06/06/2017

intelliGuide wins award at the LIGNA Innovations Symposium

With intelliGuide, HOMAG Plattenaufteiltechnik GmbH has developed an operator assistance system that responds intelligently to the actions of the saw operator. The system guides the operator by means of optical signals that appear directly in the operator's field of vision. This in itself makes intelliGuide a milestone in the area of panel cutting and – according to the assessment of the trade visitors at the LIGNA Innovations Symposium – one of the "most important innovations of 2017".

intelliGuide wins award at the LIGNA Innovations Symposium – Presentation of the certificate Picture: Holz-Zentralblatt, Ulrich Schwill

The brains behind intelliGuide: Roland Müller, Manuel Friebolin (Project Manager), Michael Wurster and Benedikt Buer (from the left)

"Which is the most important innovation presented at LIGNA?" This is the question posed by the Innovations Symposium at the world's leading trade fair for the woodworking and timber processing industry, which takes place in Hanover every two years. The answer is supplied by the fair visitors themselves. This year, about 130 specialists from the trade and industry attended the 21st LIGNA Innovations Symposium at the end of May. The event is organized by Holz-Blatt (Germany's leading trade journal for the forestry and woodworking industries), the magazine HK, Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences (UAS) and SCHULER Consulting.

Choosing the "most important LIGNA innovation 2017"

The program: At the Symposium, Professors Dr. Frieder Scholz, Dr. Matthias Zscheile and Maximilian Ober from the Faculty of Wood Technology at Rosenheim UAS presented a selection of technological innovations from which trade visitors could then choose their own particular favorite for the title of "most important LIGNA innovation 2017". Only innovations less than two years old, and therefore not already exhibited at the previous LIGNA fair, are eligible.

With intelliGuide, an innovation from HOMAG Plattenaufteiltechnik gained a place on the winners' podium for the second time running – following on from the cutting cell HPS 320 flexTec in 2015. The operator assistance system took second place in the voting for the "most important LIGNA innovation 2017".

Technology and operating principle of intelliGuide

The operating principle in brief: With the full version, intelliGuide professional, the operator benefits from complete visual support. An LED strip at the cutting line lights up in different colors and lengths, allowing the machine operator to see what he has to do next.

By employing a camera system, intelliGuide professional is able to detect where each workpiece is located and which workpiece the operator is currently inserting into the saw. Should he make a mistake, either the saw adjusts its actions, or, if that is not possible, the system provides appropriate operating instructions via the LED strip and the laser projection system, which is also included in intelliGuide professional. The laser projects symbols directly onto the workpieces,

The operator sees from these symbols whether he has to rotate, insert, destack or temporarily store a part. For example, if the machine operator positions a part wrongly, the laser projects an arrow symbol onto the part, showing the required direction of rotation. Only after the machine operator has rotated the part correctly will the symbol disappear and the cutting process begin.

Typically HOMAG – YOUR SOLUTION

In addition to intelliGuide professional, HOMAG offers the new operator assistance system in two other versions. intelliGuide advanced operates without a laser projection system but with the LED strip and camera. intelliGuide basic guides the operator using only the LED strip at the cutting line. This means every customer can find exactly the right solution. This high level of flexibility and practicality no doubt also convinced the visitors attending the 21st Innovations Symposium and made intelliGuide one of the "most important LIGNA innovations 2017.