually shaped and heavy components? What about processing operations in locations which are not accessible to the working spindle? How can you use tracing units to enhance precision and reduce the amount of finishing work needed? Visitors to the HOMAG Treff can find answers to these and other questions by talking in detail to our specialists.
The transparent factory and the new HOMAG Research Centre
Visitors will have the opportunity to take a rare peek at 70,000 square metres of production area manned by around 1,500 employees in the company’s Schopfloch headquarters on a guided tour around our “transparent factory”. As part of the presentation, visitors will also be shown around the new 1,200 square metre “HOMAG Research Centre” which houses twelve machines on permanent standby for demonstration purposes. Also on show will be the latest highlights from the world of processing units.
The offer of “transparent” production allows visitors a rare chance to experience almost every area of the HOMAG machine production process at first hand. This includes in-house production of chain links for our edge banders. To ensure that workpieces are machined to a consistently high standard of quality, HOMAG has used this type of transport chain production for the past thirty years. As recently as the beginning of 2011, the Schopfloch factory invested 2.5 million in a fully automated production plant. It is only by guaranteeing the premium quality of each individual component of our machines that we can provide our customers in turn with the assurance of the very best conditions for top quality furniture manufacture.
Lean back and be amazed
The program of presentations at this year’s HOMAG Treff is certainly an impressive one. From theory to practice, from product innovations to user reports, the topics covered by the HOMAG experts leave no stone unturned. These include furniture projects (including laserTec and reacTec), projects in the field of structural elements with the focus on door and flooring production, and the “Efficient use of 5-axis technology for furniture and structural element production”.
woodCAD|CAM: Reliable, fast, simple to use
HOMAG eSOLUTION will be on hand at the in-house exhibition to talk about every aspect of our innovative software solutions to optimize in-house processes. The new woodCAD|CAM product family is designed for ideal application not only by industrial but also woodworking shop customers. From the first sketch to the final product, from the cost estimation to the quotation, from the parametric design to the individual item of furniture, from the complex room plan to CNC data generation, this software provides speed and security throughout the order processing and production process. Operation is both simple and intuitive. Planning and design outputs are displayed in photorealistic quality, and the system also permits the visualization of individual furnishing ideas. At the same time, woodCAD|CAM generates drawings in two and three-dimensional views. Using data derived directly from the 3D design, the system automatically generates bills of material, dimensioned component drawings, cutting lists, barcodes, labels and CNC programs. The parameters are used directly to actuate HOMAG Group AG panel dividing saws, throughfeed machines and processing centers.
ecoPlus – technology that pays dividends
Energy, time, material, and manpower are all valuable resources. Manufacturers who use these resources sparingly are rewarded by improved productivity and lower costs. The ecoPlus system, a new technology package from the HOMAG Group, has now been developed to make this task easier. Any producer who makes consistent use of HOMAG Group solutions from the saw through the edge bander and machining center through to the sanding machine, can benefit by energy consumption cuts of up to 30%. Environmentally responsible customers can even calculate the amount they will be able to save with ecoPlus in advance using the ecoPlus calculator. Smart savers will have the chance to find out more about this potential on the basis of concrete calculation examples at the HOMAG Treff.
Investment? For sure!
HOMAG offers the right financing concept for every solution, based on in-depth advice and individually tailored financing proposals.