FJ July 2016 by Craftsman Publishing Co Ltd

july 2016

On the cover: laminating high gloss with Kleiberit DĂŠcor debuts in London & Madrid DĂŠcor trends Felder on Service Xylexpo review: highlights from Milan

.co.uk

interior film

Commercial use for walls, decorative panels, doors, architrave and furniture. A range of superbly styled interior films which will bring any room to life

Call: +44 (0)1376 518037

july 2016

cover photo There’s an art to laminating high gloss. Kleiberit’s Rene Eggenschwiller and Wolfgang Hormuth share their experience in an exclusive interview at Xylexpo. Story: page 42.

contents 2 W16 PREVIEW

31 STAYING THE DISTANCE

Come and test drive the latest wood and panel-working machinery at the UK’s best known exhibition.

Alston’s Mawera boiler will soon be 18 years old but it’s still performing well and meeting all the emissions targets.

4 SOUL FROM SEOUL

34 IN TANDEM AT TOUCH

David Clouting Ltd hosted the launch of LG Hausys new décor collection at the top of London’s famous Gherkin.

Touch Design Group is delighted with its newly commissioned Dustraction plant, which works automatically in tandem with a new WWT boiler.

8 NEW INTRODUCTIONS FROM IBERIA Launched in Madrid: Finsa’s latest Gama Duo introductions.

12 MILAN CONFIRMS INTERPRINT’S VISION This year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan was proof positive that Interprint’s décor predictions were right on the money.

14 TREND TRIO Schattdecor presents its Décor Selection 2016 in Leeds.

16 FEELGOOD FACTOR OF FEELWOOD editor: Melvyn Earle email: Melvyn@FurnitureJournal.co.uk Direct Tel: 01502 733438

Feelwood MFC, matching laminates and ABS edging in one collection from Egger.

18 HOLISTIC HORNSCHUCH circulation: Marie Earle email: Circ@FurnitureJournal.co.uk www.furniturejournal.co.uk

Three new décors have been added to the Hornschuch portfolio, providing even more ideas to create a complete room.

21 ON YOUR WAVELENGTH

Please note: points of view expressed in articles by contributing writers and in advertisements included in Furniture Journal do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in Furniture Journal, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for incidents arising from use of information published. All rights, including moral rights, reserved. COPYRIGHT: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers. Copyright CPC Ltd, 2016.

ISSN 13653-8969 Readers should note that a charge may have been made by the publishers to cover the cost of reproducing some colour photographs in this publication.

origination: CPC Ltd printing: Barnwell Print published by: Craftsman Publishing Company Ltd, Landings House, Lound Road, Blundeston, Suffolk, NR32 5AT, England. www.craftsmanpublishing.co.uk

The new 3D-Space-Wave range not only looks fantastic and stylish, these edgebands are real eye-catchers.

22 GAME, SET - AND MATCHED More than three years went into the development of SCM’s Close to the Customer project, a world first launched at the Fiera di Bergamo in April 2016.

24 YOUR COMPONENTS, YOUR WAY C Workshop’s promise is to deliver the components you need when you need them - with guaranteed quality and absolute reliability.

26 SERVICE THE FELDER WAY Felder UK has put a lot into developing its service team, as Service Manager Chris Kealy explains.

36 XYLEXPO REVIEW Xylexpo attracted larger visitor numbers this year and the show has grown by 2,000 square metres.

38 MAN-FREE HANDLING The Biesse stand at Xylexpo 2016 was awash with new technology, designed to increase throughput, automation and your profit margins.

42 THE ART OF LAMINATING HIGH GLOSS In an exclusive interview at Xylexpo, Kleiberit’s Rene Eggenschwiller and Wolfgang Hormuth share their decades of experience with Furniture Journal.

44 THE FIFTH DIMENSION For machining solid wood there are few machines to rival the build quality and the rigidity of Holz-Her’s Promaster 5XL.

46 GET SMART WITH JET SMART First seen in the UK at RW’s open day, the Busellato Jet Smart made its show debut at Xylexpo.

48 THE PERFECT POWERMAT The new Powermat 1500 from Weinig is much more than an enormously productive and well built moulder.

50 AUTOMATION MASTERED Masterwood simultaneously reduced operator workload and increased machining accuracy on their 4 WIN 2.0 at Xylexpo 2016.

55 SAND, CARVE, DISTRESS & POLISH SCM Group’s DMC System T5 will create amazing effects as well as sanding and polishing painted panels.

2 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 - BUSINESS NEWS

w16 preview Come and test drive the latest wood and panel-working machinery at the UK’s best known exhibition.

f you haven’t yet confirmed your attendance at W16, now might be a good time to do so. With over 200 of the woodworking industry’s most influential companies showcasing the very latest in machinery and materials, there will be plenty to see - and it’s right on your doorstep at the NEC. Not to be missed, Biesse Group UK will present its SMART working concept on a 600 square metre stand. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed. Making its UK debut, Biesse’s W4 panel return system (see pages 38-40 for more details) will be shown with a Stream A edgebander. Alongside will be the Sektor beamsaw and the Rover B FT with the new K3 Winstore and a range of

machines designed exclusively for the smaller manufacture. Local dealers will be demonstrating seven machines including the Active 400 panel saw, Spark 2.3 edgebander and the Rover J 1530 machining centre on stand N610. Among the largest stands will be those of SCM, Homag, Felder, Weinig and RW - and you can expect to see some pretty impressive technology here, too. All five offer industrial machines as well as technology for the smaller manufacturer. Expect to see Minimax alongside SCM’s machining centres, edgebanders and sanders (see the latest on pages 53 and 54) and both Format-4 and Hammer machines on the Felder stand. The very latest solid wood and panel processing machinery from RW

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 - BUSINESS NEWS • 3

Machinery will include Busellato (see the latest on pages 46 and 47), Stema and Anderson - and maybe even a Cojet - and you can expect to see impressive moulding and maybe the new Cube on the Weinig stand. Will there be a Powermat 1500 at W16 (see pages 48 and 49), or machines from Weinig Group members Holz-Her (see pages 44 and 45) and Hoffmann? At the time of writing, all were keeping their W16 offers under wraps. Masterwood GB will show new pod and rail machining centres (maybe not the 4 WIN 2.0 featured on pages 50 and 51 but almost certainly one of the latest Project machines), as well as nesting solutions on stand J510. A full range of 3D software packages, including those for three, four and five-axis machines, will also be available for live demonstrations throughout the show. Axminster Tools and Machinery is planning to reveal new technology from its Axminster Industrial Series. The compact Max 350 and Max 340M edgebanders will be displayed alongside spindle moulders, dual drum sanders, radial arm saws and Lamello biscuit jointing and knockdown fittings. Machinery highlights will also include Striebig vertical panel saws and Viet wide belt sanders from Leicester-based TM Machinery and an extensive range of panel sizing solutions from the Austrian

manufacturer, Schelling. At W14, Schelling showed its S45 beam saw, which makes angle cutting easy. After Schelling’s acquisition of IMA a few months ago, the Schelling stand could look very different but we’ll have to wait to find out. The latest precision tooling, hardware and power tools will also be on display during the four-day event. Increasing its stand size after a successful W14, Isaac Lord will show a range of hand tools and cabinet hardware from leading manufactures that include Mirka, Makita, Reisser and Blum, while tools and fixing supplier, Festool will be featuring its new Domino range of connectors and joints for KD furniture and a new range of construction tools. Autool Grinders and new exhibitors, Merlin Tools Ltd and Oertli Tooling, will be on hand to explain their latest profile cutting and spindle systems, while the cutting tool specialists, Leitz Tooling Ltd, will present a large range of saw and router tooling for furniture and joinery applications including the A+ energyrated ThermoTech System. For adhesives, make a beeline for Quinn Global UK and Jowat UK. They join coatings experts, Movac Group Limited, who will show waterborne wood coatings and finishes. Coatings specialist, Symphony Coatings will also offer visitors an opportunity to see new products and best practice

techniques in action in its very own spray booth. W16’s sister components exhibition, Elements will complete the manufacturing cycle, with leading names from the edging, décor and hardware sectors. David Clouting, who recently hosted a grand launch of the latest LG décors in London’s famous Gherkin (see pages 4 to 7), will be joined by edgebanding specialists Döllken (see page 21), Ostermann (see page 22) and Hranipex. Lisa Campagnola, Events Director for W16 adds, “The W Show has historically been the perfect platform to launch new product into the UK woodworking industry. W16 is no exception, with new product launches being announced as the event draws closer. This is great news for visitors. Not only will be you able to see a wealth of new product under one roof, you’ll also be one of the first to see it in action – a crucial element to keep one step ahead of your competition.” W16 and Elements will take place from the 2nd – 5th October 2016 at the NEC Birmingham. For more information or to register your attendance, please visit www.wexhibition.co.uk or follow @W_Exhibition and @Elements_Expo on Twitter.

4 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

soul from seoul Joseph Kim

David Clouting Ltd hosted the launch of LG Hausys new décor collection surrounded by spectacular views from the top of London’s famous Gherkin.

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 5 MAGIS

White Marble

s Pa l te n

Metal

Castagno Cardduci

ANIMAL

Teak

Solid Concrete

in d

oo W

Rustic Metal

GIFT

Painted Wood

Linen (Ice Cool)

Line Teak

contains deeper colours for a more sensuous mood. Gift concentrates on colours from nature, to which can be added decorative elements like rope, wood, natural textiles and linen fabrics.” Within Magis are seven Interior Film décors: four subtle woodgrains, including a painted-look; and three woven-look designs. Magis is based on two cool colours, a bluish pink “that resembles the colour of dawn as it chases away the light” and a calm, stable grey. Pastel tones, including pink, mint and yellow, have become colour gradations rather than vivid single tones - and there’s a gold, described poetically as looking “as if it was made by an alchemist”. Structure is important and in Magis, African mood has been skilfully blended with Nordic style to impart richness to a modern reinterpretation of ethnic. There’s a strongly layered effect to the designs, which include tribal graphics, pictographs and chevrons. In its choice of materials, Magis highlights the importance of stability, calm and tranquillity. Soft materials, including quilting and cable-knit wool contrast with smoothly finished concrete. “Animal is all about evolution, instinct and desire,” explained Joseph. “Here you’ll find deep, sensuous, moodcreating colours from buff tones to rich effects and a selection of materials, including galvanised surfaces and dark teak.” Most eye catching are the antique bronze and oxidised brass. These

here can be few places to rival the very top floor of the Gherkin building for spectacular views of the London skyline. But, as the sun went down over the city on 21st April, the spectacle inside as Joseph Kim and Claire Lim (from LG Hausys’ design team in Korea) unveiled the company’s very latest ideas in surface design, eclipsed the views across the Capital. With lights focused on the décor samples that surrounded David Clouting’s invited guests and with colours projecting into the central dome of the Gherkin for added drama, Joseph Kim opened the presentation by explaining LG’s concept for 2016: “Our theme this year is Anima,” he began from a spot-lit podium. “We have taken this from the word ‘animism’ and have drawn our inspiration from the spirit inside all things. The message offered by animism is more than simply superstition; Anima tells of our power to imbue something with a soul, give it meaning and bring out all things positive. Anima focuses on the unique energy of all things and gives living things and objects dignity and worth, enabling them to create relationships with everything around them. “We have divided Anima into three themes that translate into the colours, patterns and finishes of our three new Interior Film collections. The three themes are Magis, Animal and Gift. The colours and décors in Magis are very soft and radiate happiness, while Animal

6 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

contrast powerfully with heavy dark grey, navy and green, which, together with hints of orange and petrol blue, create an iridescent effect that changes with the light. Combine with trompe l’oeil effects and optical designs that repeat to spectacular effect. Materials include matt effects “like natural elements from the beginning of time”, volcanic rocks, lifeless timber and copper that has lost its lustre. Complement these with reflective elements and light effects for a hint of modernity. Six designs were shown, including a fabulous, almost matt black painted woodgrain, two metallics and a new interpretation of concrete that’s altogether easier to use than some of the more realistic concretes currently on the market.

“With Gift, we concentrate on the awakening of inner beauty that no one has seen, or time has forgotten. It is about things that complement each other: natural things, colours like soil, faded peach, beige, grey - colours that can easily take on other natural, richer colours like sky blue and grey. You’ll also find hues of warm yellow in Gift, along with browns and soft, pure colours reminiscent of young leaves and wet flowers.” Patterns have a botanical influence taken from wood grains, as well as more abstract ideas such as fingerprints and handwriting. There’s also a mesh design “symbolising the fact that objects also breathe”. Materials are used in their purest, least diluted forms. “We see roughly-textured, unprocessed ropes and knots that have become

popular in lighting, in shelves and in decorative items. Organic materials with strong but soft textures - such as leather, linen, wood and wool - are now the main materials.” In Gift, the woodgrains are softer, the weaves more subtle and the painted wood effects, more filled and simpler. After a brief interlude provided by c o m p è r e a n d C o m m e rc i a l S a l e s Manager Scott Davies from hosts-forthe-evening, David Clouting Ltd., Claire Lim concluded the evening with a presentation of the latest Decofoil furniture films. In all, seven new décors were shown: two subtle concrete designs, two smooth-finished Carrara marble designs, two painted oaks and a stainless steel. At the time of writing, it was not known which of these would be

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 7

available in the UK but it is certain that David Clouting Ltd will be stocking several as well as a new texture to complement B9 that made its debut on the night, called J3. These could be available as early as the autumn. Impressions of the new décors during the evening were more than positive: “I really enjoyed the event and I am really interested in using the products,” commented one of the Jigsaw interiors team. “It was an amazing venue, which showcased your products in real style,” added the architects from KLH. “It was a great event, not just the venue but the presentation was amazing. The short videos of the trend concepts were very impressive,” commented Rubicon interiors. And summarising the event and the presentation, Dorotape’s

representative concluded, “All in all, a great success.” We couldn’t agree more. For more information on the new Interior Film collection contact David Clouting Ltd on 01376 518037. Furniture Journal will bring you the latest information on the new range of Decofoil furniture décors in the autumn.

8 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

new introducti Expertly presented, and accompanied by images on a giant screen, the latest additions to Finsa’s Gama Duo collection were introduced in the characterful surroundings of Madrid’s infamous Matadero.

n the dimly lit surroundings of Madrid’s vast Matadero, a 600-strong crowd from all corners of Europe gathered to witness a two-day event that has become a triennial spectacle. Years ago, it might well have been the slaughter of cattle that drew the attention of visitors but nowadays the Matadero’s grizzly past has been consigned to the history books and it functions as a contemporary arts centre on an epic scale. At the end of April, the spot lit brickwork of its time-worn walls provided a characterful backdrop for the launch of Finsa’s latest Gama Duo 2016 melamine décor collection.

In all, 23 new décors were added to the Gama Duo collection as the Iberian décor specialist refreshed and revitalised its woodgrain décors, abstracts and unicolours. Finsa’s additions include three reinvented oaks with rustic finishes: Oak Aurora, Oak Denver and Oak Colorado. These three designs are characterised by the very different crowns, knots and cracks that have been included. Aurora offers lighter tones, Denver is the classic oak and Colorado sits on the fence between classic grey and brown shades. Oak Stella and Oak Tostado are also designs with character but both are much more delicate. Stella, with its warm

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 9

Colorado Oak

Talco Blue

Pasadena Pine

Biscuit

Denver Oak

Oxford Green

Aurora Oak

ions from iberia grey tone, is an ideal choice for children’s furniture applications, while Tostado is a reinvention of a classic oak that’s perfectly suited to pieces of contemporary design. Oak Azabache, with its deep black tones is likely to be popular with interior designers for both contract and domestic interiors of distinction. Gama Duo 2016 also includes a new pine décor, Pino Pasadena, and a new maple. The soft honey tones within Pino Pasadena provide exceptional versatility that allow the décor be combined easily with very dark, or very bright shades. Although a tamed down and softened design, the new maple, Maple Nomada,

is a refreshing décor which revels in the radiance of this instantly recognisable fruitwood, yet it retains a serenity that makes it extremely versatile, especially when used in the lounge or in the bedroom. To conclude its latest woodgrain introductions, Finsa added Nogal Siena, a hybrid of different walnut species that offers a very polished and fashionable natural walnut-look décor. No new collection these days would be complete without a smattering of abstract designs. Two new additions made their debuts in the Matadero: Mosaico Gris is a design inspired by tiles, a popular trend at the moment across

the Mediterranean. Designed for furniture or panelling, it would undoubtedly combine extremely well with several of Finsa’s latest woodgrain introductions. The second abstract décor draws inspiration from natural stone, which is finding its way more and more into home furniture. Named Marmol Zeus, it is a design with a marble effect. Finally, Gama Duo 2016 includes 12 new unicolours: Nautico Blue and Oxford Green are extensions to the range of dark colours, while Talco Blue and Grey are direct responses to the trend towards powder colours in decorative interiors. Finsa has also extended its range of

10 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

neutral tones with Suave Grey, Biscuit, Tiramisu and Calico Grey, as well as four new brights, Candy, Lila Hawaii, Verde Avocado and Violeta Syrah. To complete the new additions, Finsa’s design team added two more textures. ‘Nude’ is the perfect solution to the increasing demand for natural materials within interior design. It mimics the look and feel of real leather,

offering a velvety feel that lends itself to applications such as wardrobes, headboards and furniture pieces, where enhanced luxury is desirable. In the hands of imaginative designers, it could even be used as a replacement for textiles. The second new texture, ‘Atlas’, accentuates the natural elegance and beauty of natural woodgrains. A subtle interplay of gloss and matt pores that

replicate the intricate detail of real wood veneer, it manipulates the effect of light, providing both visual and tactile interest. The ‘Atlas’ texture applied to Finsa’s new oak décors very successfully turns classic woodgrains into sophisticated décor experiences. For more information on Gama Duo 2016-2018 call Finsa UK on 0151 651 2400 or visit www.finsa.com

12 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

milan

confirms

interprint’s

vision Eureka. The natural, authentic character of Interprint’s Eureka is deepened by a distinctive pore structure and accentuated knots. It’s a classic example of the new elegance and makes an easy companion for many of the on-trend unicolours.

This year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan was proof positive that Interprint’s décor predictions were right on the money.

r g u a b l y t h e w o r l d ’s m o s t important fashion showcases for furniture trends, the Salone del Mobile and EuroCucina put on shows of trend-setting furniture designs and materials back in April that presented not only futuristic design ideas but also influential, up-to-the-minute colours and décors. It must have been an immensely satisfying experience for visitors to the Milan shows who also took part in Interprint’s Furniture Days: wherever they looked, the décor ideas and unicolours they helped shape into the Six Pack, and the unicolours they saw presented by Interprint’s design team last November, were easy to spot. Over 2,400 companies displayed their latest ideas in a space of 270,000 square metres. 372,000 visitors flocked to the

event from all corners of the globe in search of inspiration. And they found it. In spades. These shows wield huge influence over the marketplace, determining what the consumers of tomorrow will most want in their homes. Within the furniture design sector, décor ideas distilled into three main themes: materiality, naturalness and neutrality. Although hardly a news to Interzum or Sicam visitors, who will not have failed to notice the influence rusted metals, untreated woods and functional design have had on the ideas of décor designers, the industrial look seems to be gathering pace. Industrial basics such as square tube, wired glass, chequered sheet metal or wire mesh embody pure materiality as much as stone. The naturalness trend calmly holds its own,

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 13

Nelson is the new interpretation of elm from the Interprint design team. This planked décor has a unique structure, a greyish-white negative pore and brilliant colours ranging from a golden bronze-brown to a faded whitish-grey.

Clark, one of Interprint’s Six Pack 2016, embodies the beauty of realism in its unmatched patterning and it found echoes in real timber designs shown in Milan.

highlighting all kinds of natural fibres and timbers, surrounding them with opulent greenery in the form of natural plants. The quiet language of neutrality is spoken by the still-fashionable unicolours, grey, anthracite and black. Accent colours were somewhat louder: strong yellow and coral red were especially noteworthy. Equally popular were blue and green, which corresponded exactly with the Interprint trend colours, Mare and Olive. Conspicuous by its absence was plain white. Perhaps the world is tiring of purity, though colours and surfaces still erred on the side of restraint. Many were shown in combination with the new rising star: a matt finish. Surfaces, woods or décors included rustic hints coupled with a new elegance

and clarity. Smoky glass, coloured glass and mirror surfaces played with the charm of reflections. Brass and other metals showed their warm sides. The woods were in classical, natural tones, with oak and walnut the front-runners, followed by ash and soft woods. Elegance was everything in décors. Take a look at the oak décor Eureka, with its concise floral knotholes, if you want a perfect example. Less rather than more was the overriding trend in furniture design. Clear architectural lines, slim, minimalist design, thin, elegant frame doors have become the new chunky. Simplicity makes for beautiful furniture and it provided visitors to Milan with the real eye-catchers. Novelties definitely included black smoky glass and wired

glass in furniture fronts. One highlight was the innovative Credenza Collection, a brilliantly successful symbiosis of furniture and graphic design. After seven years of restraint, it was abundantly clear that the Italian furniture industry is again looking towards the future with optimism. In 2015, it recorded a 3.4 per cent increase in domestic sales; abroad, sales increased by over 6 per cent. The mood at the Salone del Mobile, which itself saw a 4% increase in visitor numbers over 2014, was correspondingly positive, even euphoric. And if there’s an abundance of feel-good factor at the Salone del Mobile, there is good reason for the industry to be optimistic. For more information on Interprint’s latest décor designs visit www.interprint. com/sixpack2016

14 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

trend trio Schattdecor presents its Décor Selection 2016 in Leeds.

T Riviera Oak from Casual Black

Fairfield Walnut from Cultural Spirit

Torano from Freestyle Clarity

he décor specialist Schattdecor chose the White Cloth Gallery in L e eds to p re s e n t its Dé co r Selection 2016 (comprising 12 décors) to UK manufacturers. The three themes, Casual Black, Freestyle Clarity and Cultural Spirit, were distilled by the Schattdecor design team from emerging world trends and, says Schattdecor, they stand for “communality, internationality and concentration. “Black is the new white and casual is the new luxury - but above all, black is beautiful,” says Schattdecor’s design team. Urban, creative, modern, selfassured and yet down-to-earth, Casual Black is regarded as the most revolutionary and momentous of Schattdecor’s three themes. It stands for a classic and tranquil style that provides an effortless feeling of well-being and casual cosiness. In living areas, matt lacquer is lending black a more pleasant feel, with high-gloss surfaces playing a reticent role in stone, marble or polished concrete. Weathered oak, hickory or walnut décors in rich browns or dark greys are creating the perfect ambience for withdrawal.

Black and white in clear contrast is tim e le s s an d co n tribu tes to the uncluttered look. Lightness and variability determine the Freestyle Clarity theme, which reflects the increasing importance of simplicity and a u t h e n t i c i t y. C o n c e n t r a t i o n o n essentials, open-plan spaces and a reduced style can have a calming effect. Décors from Freestyle Clarity help create order, enabling individual expression, and they fit well with the Scandinavian furniture style with its pale colours and woodgrains. Schattdecor’s third trend, Cultural Spirit corresponds to the fundamental need for a warm and cosy home and is grounded and convivial in character. The style is distinguished by the influence of various cultures, as seen in its mix of materials and patterns and its use of furnishing ideas from various world cultures. Warm tones and honey-coloured, natural-looking woodgrains convey a feeling of Individuality and personality. For more information on Schattdecor’s full range of designs visit www.schattdecor.de

16 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

feelgood factor of

feelwo T

Egger is making it easier for designers by bringing its ten premium Feelwood MFC décors together with perfectly matching laminates and ABS edging in one collection.

he Feelwood range from Egger brings together a new, carefully curated collection of its most authentic, deeply textured, melaminefaced chipboard panels with perfectly matching laminates and ABS edging under one umbrella, making it even easier to choose Egger products. Since the introduction of the ultra realistic Feelwood décors, with their deep synchronised textures and the look and feel of rustic raw timber, demand has soared in the furniture and interiors market. In a move to make life simpler for designers, Egger has brought its Feelwood décors together with laminates and ABS and used together, the result brings panel-based furniture even closer to the real thing. “Interest in our new authentic woodgrains – featuring knots, cracks and saw-cuts – has been tremendous,” said Egger’s head of décor development, Elliott Fairlie. “Whether it’s an on-trend kitchen,

a hotel bedroom, or an office interior, demand for something that looks and feels like real wood continues to grow. But the advantage our products have, apart from price, is that you get surfaces that are durable, sustainable, maintenance-free and offer colour continuity now and in the future.” Egger is the first wood-based panel manufacturer to offer synchronised pore surfaces that guarantee perfect alignment of the textured finish with the grain across all its boards. The Feelwood collection includes hardwearing laminates, ABS end-grain edging and sleek compact laminates as well as melamine-faced chipboard. “We have made a multi-million pound investment in new production lines in the UK and Europe that use computer-controlled printing plates and a double paper layer on our MFC boards to give the deepest and most-realistic textures currently

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 17

ood available anywhere,” stated Elliott. And the result is probably as close as present day technology can get to a sustainable alternative to real timber. Feelwood is available in ten décors and four textures (Feelwood Rift, Feelwood Nature, Feelwood Elegance and Feelwood Ambiance). Some of the ten décors are brand new introductions, while others like H1180 ST37 Natural Halifax Oak, H1181 ST37 Tobacco Halifax Oak and H3342 ST28 Sepia Gladstone Oak - are a fresh take on popular classics. Most of the décors are available double-sided with both surfaces deeply textured. However, for use in circumstances where a lower cost option is more desirable, Egger is also producing Feelwood Elegance ST27 and Feelwood Nature ST28 as a single-sided option with a non-synchronised reverse. For more information on how to get the feel good factor with Feelwood, call 01434 602191 or visit www.egger.com.

H1180 ST37 Natural Halifax Oak.

H1181 ST37 Tobacco Halifax Oak

H3325 ST28 Tobacco Gladstone Oak

18 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 Hornschuch introduced the Design Click Vinyl at the beginning of the year. Rooms can now be holistically decorated with surfaces by Hornschuch.

Background: Concrete stone brings peace and warmth into the home, while skai® Perfect Touch provides a supermatt sensation.

holistic

hornschuch Three new décor introductions have been added to the Hornschuch portfolio, providing even more ideas for designers who want to create a complete room.

skai® Riviera Oak is very natural and capitalises on the attractiveness of the most popular wood.

n hotel suites and restaurants, on chairs, floors, and walls, skai® from Hornschuch sets standards with versatility, performance, toughness and sophisticated design. Providing an all-in-one concept encompassing upholstery, furniture fronts and floor panels, skai® enables the perfect co-ordination of surfaces to create holistic interiors of high-quality. Hornschuch introduced three brand new furniture films at the beginning of the year, skai® Sahara, skai® Riviera Oak and skai® Perfect Touch. The concrete stone look of skai® Sahara fits into various room designs and combines easily with other décors and materials. Unveiled in Milan, Hornschuch created skai® Sahara using a mixture of materials such as rustic wood, gold metal and marble. This subtly grained, intentionally dull-looking surface with an interesting feel has real character.

skai® Riviera Oak is characterised by a very natural overall appearance with many grain details retained. These include elegant, distinctive reflections and vascular rays. Stripes and cathedrals alternate to form a subdued planking. Add Rustico embossing and skai ® Riviera Oak becomes a classic in modern oak colours. skai® Perfect Touch is an elegant, softcoated surface that offers purity and clarity and represents the gold standard in matt plains. To the touch, it is not dull, but warm and inviting. It begs to be experienced with the senses. Soft and delicate, Perfect Touch reinforces the visual impression of great value. The film is usable as a 2D surface as well as for edgeless 3D forming. For more information contact 01327 877646 or visit www.m-f-s.co.uk

Implement holistic concepts. Decorate rooms harmoniously. With surfaces that touch. Rediscover the world of Hornschuch.

www.hornschuch.com

ALL IN ONE

ilm eF r u

Attractive. Innovative. Exclusive. skai® upholstery material. For seating furniture and walls. In living and contract areas.

Vinyl

Expressive. Authentic. Awarded. skai® furniture film. In wood, stone, metallic designs and plain colours.

U p ho lst

Furn it

y Material er

Flexible. Versatile. Comfortable. Design Click Vinyl – the floor for all applications. In wood and stone designs.

o lo

r Covering

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 21

on your wavelength The new 3D-Space-Wave range not only looks fantastic and stylish, these edgebands are real eye-catchers and will considerably enhance the appearance of any piece of furniture.

here’s an ocean of depth to the b r a n d n e w 3 D - S p a c e - Wa v e edgeband from Döllken and it’s all down to the innovative wave pattern that’s embedded in the surface and the finish Döllken’s technicians have achieved. The wave pattern is a real eye-catcher, while the high gloss surface gives real depth, imparts an illusion of greater space and provides an easy-to-clean surface. Applying Döllken’s 3D-Space-Wave bands is child’s play as both front and back surfaces are smooth. Milling, particularly when it comes to fitting and corner pieces, can be carried out easily and without problems.

Döllken’s 3D-Space-Wave edgebands can be supplied from stock in four ontrend colours (stainless steel, titanium, old bronze and aluminium) in the dimensions 23 x 1.3 mm (ideal for fronts) and 43 x 1.5 mm (ideal for worktops). If you’re willing to wait a few weeks for a custom product, Döllken can also supply 3 D - S p a c e - Wa v e e d g e b a n d s i n customised versions and other colour tones on request. Take a look, see what you think, and if you’d like to tr y 3D-Space-Wave edgebands on one of your designs, give Döllken a call on 01282 686850 or visit www.doellken.co.uk for samples.

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game, set and matched! R Ostermann is ahead of the game with edges to match the trendiest colours from the Pantone Colour Institute’s 2016 Colours of the Year.

ose Quartz and Serenity have been crowned the Colours of the Year 2016 by the Pantone Colour Institute. Colours lauded in this way generally find their way into the world of haute couture quite quickly - and it’s not long after that we see them appearing in furniture décors. Ostermann already has the matching edgings to enable you to show off these hot colours to their best. To accompany the Serenity shade, Ostermann recommends the ABS edging in Crocus Miniperl as a perfect accompaniment to the Pfleiderer blue board. For the Rose Quartz tone, Ostermann’s ABS Orchid Rose Miniperl edging is a perfect match for the Egger

Orchid finish. Ostermann also offers numerous other ABS and melamine edgings in soft, pastel blue and pastel pink hues. It is particularly true of conspicuous trendy colours that just a small amount of edging is often enough. And that’s exactly what you can order from Ostermann: edgings in every width up to 100 mm, starting from just one metre. The facility to order small quantities means you don’t have to worry about any unwanted remnants and stock-keeping becomes so much easier. For more information, contact Ostermann UK on 01905 793550 or visit www.ostermann.eu

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www.edgeband-finder.co.uk The perfect edgeband for your project. An individual edgeband range directly from stock. • Décor combination with 10,000 board surfaces • Numerous dimensions • Precise printed image and natural embossing • Short lead times • Worldwide availability from a single roll

SURTECO UK Ltd. · Widow Hill Road, Burnley · Lancashire BB10 2TB · UK Phone: +44 1282-686861 · Fax: -412361 · info@uk.surteco.com · www.surteco.co.uk

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24 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

your components,

your way

C Workshop’s promise is to deliver the components you need when you need them with guaranteed quality and absolute reliability.

aybe you’ve experienced a sudden upsurge in demand, or maybe it’s reached the time when you have to either buy more machinery or subcontract some of your manufacturing - whatever the reason for change, putting your faith in the reliability of another company in the hope they will manufacture the components you need, maintain your quality standards and deliver on time and on budget is a big step. It’s a step business partners Felix Zajarnijus and Antony Didjurgis fell foul of when they started buying in components for their bespoke cabinetry business in 2010 and it was the problems they encountered with the quality of the components they were receiving (and the agreed delivery dates their suppliers treated with disregard) that led them to form C Workshop Ltd.

C Workshop Ltd is a company that’s dedicated to providing you with the quality of components and the reliable deliver y times Felix and Antony couldn’t find when they needed it. Equipped with some of the latest equipment for sizing, shaping, edging, routing and drilling panels, C Wo r k s h o p ’s p o p u l a r i t y w i t h manufacturers and designers has already seen the company outgrow its first factory and move its operation to an immaculately-kept 15,000 square foot manufacturing unit on Borehamwood’s Elstree Trade Park. The pride among the workforce for the products they are producing is inescapable, adding weight to the company’s mission: to manufacture and sell products of the highest quality, whilst providing excellent, personal service to all our clients.

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 25

Cut to size, edged and drilled or routed panels are C Workshop’s speciality.

So what could C Workshop do for you? Using your specifications, they’ll cut to size MDF, MFC, veneered boards, high gloss boards, laminated MDF or chipboard on one of the new generation beam saws. Felix and Antony have invested heavily in production edgebanding technology to ensure accuracy and provide an almost indiscernible glueline with a variety of adhesive types according to your particular application. And they’re very, very discerning about accuracy. It’s almost an obsession with both of them. To ensure you get the products you need quickly, C Workshop’s policy is to maintain a large stock of edging materials that includes ABS and PVC edgebands, preparation tapes, solid wood and sandwich veneer tapes, high gloss edgings, digitally-printed and acrylic 3d edging tapes and the latest

C Workshop’s mission is to provide high quality components to suit the needs of manufacturers and designers and deliver on time and on budget.

aluminium edgings. If your specification includes face drilling or routing, using a CNC router, C Workshop guarantees accuracy and repeatability of squared or shaped panels. At C Workshop, the aim is to match accuracy in manufacturing to reliability in delivery: “We know how it felt to be let down by the suppliers we trusted when we needed components and we are determined never to do that to our clients,” says Antony. “One small component missing and it can delay an installation. The companies we worked w i t h w ouldn ’t e m p lo y a q uality checker. We check every stage to make sure this doesn’t happen to our clients.” If the time has come when you need a little support, C Workshop is waiting for your call. The number to use is 020 8236 2313.

“We know how it felt to be let down by the suppliers we trusted when we needed components and we are determined never to do that to our clients.” Antony Didjurgis

26 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

service the I

It doesn’t matter how wellbuilt or well-designed a machine is, regular maintenance and the support of a knowledgeable service team are essential to keep it running at its best. Felder UK has put a lot into developing its service team, as Service Manager Chris Kealy explains.

t doesn’t take a genius to work out that if your woodworking machines are not continuously available and in tip-top working order, the productivity and profitability of your company will suffer. Felder Group has spent 60 years developing and improving its service chain in order to ensure the operational readiness and consistent per formance of the machines it supplies at all times - an the Felder service begins long before you take delivery. Before you make the decision to invest in a Felder machine you’ll benefit from a systematic requirement analysis and be provided that includes an individual product solution with an appropriate support package that suits your company from Felder UK’s Head Office in Milton Keynes. With the delivery of your new woodworking machine you’ll then receive an array of valuable services. Felder’s service technicians and engineers, who have all been trained at the Felder Group factor y in Austria, will not only commission your new machine, they’ll provide advice on how you can get the

best results from it and run test pieces with you t o e n s u r e i t ’s performing perfectly. You’ll benefit from a tailored inspection and maintenance package from the team of on-the-road service engineers and you’ll have access to Felder UK’s experienced service desk technicians, who provide immediate and free support. Numerous Felder service centres ensure that a Felder technician is close at hand and spare parts are also readily available should you need them. If you’re one of Felder’s CNC customers, you’ll be able to have your employees professionally trained on a range of software and machinery courses in Milton Keynes - and you’ll benefit from free remote desktop

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 27

felder way support throughout the life of each of your CNC machines. From its Head Office in Milton Keynes, Felder UK operates a four-man Service Desk run by Service Manager, Chris Kealy, who is supported by a help desk engineer, a specialist edgebander engineer and a specialist CNC engineer. There’s a free telephone and email support ser vice, aimed at keeping your down time to a minimum by discussing any issue you may be experiencing and assisting you to getting your machine back up and running. “Felder Group UK’s Service department has grown rapidly and we

The Felder UK Service Team headed up by Service Manager Chris Kealy and CNC Product Manager Richard Hird

28 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

There’s a free telephone and email support service, aimed at keeping your down time to a minimum.

now have full time Ser vice Desk Engineers for all of our key machine categories,” assures Chris Kealy. “The Standard, Edgebander and CNC Service Desk engineers offer assistance and help for our many Field Service Engineers and also customers requesting repairs, servicing or spare parts. With an ever-expanding product range, both our Service Desk and Field Service Engineers are able to provide expert support for our range of machines, whether you are a private customer in your home workshop, or a multi-million pound CNC machine customer. As the Service Manager I am really proud of my team. It is growing

Training courses range from three days in Felder UK’s newly-built, state-of-the-art training facility and one day at your premises to five days in the training facility and three days at your premises.

and improving every day and training is on-going to provide both job satisfaction and the best customer service we can provide.” For any problems that cannot be fixed over the phone by the help desk, Felder UK has a team of on-the-road engineers on call to assist you. Most of the Field Service Engineers have been with the company for a long time, gaining a vast amount of experience on each of the machines, and all have been trained at the factory in Austria. “The first service package that Felder UK offers is commissioning of your new Hammer, Felder or Format 4 machine,” says Chris. “When the machine is

delivered to your premises one of the engineers will be on hand to set up the machine, test the settings and give you some guidance on how your new machine differs from others you may have used in the past, making sure you get the best result possible.” Chris Kealy is confident that if a machine comes from Felder it will be accurate and precise for many years. That said, all machines need attention from time to time. “We recommend booking an annual inspection and service by one of our trained engineers to help protect your investment,” he says. “By having one of our engineers take a thorough look at your machines

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 29

After commissioning, you’ll be provided with advice on how you can get the best results from your new CNC and the engineers will run test pieces with you to ensure it’s performing perfectly.

they will be able to ascertain any future issues that may occur and prevent them from happening keeping your machine running as it should for longer. “If your machine does encounter an error or stop working for any reason, a member of our service desk will diagnose the error (for free) over the phone. They will then be able to order any parts needed that we do not keep in stock and arrange one of our engineers to come to your premises and repair your machine. After the engineer has finished the repair he will then test that the machine is in complete working order. “If anything does go wrong with your CNC machine or its software, we

offer free remote desktop support, making sure that you are back up and running as quickly as possible, keeping your downtime to a minimum. Our CNC department is staffed by experts in their field and they are always ready to offer any assistance they can with any issues that you may experience, even if it’s something small like a small change in your design to help make your ideas into a reality. We are always on hand to help. “We offer different training courses depending on which CNC machine you purchase. This ranges from three days in our newly-built, state-of-the-art training facility and one day at your premises to

five days in our training facility and three days at your premises. Our CNC product specialists have all participated in our in-depth training course at our Headquarters in Austria on all of the machines and have taken a variety of course in all of the software that we would recommend using with our machines. Participating in a training course with us is the best way to get to know your new machine, you will benefit from the vast amounts of knowledge our CNC department has! To find out more about Felder machines and the service you can expect from Felder UK, call 01908 635000 or visit www.felder-group.co.uk

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SURTECO UK Ltd. · Widow Hill Road, Burnley · Lancashire BB10 2TB · UK Phone: +44 1282-686861 · Fax: -412361 · info@uk.surteco.com · www.surteco.co.uk

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Stand K715

Alstons’ Mawera is a 1.4kW FU1400RA boiler that heats the 9,000 sq metre site and provides hot water.

staying the distance I

t’s never happened before. Not in 23 years of writing and editing Furniture Journal has anyone had the confidence to suggest a machine that’s almost 18 years old as the subject for an article. But having recently visited Starbank to write up their newly commissioned, state-ofthe-art Mawera biomass boiler, the opportunity to see working proof that Mawera boilers really are designed and built to outlast the RHI’s 20-year term, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss when John Clissett, MD of Mawera UK, suggested I take a look at the FU1400RA boiler his company installed back in 1999 to heat Alstons 9,000 square metre Colchester site. Michael Parker is Alstons’ Engineering and Facilities Manager. To say Michael is fastidious about “his” Mawera might be

something of an understatement. He knows chapter and verse how it works, what it burns, how much heat it produces, what it costs to run and maintain and what comes out of the chimney. He monitors emissions minute by minute from his desk, even receiving emails from the system to ensure Alstons is fully compliant at all times with its PG1-12 environmental permit and it never fails the six-monthly audit. And he knows to within a few pounds the savings Alstons has been able to make on landfill and oil by burning the off-cuts it can’t make use of. When he says his Mawera is “efficient and reliable” and “doesn’t give problems”, he means it. And he was happy to prove it when we met with facts and figures gathered throughout the 17 years it’s been at Alstons.

Alston’s Mawera boiler will soon be 18 years old but it’s still performing well and meeting all the emissions targets.

Michael Parker, Alstons’ Engineering and Facilities Manager.

32 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

Alstons’ Mawera is a 1.4kW FU1400RA boiler that heats the 9,000 sq metre site and provides hot water.

The 200 cubic metre silo holds sufficient woodwaste to heat the whole factory and the offices for two weeks.

Alstons’ Mawera burns mixed waste - everything from OSB and chipboard to fibreboard and solid timber.

“We optimise off-cuts as much as possible,” he says, “But those we can’t optimise are hogged, extracted into our silo and fed to the boiler. The silo takes 200 cubic metres of mixed waste everything from OSB and chipboard to fibreboard and solid timber. 200 cubic metres is sufficient to heat the whole factory and the offices for two weeks.” Michael is candid about the running costs: “Boilers are not cheap items to run,” he says. “Every year we have it tested, then, every five years we have an non-destructive ultrasonic test. Permits, software updates, refractory repairs and so forth all add up. It is well looked after by John and his team at Mawera UK but the result is we don’t get the problems we used to get with cheaper boilers. If you start out with a good product and you maintain it well, you won’t get so many problems.” Alstons’ Mawera provides heat and generates hot water, saving on oil costs, and since wood was reclassified as fuel,

Michael has been looking into selling woodwaste during the summer months in order to offset running costs. “We would be able to shut the boiler down for four to five months, saving 40-50% of the maintenance costs, and that would also cut the council visits,” he says. “We’re already saving about £2,500 a week on oil by burning our woodwaste.” The Mawera at Alstons has a 1.4mW capacity and is fitted with an ash recovery system, a screw grate feed system and Mawera PLC controls that monitor flame temperature and adjust fuel feed and oxygen levels in the chamber to achieve optimum burning and reduce emissions. To that, Michael added a Codel system about eight years ago that checks emissions constantly. “The limits are 200mg/m3 of particulate mat ter and 150mg /m 3 of carbon dioxide. We’re constantly below that. There are more emissions coming out of your chimney at home than out of our 17 year-old 1.4mW boiler,” he says,

adding, “There’s not a day I can recollect seeing smoke coming out of our chimney and I’ve been here 13 years. All we see is moisture.” Michael is adamant, although he is always very sensitive to the purchase, running and maintenance costs of all Alstons’ machinery, the experience and backup he’s had from Mawera UK would keep them loyal to the brand in the event of a change. “It’s not just the boiler, though it’s been efficient and reliable for the last 17 years,” he says. “It’s John Clissett’s knowledge. He is the best in the business. He’s also done a huge amount of work with the BMA to fight DEFRA and keep our permits realistic. He is very involved and knows the industry inside out. That’s a big selling point for anyone considering a new boiler.” For more information on Mawera’s biomass boilers, or to find out how Mawera UK could help you take advantage of the RHI and replace your boiler, call 01543 258844.

34 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 The new system from Dustraction works in tandem with a boiler from WWT and is fully automatic.

in tandem

at touch

Touch Design Group is delighted with its newly commissioned Dustraction plant, which works automatically in tandem with a new WWT boiler.

ouch Design Group is well known for the complete interior projects it undertakes. Kitchens, bedrooms with dressing rooms, libraries, bars, staircases - whatever the project, the skilled craftsmen design and make each piece to order using both CNC technology and traditional bench skills. Much of Touch Design’s work is for prestigious projects in London and when it comes to quality, their high end clients expect the best and don’t compromise. Unsurprisingly, Directors Ed Tremlett and David Crosby are just as uncompromising when it comes to the equipment and machinery they buy for their workshop. “When we moved to our present site a year and a half ago, we needed to upgrade our dust extraction system so it worked with the new boiler we wanted from WWT,” recalls David. “We had used Dustraction before and their association with WWT meant we could be assured of an integrated fit - exactly what we

needed, as the funding we’d secured through WWT was for a complete package. Dustraction is used to working with woodwaste, so we decided to stay with them.” Dustraction’s quotation included upgrading the existing woodwaste extraction system and Dustrax foursection filter that were there when Touch Design took over the building and replacing it with a new six-section 27RV filter, which would be fed by the existing fan set. A new fan set would be provided for discharge waste directly into the filter. The total air volume required was based on a 200mm connection at the chipper, operating at 30m/second, and a total air volume of around 4.93 cubic metres per second (10,446cfm). The Dustrax 27RV woodwaste filter utilises a tubular sock-type filtering system with an area of around 162 square metres and automatic shaker cleaning. Waste is transferred into the end of the hopper section via the main,

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 35 floor-mounted fanset and is discharged through a heavy duty rotary valve airseal, specially designed by Dustraction to handle woodwaste. The whole filter plant is mounted on a steel support structure that’s been specially designed to raise the rotary valve high enough so waste can be conveyed directly to the silo WWT provided. The dust-laden air enters the filter through the hopper air inlet. Heavier particles are immediately deposited into the hopper while fine particles travel into the airstream and are retained on the internal surfaces of the filter fabric. The dust falls directly into the hopper on shakedown via the rotary valve and is ducted from the chipper by a direct drive fan set. Extraction ductwork collects waste from the filter and conveys it to a Dustrax cyclone mounted on the silo. An access door has been included below the rotary valve within the conveyor ducting to discharge waste into a container or bulker bag in the event of a burner or silo feed failure and full explosion relief in accordance with ATEX requirements has been built into the filter. Operation of the entire plant is controlled from a panel that is equipped with contactors, timers and overloads and the finished installation enables Touch Design to comply fully with COSHH requirements. “The hopper feeds the boiler automatically,” says David. “It really works a treat and Dustraction have been fantastic to work with. They were always here when they said they would be and they had the measure of everything. The whole installation went through without any hold ups. We found them very communicative throughout the process. We couldn’t be more pleased.” If you’re thinking of a new woodwaste management system, why not give Dustraction a call? The number is 0116 271 3212.

1. An access door has been included below the rotary valve within the conveyor ducting to discharge waste into a container or bulker bag in the event of a burner or silo feed failure. 2. Ductwork to the chipper was married to Touch Design’s existing system. 3. Waste is transferred into the end of the hopper section via the main, floor-mounted fanset and is discharged through a heavy duty rotary valve airseal, specially designed by Dustraction to handle woodwaste. 4. “The hopper feeds the boiler automatically,” says David. “It really works a treat.” 5. Touch Design Group’s work is high end bespoke interiors involving joinery and cabinet work.

36 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

xylexpo Xylexpo attracted larger visitor numbers this year and the show has grown by 2,000 square metres.

review M aybe, like me, you’ve been going to woodworking machinery exhibitions in Italy long enough to remember the heady days of Interbimall, with its heaving crowds at the gates, packed halls and giant Parmigiano-Reggianos on pretty much every Italian stand. The cheese has all but disappeared and since Xylexpo replaced Interbimall, the show has had its fair share of ups and downs. Things are on the up again but my impression after Xylexpo 2016 is there may still be challenges ahead before Xylexpo sees the halcyon days return. Compared with some of the exhibitions around Europe, Xylexpo is a relatively compact show, occupying three halls of the otherwise completely empty Fieramilano Rho exhibition grounds. If you don’t mind a brisk ten-

minute walk to start your day, enter by the south entrance, which is a lot quieter, and you’ll escape the problems some exhibitors were reporting at the east gate. The organisers generally run a pretty slick operation and getting badges is normally easy but this year, for some reason, it had become a task and a half and officials seemed ill at ease with procedures. Once inside, however, Xylexpo is easy to navigate and easy on the feet. In total, 441 exhibitors showed at Xylexpo 2016 and the total area of the exhibition had increased by 2,000 square metres from 29,189 in 2014. The organisers tell us visitor numbers had also increased by 14.2% this year compared with the 2014 show and this represents “a significant result that reaffirms Xylexpo’s position among the

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 37

most important exhibitions in the wood technology and wood-based panels industry”. Visitor numbers (counted as heads rather than visits) reached 17,415 between 24th and 28th May and 29.1%, an increase of 9.3% on 2014 figures, came from outside Italy. All of that is indeed good news. But having been on the stands of Biesse and SCM, the two main players who returned to Xylexpo after pulling out a couple of editions ago, it was not difficult to guess who might have contributed most to the increase in visitor numbers. Both stands were extensive and packed. “We are very satisfied with the results of the Milan exhibition,” commented Dario Corbetta, exhibition director, in a press release issued after the show. “We saw many people in the

aisles of Xylexpo, plenty of exhibitors and visitors; we breathed a different air, a better atmosphere; there was a climate of participation and real interest. I want to stress the fact that everyone was at Xylexpo this year, ready to work together.” Given the size of Xylexpo, I do wonder whether even more working together might bring benefits. If the show ran in parallel with the extremely busy Salone del Mobile, for example, maybe more manufacturers would venture into Xylexpo to the benefit of all. It would also make the trip even more worthwhile for Xylexpo visitors who would be able to see the latest trends and how they had been produced. Maybe that’s something for the organisers to consider ahead of 2018…

38 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

The footprint of the X-Feeder is little more than a couple of panel stacks. Inset: The new stack is created at the back of the saw while the auxiliary pushing device processes the last strip.

man-free REVIEW

The Biesse stand at Xylexpo 2016 was awash with new technology, designed to increase throughput, increase automation and increase your profit margins.

he main concept behind Biesse’s Xylexpo presentation was discreet a u t o m a t i o n a n d i t ’s a i m e d predominantly at the small to mediumsize workshop. There’s no doubt manufacturers’ margins are being squeezed and there’s never been a greater need to recover investment in machinery more quickly but how do you do that without increasing prices or compromising on quality? Biesse’s response is quite simply to increase efficiency and use space better and it underlined this with the introduction of three new handling systems for sawing, machining and edgebanding. Although we’ve all become accustomed to machines that perform tasks automatically and tirelessly with

little or no human intervention, there’s still a fascination to watching an entire line take panels one by one, label them, cut them to size and continue selecting and sorting the next batch while the first batch is still being processed. One of several eerily man-free time and labour-saving processes on Biesse’s Xylexpo stand, the X-Feeder made an impressive debut, working in tandem with a Selco WN6 beam saw. “The X-Feeder picks up materials from either of two stations and feeds it onto the saw as it needs more materials,” Lanfranco Fontanelli, Biesse’s sizing sales director, explained on the stand. “A typical machine demands refeeding if there’s a colour change. That’s done automatically on the X-Feeder. It

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 39

By adding the new Synchro to the front end of a Rover A it’s possible to achieve seamless automatic loading and off-loading of multiple panel types.

handling takes from Bay One first then, while the saw is cutting, it picks from Bay Two so there is always a board ready for cutting i n s i d e t h e s a w a n d t h e r e ’s n o downtime. We can add a labelling device so by labelling ahead of the cut the operator only has to unload, increasing efficiency at the front end of the machine. It solves two of the biggest issues in processing: feeding and unloading. Instantly the efficiency of the saw increases. Just by adding labelling, throughput can increase by 15%. On feeding, the savings really depend on how many material changes there are but typically, a normal saw is only cutting 60% of the time. We’ve shown it’s possible to increase this to 75-80% using an X-Feeder.” The X-Feeder is remarkably compact - very little more than the length of two panel stacks - and it picks the panels using a suction arm system. It can be configured with two or three arms to

suit different material characteristics and positioning of the suction cups is automatically adapted to different panel formats. Automatic detection of the panel in the loading position ensures precision labelling and the rotating label application head follows the orientation of the component exactly so the label is always the right way around when the component is cut. The seamless integration of the X-Feeder with Biesse’s twin pusher system allows loading of the panels while the saw is cutting: the new stack is created at the back of the saw while the auxiliary pushing device processes the last strip. Operation is controlled via a single control point with supervisor-free machine control. Very clever. The new Biesse Synchro is to the Rover A processing centre what the X-Feeder is to the WN6 saw. A standard CNC machining centre uses pendulum loading - work one component, add

another - but as the cycle time for machining reduces, or the load becomes more difficult to handle, the task of keeping up with the machine becomes more difficult and it may even be co m e n e ce s s ar y to pause the machine if the finished components are large, such as doors. With a typical 25 seconds for an operator to load a panel, the benefits of pendulum loading can be lost quite quickly as the machine waits for the next panel. However, by adding the new Synchro to the front end of a Rover A, Biesse demonstrated seamless loading and unloading of different panels at Xylexpo. Different colours can be presented automatically from multiple stacks and while the machine is processing one panel, the Synchro is already locating and loading the next - and preparing to off-load the finished component. That frees up the operator to do something else and it means heavy components can be

40 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

Above: The Winner W4 saves the cost of an operator and gives you back lost efficiency in a panel return system. Right: Biesse’s entry level Akron 1300 was shown for the first time with Airforce.

handled without risk of damage, either to the component, or to the operator. Designed for use with Biesse’s singlesided edgebanding machines, the new Biesse Winner W4 is another new handling system that’s claimed to provide a 25% increase in productivity of the edgebanding machine using just one operator. And in tangible terms, that could mean up to 600 pieces per shift. A typical panel return system will save one operator but it may also reduce the efficiency of the edgebander. “It’s all about distance to travel,” commented Biesse UK’s Robbie O’Neill on the Xylexpo stand. “Reduce the distance and you save time. With the W4 Panel Return System, it not only reduces the distance to travel, it

automatically stacks the panels so the efficiency in the system goes back up.” The W4 pick-up system recirculates and unloads panels, rotating them through 180 degrees and automatically positioning them using a dimension detection system. The detection sensors render the machine completely independent, so no operator assistance is required. It saves the cost of an operator and gives you back lost efficiency in a panel return system pretty easy to see why Biesse called this a “Winner”. Still on the topic of edgebanders, hiding in a corner of Biesse’s vast stand was an Akron 1300 edgebander. Nothing extra special there, you might think, and it’s certainly not a new

machine. But, for the first time on a Biesse machine of this size, this one was shown with the Airforce system, a hot air system that enables you to create a laser-like finish to your panel edges at a fraction of the cost of a laser edgebander. The Akron 1300 is a very adaptable machine, designed for the smaller user but Biesse has provided it with a facility to grow and be reconfigured easily as new tasks are demanded of it. It might be an entry level edgebander but it’s one that’s designed to grow with you - and now it can even help you compete with laser edging. For more information on all Biesse’s latest introductions call 01327 300366 or visit www.biesse.com

Increase your panel productivity! Complete turnkey production lines, together with integrated Biesse Group solutions and software. With over 300 systems installed globally, Biesse can help you realise your potential. A perfect combination of Biesse Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience and Italian genius. T: +44 (0)137 300366 info@biesse.co.uk

biesse.com

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REVIEW

the art of laminating

high gloss Flat lamination of high gloss décors demands a diligent and methodical approach if the end result is to be a flawless product. Kleiberit’s Rene Eggenschwiller and Wolfgang Hormuth share their decades of experience in this field with Furniture Journal.

t doesn’t matter how perfect the finish of a high gloss décor foil is when it’s on the roll, it only needs one tiny speck of dust to lodge between the material and the substrate during lamination and the resulting flaw will rise like Mount Etna from the surface, ruining an expensive panel. And that’s only one of a raft of potential problems laminators face when they decide to enter the high gloss market. “You need the right machine, the right substrate, the right glue and the right conditions,” Kleiberit’s high gloss lamination specialist, René Eggenschwiller, told Furniture Journal at Xylexpo 2016. He’s seen the orange peel, the

delaminations, the bumps and the lumps repeatedly over the last couple of decades working in this sector and spends most of his time helping manufacturers overcome them. He’s often to be found at the production line with sleeves rolled up, sorting problems at source. “You will never make a success of high gloss lamination if you are not working in a clean environment,” he says. “The substrate needs a thorough cleaning with brushes, top and bottom. Then the whole machine needs cleaning from the melting unit, through the heating pipes, right up to the nip roller. Without this you will never produce a good high gloss

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 43 your application,” says Wolfgang product. You would not believe how H o r m u t h . “ We a l w a y s o f f e r o u r many lines I have seen where people customers the opportunity to check don’t take enough care with cleaning, and test any new materials, if they or they try to make other products and decide to change the substrate, for expect to switch to high gloss on the example. Different materials require same line. You need a dedicated line different preparation and this can have for high gloss. It’s essential.” a critical effect on the quality of the It may seem obvious that without final product.” the right adhesive, an optimum result Once the glue has been applied to isn’t going to be easy to achieve. the panel and the foil begins to make Wolfgang Hormuth, Vice President contact, that’s when it will start to Industrial Adhesives says, “We have a attract any dust in the atmosphere. standard glue that will work in 80% of René continues: “And any dust will cases but for special foils, such as thin create a impact point on the top foils, PVC, PET, or very thick products surface of the foil, which will result in a like PMMA, you need an entirely mark in the surface and, possibly, in different product to bond them. Often, the nip roller. we’ll formulate a special adhesive that “The choice of nip roller is critically will work with your particular machine important. As soon as the foil is laid, you and the product you want to run and need to apply pressure to make the real then we’ll train the operators to use bond so the glue moves to the foil. If that product. It’s very important that you use a rubber roller, there is always a the glue matches the way you work. If chance that marks will transfer to the you’re running a compact line with a roller over time. The gap between the short distance like 20-30cm between rollers needs to be -0.2 to -0.3mm, the glue application and the nip rollers, which means there will always be an for example, it stands to reason you’ll impact on the roller from its first contact need a different open time to someone with the edge of the panel. Eventually, who is running a large machine with a the roller will cease to be absolutely large index area of 4-6 metres. Sheet smooth. Panel-wide indentations from or roller applications are different and multiple impacts will transfer to the have a huge impact on how long the surface of the foil causing marks across glue needs to remain tacky but after the high gloss surface. the nip roller it needs to build bond strength rapidly. If the bond strength isn’t there at the right time, as the temperature of the material changes the result will be like orange peel.” Kleiberit not only formulates adhesives for specific applications. A lot of daily work is to adapt the products and this is one of the main competences. A lot of the applications are customised and accommodated solutions. In each region and each production site there are different requirements and Kleiberit handles all the challenges by very individual services and pre-tests. “You have to take into account the type of substrate, the machine, the location of the machine and the conditions under which bonding will take place. This all helps to define the ideal René Eggenschwiller (left) and Wolfgang Hormuth (right) adhesive for

“Any panels intended for high gloss lamination need to be well calibrated in a sander. If the thickness varies, you will never achieve a good result with high gloss. On the length of the panel it is not so critical but on the width it’s very critical. If the panel is even slightly concave or convex it can affect the bond, further reducing your chances of getting a good bond as the roller ages. “You should also take great care how you stack the panels once they have been laminated. The sides will still be open and they can create dust during further processing. Using a 1.5mm polyethylene fleece between the panels will help absorb dust “At the end of the day, clean your entire line. I cannot over-emphasise this. You will never rectify poor cleaning the day after. If your operators don’t know how to do this properly, or if you are getting inconsistent results, or problems with the finish, we can train your operators and help you overcome any issues.” If you’re having problems with the quality or consistency of your high gloss products, the number to call for Kleiberit is 01530 836699. www.kleiberit.com

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Clear graphics give an exact picture of how the finished workpiece will be machined. Irregular shapes can be positioned easily with the projection laser.

the fifth dimension For machining solid wood there are few machines to rival the build quality and the rigidity of Holz-Her’s Promaster 5XL.

REVIEW

ive axis machining, power ful jointing, capacious Z-stroke, robust Austrian build quality and easy to use - those are just a few of the key features offered by Holz-Her’s Black Edition 7225 Pro-master 5XL. And if you are into solid wood machining, there are plenty more reasons why you should take a closer look. Holz-Her’s Promaster series includes three-axis, four-axis and five-axis machines, then there’s the Weinigbadged Multirex version, which has a special table for automatic positioning of workpieces for window production. Common to all are super robust and

stable construction resulting from plasma cutting technology, CNC forming and automatic welding. Up close and personal with the 5XL at Xylexpo, the build quality is inescapable. It’s a machine that’s been designed to take whatever workpieces you present it with and it will machine them tirelessly. The Z-stroke of 565mm enables a workpiece of up to 300mm in height to be processed and for those who want to take full advantage of that, or use large diameter tooling, one of the options is a 17kW high torque electro spindle that delivers high torque at low rpm. Added rigidity for really heavy

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 45

Robust consoles running on linear guides for super smooth and extremely accurate positioning.

The optional integrated drilling head has 18 vertical spindles and six horizontal spindles and it can be upgraded to include a grooving saw and third double drilling spindle in the X axis. The five-axis head (orange) can machine curved parts in all directions, even from below the consoles.

machining comes from pro-torque locks on the A and C axes and even the fiveaxis head is liquid cooled for maximum service life. Knowing you’ll be removing a lot of material, the five axis head has eight programmable positions that enable optimal positioning of the hood for best possible chip evacuation and, as an optional extra, a chip conveyor can be specified to keep the area around the machine clean. The bed of the 5XL at Xylexpo included six solid consoles with a single circuit vacuum system and six easy-tomove cross members, though more can be added if required. There’s a

simple measuring tape system for quick positioning in the X direction. The standard vacuum pumps provide 100 cubic metres per hour performance and these can be uprated to 140 or 2 5 0 i f y o u n e e d m o r e p o w e r. Individually switchable zones prevent vacuum loss, while the vacuum pump control has an automatic switch-off function. The design of the consoles and the arrangement of the five-axis cutting spindle - mean it’s possible to machine from below without touching the consoles. If you’re working larger components, positioning of heavy workpieces has been made

considerably easier by the provision of four pneumatic charging aids that can be raised or lowered as necessary and there’s even a contour laser, which projects the shape of the workpiece (and the right position for the consoles and suction pads), making positioning pretty much fool-proof. A nesting table is one of the options available. The Promaster 5XL runs on the same Campus software as the vertical Evolution. NC HOPS-based, it’s very easy to use and the graphics are clear and concise. For more information call Weinig UK on 01235 557600.

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get smart with

jet smart First seen in the UK at RW’s open day, the Busellato Jet Smart made its show debut at Xylexpo.

REVIEW

or smaller workshops that want to increase throughput of drilled panels, or even larger manufacturers who want a compact footprint machine that will squeeze into an available corner, the new Jet Smart automatic boring and grooving centre from Busellato has a lot to offer - and it’s designed to be as affordable as it is productive. The Jet Smart, which took centre stage on Busellato’s Xylexpo stand, promises flexibility, speed and high productivity in a vertical format machine that’s really very easy to use. Because the Jet Smart has extra table supports as standard, workpieces of up to 900mm in

width and 3050mm in length can be fed into the left-hand side of the machine. Automatic reading of the dimensions of each panel as it enters the machine mean error-free processing and perfect alignment of joints. The automatic reading system compensates for any slight difference between the actual panel dimensions and those input by the operator, eradicating issues before they become problems, and because the working table is made from Bakelite, it won’t scratch and is less likely to damage vulnerable surfaces, such as high gloss boards. There is an adjustable sidealigner and together with the lack of any

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 47

need for adjustment of the table and a bottom floating clamp, maximum workpiece stability is assured. It’s even possible to set a zero reference stop so pieces with dowels can be processed. By providing the working table with a grooved structure, Busellato has intentionally ensured the heads can be positioned wherever needed without risk of damage. Suction hoods ensure proper cleaning of the workpiece. Take a look at the boring head and you’ll see it’s a unit that really means business. Accurate positioning with processing at up to 40m/min in the X and Y axes comes in part from the linear guides that support the drilling unit, while a pressure multiplier means hard materials don’t present the Jet Smart with a challenge. With 12 vertical spindles, six horizontal spindles and an integral scoring blade of 120mm diameter, there’s plenty of flexibility

whatever the d r i l l i n g pattern. The Jet Smart at Xylexpo was fitted with the optional 4.5kW quick change electrospindle that makes short work of panels up to 60mm in thickness and a centralised lubrication system that ensures automatic lubrication. An Eco system, available on request, puts the machine into standby mode when it’s not in operation. Ease of use and flexibility are the key features of the Wave software that comes with the Jet Smart. The CAD/ CAM system allows drawing and importation of drilling patterns and there’s an intuitive tool editor that reduces errors and start-up times through interactive graphics. To find out more about the Busellato Jet Smart, call RW Woodmachines Ltd on 01869 244943.

A busy stand for Busellato at Xylexpo.

48 â&#x20AC;˘ FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

REVIEW

the perfect The new Powermat 1500 from Weinig is much more than an enormously productive and well built moulder with fast set-up times and an optional spindle speed of 12,000rpm. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capable of creating linear works of art. Digital readouts are brighter, bigger and much easier to read on the Powermat 1500.

ith Weinig's new Powermat 1500, the job of moulding just became a whole lot easier - and faster. The Powermat 1500, launched at Holz-Handwerk in March 2016, replaces the Powermat 1200 and offers outstanding ease of use with a host of extras available that will enable you to adapt it to your exact requirements. Spindle speed has been ramped up to 7,000rpm (or, as an option, 12,000rpm) for a supremely fine finish and even greater productivity and with the help of Memory Plus, dimensional or profile changes can be recalled from memory in seconds. Equipped with Weinig's Comfort Set for ultra short set up times, the Powermat 1500 really does set a new benchmark for serious production moulding. Commenting from a packed stand at Holz-Handwerk, Weinig's Nicolas Ehmann summarised the reasons why there really is little else on the market to compare with the Powermat 1500: "It is a very versatile machine that produces exceptionally high quality results. It comes with Comfort Set, which means wrench-free adjustment of the top and

left spindle. We've added new, large digital readouts that take the radius of the tool into account, meaning it's a value you can work with, and easy-toread pictograms that show the operator which axis to move. Feed rollers can be clamped quickly and there's a new pressure shoe with long adjustment that means easy switching between large and small tool diameters. The guide fence with the left spindle moves with the spindle, so no adjustment is necessary. Position the left spindle and production can begin immediately. There are plenty of small features like this that make set-up really easy." The Powermat 1500 at HolzHandwerk was equipped with Smart Touch, a handy addition that means the operator doesn't have to keep referring to the main display but, instead, can see all the settings he needs to make on a tablet that clips inside the canopy. "The tablet communicates with the control at the infeed and provides a portable set-up assistant. The operator can make notes on the tablet, or take pictures so he can see exactly what to set," commented Nicolas.

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 49

Smart Touch is a portable set-up assistant in the form of a tablet that communicates with the control at the infeed.

powermat You might expect such a powerful machine to be excessive in its consumption of electricity but Weinig has thought of everything. Consumption has actually been improved by using the latest IE3 motors and the state-of-the-art extraction and chip flow has the added benefits of reducing chip damage during machining and cutting noise levels as well as aiding consumption. "We offer motors of up to 37kW on the horizontal spindles," added Nicolas. "It means you can plane and rip in one pass. We've also doubled the speed of conventional machines by offering an increased spindle speed of 12,000rpm for users who want an even higher feed speed." And for those who want to get creative and produced textured surfaces, ornament or patterning, the Powermat 1500 high speed linear patterning with ease. With a maximum finished workpiece size of 310mm wide x 200mm thick and production speeds of up to 40m/min with the 7,000rpm v e r s i o n , We i n i g h a s p u s h e d t h e boundaries and taken pole position once again. Details: 01235 557600.

Get creative with texture. The Powermat 1500 does it all!

50 â&#x20AC;˘ FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

REVIEW

automation

mastered By adding a brand new automatic clamping system to its renowned 4 WIN 2.0, Masterwood simultaneously reduced operator workload and increased machining accuracy at Xylexpo 2016.

asterwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4 WIN 2.0 is a very capable time-served solid wood machining centre, which has featured prominently at several shows. The machine at Xylexpo took the concept of the 4 WIN 2.0 to a whole new level with the introduction of a completely automatic bed, fed with an automatic infeed/outfeed system that pretty much does everything for you except assemble the components. The clamping system on the bed of the machine moves into position automatically according to the

program required and the number of workpieces to be machined at once. At Xylexpo, the 4 WIN 2.0 was machining four complex window components simultaneously, profiling and drilling each. Sized timber is stacked on the top deck of the feeder system and is collected, one piece at a time, by a ver y clever arm that clamps the workpiece securely and transports it to the waiting section of the bed, placing it accurately in readiness for the clamping system on the bed to take over. The patented automatic clamping

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 51

The patented automatic bed.

Front and rear clamps come into operation during horizontal drilling for extra security.

Clear graphics show each workpiece and the clamping system in operation during machining.

system on the bed enables very small profiles to be machined and holds the workpiece securely by popping up from below to hold each component front or back according to where machining is to take place. During the machining process, the workpiece never moves, improving the accuracy of finished component enormously. Once all the workpieces are placed on the bed, the head machines each piece in turn, profiling, boring and tenoning according to instructions delivered automatically. Labels can be

The workpiece is collected from the infeed and transported to the bed of the machine.

The patented automatic bed has clamps that pop up from below workpiece level to clamp back or front, allowing machining of each face without repositioning of the workpiece.

Part of the bed includes a section that can be manually operated.

added if required. Although a four-axis machine, the 4 WIN 2.0 can be fitted with a small five-axis head for increased flexibility and will accommodate large diameter tooling, or stack tooling if your preference is to work with two tools in one. The standard machine is equipped with 16 tools at the rear and 14 tools at the front but additional racks can be added that will enable the capacity to be increased to 66 tools. When the machining is finished, the feeder arm transports each workpiece to the outfeed end of the machine,

The clamps prepare to secure the workpiece. It will not be moved from this position until all machining operations have been completed.

Each completed workpiece is placed on the lower deck of the feeding table.

Although a four-axis machine, the 4 WIN 2.0 can be fitted with a small five-axis head for increased flexibility.

placing it on the lower, outfeed deck of the table. According to Dave Kennard, director of Masterwood GB Ltd., the new 4 WIN 2.0 wouldn’t have an issue if you left it alone for a few hours to get on with the job. “It really is fully automatic,” he says. “The automatic bed is very clever and even enables small profiles to be machined. It’s a great addition to a machine that’s already got a great track record for reliability and solid build quality.” For more information call Masterwood GB Ltd on 01293 402700.

52 • FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016

REVIEW

Heesemann is well known for its sanding technolog y and with the brand new MFA Impression, it’s taken ‘effect’ san ding to a new level. A machi ne of 1350mm width wit h up to four sanding units, the MFA Impression will create rough saw-cut patterns, sca ttered deepenings and the vintage look. More informatio n from IMA UK on 0116 243 2181.

spotlight

of een presentation An impressive scr included a ich wh s, ine ch Felder ma tory, lder’s 60-year his snapshot of Fe ious ac sp y’s compan dominated the re provided we rs ito Vis . Xylexpo stand latest nity to see the with an opportu onment. Pride vir en ed ax rel machines in a at-4 range en to the Form of place was giv chining ma 8 H0 , the of edgebanders s from Felder’s ple am ex d an centre 8 635000. . Details: 0190 Hammer range

Designed for ind ustrial use, the 27kW, Austrian-bu ilt fh6 beam saw on the Schelling/ IMA stand can be fitted with board turning and a lift ing table with separa te push-off for ea sy material handlin g. The cutting of narrow strips an d angles are the speciality of the fh6 and its precis ion at angle cutting is the result of including a doub le strip alignme nt device. With bla de projection of 145mm, this is a capacious ma chine. Details: 01937 58 6340.

the On a dramatically lit stand, s, Italian company, MuchColour showed its latest “nano , technology” printing machine speed e mor ring Offe 64. Mig the new and more performance, the design will turn inexpensive ial. materials into something spec The Mig64 will print glass, ively plastic, veneers, or any relat into them turn and s erial flat mat tops, materials for contract table seats, screens, etc. 9 085 4450572, 003 ils: Deta www.muchcolours.com.

Format-4 - Looks good and works well everywhere

www.format-4.co.uk

FURNITURE JOURNAL JULY 2016 • 55

The modular DMC System T5 looks like a sander but it’s capable of far more.

sand, carve, distress & polish REVIEW

SCM Group’s DMC System T5 will create amazing effects as well as sanding and polishing painted panels.

isitors to the SCM stand at Xylexpo could be forgiven for assuming the DMC System T5 was just another wide belt sander. It is, if you want it to be, but it does a lot more than sanding. For instance, take a look at the background picture on this page. It was a flat sheet of MDF before it entered a System T5 and DMC’s innovative carving and texturing technology got to work on it. Post painting, the System T5 even polished it - and brought the ornate cabinet door, below right, to a lustrous patinated finish. Technically, the DMC System T5 is an automatic calibrating sanding machine that’s been designed for use in small to medium-sized workshops,

either as a stand-alone machine, or for incorporation into an automatic production line. And very capable it is, too: equipped with cross belt units sporting 9500mm sanding belts, a 400mm diameter contact roller unit, a vacuum hold down table for processing of smaller components, a planetary head for multi-directional sanding, an electronic sectional pad with chevron belt and total management of the machine via a 17inch touch screen, there isn’t much this 1350mm wide machine can’t take on. But change the tools and in very little time at all, this capable wide belt sanding machine is transformed - and what it can produce is nothing short of amazing.

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Top Left: The carving unit slots into the modular System T5 easily, which means if you opt for the woodworm unit you can change whenever your production requirement changes. Centre Left: Cross-cut saw marks are just one of the System T5’s party tricks. Bottom Left: Look at the polish on this carved high gloss panel. It’s all done on a DMC System T5. Top Right: Changing the end result is a simple matter, achieved through the CNC.

Changing the end result is a simple matter, achieved through the CNC. The different groups work horizontally and vertically and processing begins with a planer-like head that will automatically link specific patterns across the top and, if required, the bottom of a board so they repeat. It’s a very simple way of creating textured wall panels, textured fascias, or even textured flooring. One thing the DMC System T5 does really well - and makers of authenticlooking period furniture will really appreciate this - is distress panels and solid timber. There’s a saw that will create saw marks and holes in a random way, or you can specify a repeating pattern, as required. The distressed finish on raw timber is very convincing. Cross-cut saw marks are an absolute cinch for the T5. As part of the System range, DMC has come up with some quite unique devices that make it possible to create anything from saw cut effects to woodworm and wave effects, as well as a wide variety of brushed and rustic finishes. The “woodworm unit”, for example, is a quick release, slot-in unit that allows users to change the layout according to whether the effect of an industrious woodworm, or a more modest creature is required. There’s even a hand scraping unit as well as special structuring units for deep grain opening. Particularly impressive at Xylexpo were the distressed and patinated painted fascias, which are created using brushes that delicately

remove the surface of the top coat to reveal the underpaint. This can be done in a random way for greater authenticity. Although there were no samples immediately available on the Xylexpo stand, it’s understood the DMC System T5 will even create effects like leather. At the opposite end of the scale, if you’re into high gloss panels and want to produce a really refined piano-like gloss using paint, the System T5 could just be the solution. The two long counter-rotating transverse belts prepare the workpieces for the mechanical polishing and buffing processes and the result that exits the machine is absolutely mirror-like. The DMC System is a modular concept with machines capable of housing up to ten operating units that can be easily adapted to produce exactly the finish you require. Single operating units can be replaced quickly and economically, or their order inside the machine can simply be changed. A typical configuration for a System T5 is calibration roller, large diameter sanding roller, superfinishing pad, crossbelt unit and satinising roller - and that fulfils pretty much all the production and finishing requirements most companies would probably need. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles, there’s a T2 version with just two units. For more information on the full range of possibilities a DMC System T5 could offer your company, call SCM GB on 0115 977 0044.