Supplier Magazine March/April 2021 by Elite Publishing Co Pty Ltd

MAR/APR 2021

DESIGN + MATERIALS + TECHNOLOGY

WE CAN SLIDE IT! Sliding doors save space and create room to live. The all new Sliding and Folding essentials catalogue from Häfele, includes our own brand SLIDO and together with HAWA from Switzerland, HÄFELE has a solution for every Sliding and folding application. Whether its for Joinery or a larger building project... We can Slide it!

info@hafele.com.au

1300 659 728

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Contents

Issue #209 | Volume 37 No 1

Editor’s Note

News 4

Welcome to the March / April 2021 issue of Supplier Magazine. We are all well and truly into the production year and looking forward to what 2021 has to offer. Reader feedback has informed our decision to expand and broaden the Magazine’s reach even further with a renewed focus on manufacturing, design, materials and technology.

Cabinet Vision and Microvellum interfaces to Empower

Design & Trends 6

Introducing the sliding and folding essentials

Feature 8

Inside this issue you will find our Feature on manufacturing, technology and tooling where we investigate the most essential elements of the manufacturing process along with the vast improvements in technology readily available in today’s marketplace.

Manufacturing, technology and tooling

Icon 22

Jim McIldowney

Manufacturing 26

Our Icon this issue is Jim McIldowney who from joiner to wood machinist, machinery salesman to sales manager, to a partnership with Peter Jones in a saw and tool supply and sharpening business has arguably made one of the most significant impacts on the Australian furniture industry to date.

Cutting edge instant gratification

Software 30

Identifying growth for your business

Company Profile 39

Please feel free to contact me regarding any news and or product information that you would like us to publish by email at - michelle. cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au

OKA Buromobel six generations strong

Front Cover Multicam Systems www.multicam.com.au

Don’t forget to join our online community and visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Until next time,

Michelle Cammiade

Find Supplier Magazine on: @suppliermagazine

Supplier March/April 2021

@suppliermagazine

Editor

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News

Cabinet Vision and Microvellum interfaces to Empower The team at Empower recently completed the stage 1 development of two interfaces from Cabinet Vision to Empower. The first interface automatically transfers new job and client information from Cabinet Vision to Empower. The second interface transfers bill of materials (BOM) listing of materials: description, materials code and materials quantity per Job from Cabinet Vision to Empower. Allowing Empower to then generate purchase orders and to manage

Supplier March/April 2021

stock control. These interfaces will save a lot of unnecessary time from being wasted by staff entering considerable amounts of same data into two systems for every new job. Empower’s development of both the Microvellum to Empower interfaces are also under development and will be available shortly. These interfaces will work by the same principles to the Cabinet Vision interfaces outlined directly above.

Both Cabinet Vision and Microvellum interfaces will help Empower’s existing clients and will attract new clients to Empower Software who are currently using Cabinet Vision and Microvellum throughout Australasia and internationally. If you have interest in either interface please contact Sean O’Sullivan via email at, sean@ manufacturingandengineering.co.nz ❚

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Design & Trends

How to choose the right bin?

As an industry, kitchen designers and manufacturers have a huge influence on how much waste is sorted correctly in the home and diverted away from landfills.

Kitchen With 60 to 70 percent of all household waste generated in the kitchen, this is the most obvious and critical bin system to get right. Choosing the right number and size of buckets depends on different factors such as the number of people in the home and what type of waste and recycling the local council collects.

Choosing the right bin system makes it easy and convenient for the homeowner to sort waste. The choices we make now as designers and manufacturers may affect waste behaviours in the home for the next 10 to 20 years.

Placement of those buckets depends on the design of the kitchen and needs to be convenient and ergonomic. And of course, the homeowner wants something that is going to be durable and easy to clean.

e all want to play our part in increasing how much waste is recycled, reducing the amount of waste going to landfills.

Left: Two Concelo CR215 bins stacked for 4 bucket waste and recycling.

Design & Trends

Bathroom It is often underestimated how much waste and recycling is generated in the bathroom. With so much effort going into planning and creating beautiful bathrooms, it is important to consider how to integrate a smart waste bin design into the cabinetry.

be thoughtfully integrated into bathroom and wardrobe designs.

Above: Concelo Laundry Hamper in Cinder colour.

Above: Hideaway waste bin and laundry storage integrated into bathroom cabinetry.

Laundry Not to be missed is laundry storage. Viewed as a must have item is an integrated hamper like the new Concelo 60L laundry hamper. These are not just limited to separating and storing dirty washing in the laundry but can

Waste Management Guide Hideaway Bins has developed a simple waste management guide which makes it easy to select the right bin system to match the current and future needs of each individual client. There is no such thing as a one size fits all approach, and it is important to make sure important considerations are not overlooked. Go to hideawaybins.com.au/ info/waste-management-guide/ for more information. Hideaway Bins has a full range of New Zealand made waste and laundry solutions and are available nationwide, through Hideaway’s distribution partners; Nover, Häfele and Galvin Hardware. ❚

Introducing the sliding and folding essentials catalogue by Häfele

o matter your sliding requirement from a joinery door to a convention centre sliding door panel – Hafele has the capability to make it slide. The all new sliding and folding essentials catalogue from Hafele includes their very own branded range of Slido sliding door fittings for timber, glass or aluminium framed doors as well as folding, pivoting and pivoting folding doors. Together with the Swiss brand HAWA, Hafele has a solution for every application. As well as joinery applications Hafele also provide fittings for buildings including sliding doors for timber and framed or frameless glass applications up to 19mm as well as folding walls for room division. The all new sliding and folding essentials

Supplier March/April 2021

catalogue is your comprehensive guide from specification to construction. Scan the QR code for your digital copy or contact Hafele for a visit from a representative to discuss your specific requirements. ❚

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Manufacturing, Technology and Tooling

Feature

Story by Philip Ashley Manufacturing in Australia In addition to a place of work, manufacturing industries require three basic essentials. These are Machinery, Materials and Manpower, what is sometimes referred to as the three M’s of manufacturing. While the term “manpower” could be re-worded in light of recent, more inclusive terminology, the three elements remain constant. While labour and materials are important, what always remains in the factory after the lights are turned off is the machinery. Machines are the most essential element in any manufacturing process as they invariably determine the amount, speed and quality of production and contribute significantly to a manufacturer’s bottom line. Where once many workers handled every part several times on numerous machines, modern manufacturing depends on automated or CNC production using only a few highly skilled workers, extremely efficient machine tools and in increasing cases, the use of robots. The digital age has given birth to the fourth Industrial Revolution, or what we know as Industry 4.0 and this will continue the evolution of the furniture and cabinet industries. According to Deloitte’s Second Annual Global report late 2020, Australian manufacturers are more inclined towards backing new technologies and Industry 4.0 ticks all the boxes towards a competitive advantage.

From top: Tri-table CNC from SCM; Biesse High Dynamics demo; 3.7m Costa Sanding Machine

Supplier March/April 2021

From Bentham to CNC The machinery industry came into existence during what was the first Industrial Revolution. James Watt had invented the steam engine in 1760. In 1793 the father of modern woodworking machinery,

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Feature

Englishman Samuel Bentham, invented the surface planer, followed by the Band Saw (William Newbury) in 1808. The copy lathe was invented in 1819 and the spindle moulder in 1853. The electric motor was invented in 1873 and when ball bearings were introduced in 1899 the wood machine industry really took off. Those early machines and cutting tools were a far cry from what we see today in a modern furniture or cabinet factory. The leap to modern, automated, or fully computerised wood working equipment came when in 1952, the first CNC machine was developed at the University of Massachusetts in the USA. Originally developed to produce aircraft parts for rapidly developing jet aircraft, the technology has found its way into almost every manufacturing situation. In Australia, the first CNC machines were single-spindle routers made by Wadkin; Shoda; Heian; CMS and SCM, based on machines used in the metals industries. CNC Technologies The first CNC machines built specifically for the woodworking industry arrived here in the mid-1980’s from Shoda and Heian, both Japanese companies, but these machines were

Above: Tri-table CNC from SCM Supplier March/April 2021

Above: Planing Machine overpriced. Italian and German companies such as Alberti; Weeke; (now Homag) SCM; Masterwood; Morbidelli; SCM; Vitap; Zangheri & Boschetti; Busellato; IMA; Cosmec, and Biesse brought in equipment more reasonably priced. At that time, a machine with a 2184 X 696 bed; 11 vertical and 4 horizontal spindles, a grooving saw, and one router cost $80,000. In today’s terms that amount is worth almost a quarter of a million dollars! Some through-feed machines with 40 or more spindles handling 30 panels a minute were brought in but were time consuming to set up and only suited companies producing

large lots of panels. Just in time was the latest manufacturing trend and so, gantry machines like the Morbidelli U60 and the more compact Biesse Rover 7 became the flavour of the month. It wasn’t long before the competitive CNC market brought out the cantilever style CNC machine such as the Weeke BP-10; the 100 metre-a-minute (X axis) Biesse Rover 16; the Morbidelli U-15 and the Masterwood ‘Winner.’ These machines used pods and rails to hold individual components; it wasn’t until the year 2000 when SCM released the ‘Record’ series of flat bed CNC routers, did nesting start to have an impact. Holz Her entered the CNC market in 1993, the same year Homag brought out the BAZ machine with on-board edge banding. In 2000 Wood Tech displayed the million-dollar Morbidelli Planet with two independent working heads at AWISA in Sydney. Felder entered the CNC market mid-2000’s with their Format-4 range of industrial machines, based on a technology partnership with a leading CNC manufacturer. More recent brands include KDT; Tecnica; Rhino; Aaron; Toughcut and Leda. Other CNC brands we’ve seen over the years include Reichenbacher; Anderson; Maka; Rye and Scheer, all of these mostly as CNC routers and not the processing centres industry is used to today.

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Feature Below: IMA (Wood Tech Group) Laser edge banding

A number of low-cost CNC machine manufacturers started to produce equipment here in Australia and at one time there were as many as 13 different brands on display at AWISA. Tekcel; Impact; Multicam; Woodtron; Proform; Panther; Woodman and Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) have been offered to the industry but not all of these are still in business. Other equipment can be sourced from China and a few of these brands are Blue Elephant and Sudiao. Vertical milling machines are also available from a few manufacturers and these save a lot of space. New Technologies In the years between the late 1980’s and the next fifteen years, modern machinery saw a number of changes as companies tried different machine configurations. It was a time of discovery and SCM even tried a machine with three rotating tables. CNC machines with the work head supported by a cantilever frame changed from machines with the head running between two cantilever arms to just one arm, but with much more rigidity. Gantry machines are now the norm with only a few machines offered in a cantilever configuration. No

Supplier March/April 2021

Below: Early Cantilever machine

matter how the tools are delivered to the workpiece, machines are available in two table types; the traditional pod hold-down ‘clamps,’ or the more common flat nesting table for sheet material.

In the years between the late 1980’s and the next fifteen years, modern machinery saw a number of changes as companies tried different machine configurations. It was a time of discovery and SCM even tried a machine with three rotating tables. Nesting became hugely popular here, the USA and the United Kingdom. European countries have been slower to see the benefits, but cabinet manufacturers there are converting in large numbers. One reason they have not seriously adopted nesting

Above: Infra Red edge banding www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Feature

Large, European manufacturers use these systems extensively with fully automated processing of parts, right up to assembly stage. Robotics is another emerging technology that is becoming more prevalent, especially in the stone industry, but more and more of our larger cabinet makers are considering these.

Above: SCM Warehouse is that many European companies make 140,000 kitchens a year, so cutting boards in ‘books’ on a beam saw is a more efficient option. Holes are drilled on high speed, inline drilling machinery. Nesting was made popular here by local companies such as Multicam and Tekcel, among others, with the most recent large player, Woodtron. In the manufacture of cabinets for kitchens, bathrooms and offices, the edge of a panel is as important as the surface because it invariably sets a quality standard. Large companies were the first to use plasma and then, laser technologies to adhere the edge to the panel. It wasn’t until the German Schugoma company developed a system where the ‘laser’ edge could be applied using hot air that this technology became available to mainstream cabinetmakers. Most edge banding suppliers now provide equipment with either the Schugoma or their own hot-air system. Infra-Red edge banding technology is a later development and is available from the Weinig Group (Holz-Her) and IMA. No air is used so the machines are quieter, and the machine set up time is much shorter. Despite the hype about hot air type (laser) edge banding, the use of PUR glues is still

Supplier March/April 2021

prevalent for high quality manufacturers. As an example, caravan builders invariably use PUR, not laser technology. PUR produces an edge that when compared to laser, is difficult to see a difference. Like laser edge, PUR is impervious to moisture. Some of the more recent industry innovations are designed around automation. These include automated ‘warehouse’ storage of parts and several companies are able to supply these. Parts are fully controlled by computer software and introduced automatically to the processing machinery in the order they are needed.

In the past, high positioning and feed speeds have often been quoted but in the real World, have been largely unachievable. Biesse Group have recently introduced a new technology they call ‘High Dynamics’ that achieves faster acceleration and deceleration and high lineal and cornering speeds, the key factors include chassis (table) design, weight, and power. Biesse Group have re-imagined the entire process and achieved a cutting solution where every second of movement has been considered to produce a CNC nesting result that saves an enormous amount of time.

Above: Nesting with Biesse

Above: Robot panel handling www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Feature

Tooling In all areas of woodworking the cutting tool is the one part of your manufacturing system that can always make a difference. Industrial wood working places huge demands on cutting tools as feed speeds are increased and alternate materials are specified. Modern cutting tools are designed to eliminate chipping, especially on melamine boards used in the kitchen industry. Some tools are made in Australia, for example, Leitz nesting tools are now made here and exported. In many cases manufacturers do not consider tooling as a high priority but without a cutting tool, your machine becomes just an expensive work bench. Buyers of CNC equipment should consider a further 10% of the machine costs for tooling. A typical cutting tool on a CNC machine will be a router cutter for nesting, or a profile cutter mounted in a cutter head. A range of cutting tool materials are available including carbide, diamond, or edge-treated tools for long life. Tools are usually mounted in an ISO or HSK tool holder and while the HSK

constant diameter. These cutters will make setting the CNC easier as no tool offset needs to be changed. A recent Leuco innovation is tooling with both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation on the same tool. The shank-type router bits have both a counterclockwise rotating and clockwise rotating cutting segment, each of which can be used by shifting along the Z-axis and changing the direction of rotation.

Above: Old spindle tool courtesy of Leitz type is considered to produce less run-out (vibration), both chucks are suitable for high-quality wood working. Whatever type is used, the collet also plays a role in runout and should be considered a consumable item and replaced regularly. To eliminate run-out completely, tools can be mounted in a shrink chuck and there are two variations of these. Some modern tooling is designed so the cutting tips can be re-sharpened and when installed back into the cutter head, will maintain the same cutting circle, or

Last Ligna, Leuco released the awardwinning tool ‘AirStream’ that guides a claimed 99% of wood chips through bores in the gullets into the extraction hood of the machine. A further advantage is smoother running which reduces the noise level by two to three dB compared to other cutters. There are dozens of new developments in the wood and composite tool industry and every one of these are designed to give the manufacturer either longer tool life, higher feed speeds or reduced set up times. Tooling for CNC and other production machines like edge banders is never a cost, it’s always an investment. ❚

Above: Modern tools Supplier March/April 2021

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Feature

Saw blades for trimming window profiles Innovative, trend-setting and reliable – right from the start In 1954, businessman Willi Ledermann and engineer Josef Störzer founded the Ledermann & Co. company – and the LEUCO brand was born. Today, over 60 years later, LEUCO is one of the world´s leading suppliers of carbide and diamond-tipped machine tools for wood, plastic and aluminum processing. Right from the start, inventiveness and technical know-how have been at the heart of LEUCO. The product line includes circular saw blades, hoggers, bore-type and shanktype tools, drill bits, clamping elements and turnover knives.

The carbide-tipped saw blade g5-System is used for clipping and miter cuts in plastic profiles. The diamond-tipped version is applied for very abrasive materials such as fiber-reinforced profiles. The g7 system saw blades are used due to their extremely low-noise cuts and low wear in aluminum profiles.

Also, these saw blades have a special tooth group geometry and body design to provide excellent cutting quality and low cutting pressure. Compared to conventional saw blades with a triple chip flat geometry, noise has been reduced by up to 6 dB(A). A reduction of 6 dB (A) makes users think that the noise has been halved.

Below: The quieter saw blades for fine,

Proven and tested: window manufacturers and clipping and miter saw manufacturers confirm that clipping and miter cuts on PVC window profiles using the LEUCO g5-System and on aluminum profiles using g7 saw blades feature higher quality, less noise and are cost effective due to long edge lives.

chip-free clipping and miter cuts in window profiles. Left: g5 System saw blade for plastic profiles or with fiber-reinforced profiles. Right: g7 system saw blade for aluminum profiles.

web www.leuco.com/products ❚

Services, such as their sharpening service, application consulting and service packages are bundled under Tool Management and round out their complete product range. LEUCO sells directly to its customers, which include sawmills, building-, furniture- and paneling-industry, interior finishing as well as window manufacturers. The Systematic Method of Cutting Window Profiles - LEUCO g5 and g7 Saw Blades At the Fensterbau Frontale trade fair in Nuremberg, LEUCO presented the g5 and g7-System saw blades for clipping and miter cuts. Technicians who work with PVC and aluminum window profiles can expect a great deal from these blades, including outstanding cutting quality and chip-free edges on the window profile as well as long edge lives in the saw blades, thin cutting widths and low noise levels.

Supplier March/April 2021

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Feature

New tooling concepts The use of advanced and sophisticated laminates continues to grow in the competitive furniture and interior design market. New tooling concepts are needed to meet the high-quality requirements of these increasingly challenging materials. Perfect Edge Quality The topic of finishes and decors is on the move as never before in the furniture; shop fitting, and interior design industries. Digital and direct prints on ultra-thin decors, matt and high-gloss looks, nanotechnologies, anti-fingerprint materials or combinations of plastic and wood derived material, dominate furniture material trends. However, as fine as the material finishes are, the true art of perfection can only be seen in the quality and appearance of the final edges. This presents many users with difficulties, especially when sizing and grooving on CNC machining centres. After all, the perfect edge has to be produced without unduly affecting the cost-benefit ratio. The solution is diamond-tipped shank cutters and cutterheads from the Diamaster EdgeExpert series from Leitz.

with cutting angles that are set too high. In this case, the edge quality increases, but the vibrations that occur on the workpiece prevent the perfect cut of the base material. Defective middle layers are the result.

The tool is available as a Z1+1 version in two working lengths, each with a diameter of 16 mm.

With the Diamaster EdgeExpert shank cutters from Leitz, perfect edges, absolutely flawless middle layers and up to 30 percent longer tool life become reality. This is a fantastic savings potential compared to conventional solutions, with relatively low purchase costs and particularly low service costs.

The Diamaster QUATTRO EdgeExpert is the all-rounder for medium to large batch sizes. The Z2+2 version with a diameter of 20 mm allows much higher feed rates and thus, shorter machining times. It can be resharpened up to six times and provides a perfect cost-benefit ratio in its category. With the aluminium WhisperCut tool bodies, you get an added benefit of noise reduction of up to 5 dB(A).

The CNC shank cutters of the EdgeExpert series from Leitz are available from stock in three different performance categories. The Diamaster PRO EdgeExpert is perfectly suited for small and medium batch sizes and can be resharpened up to four times.

For large batch sizes and extremely high feed rates, the Diamaster PLUS³ EdgeExpert is available with a diameter of 25 mm, in various cutting lengths. It is the perfect solution when perfect cutting quality is required, such as on machining centres

The main feature of these excellent cutting tools is the special, spiral-shaped arrangement of the cutting edges. With alternating cutting angles between 45 and 54 degrees, they always machine the material at the perfect working angle. Lower cutting angles used in conventional cutting tools allow cleanly cut middle layers, however, the edges break out much more frequently. The opposite is the case

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Feature

with zero-joint (laser or hot air) edging technology. This Z3+3 cutter makes this possible primarily due to the Real-Z3 technology developed by Leitz and can be resharpened up to eight times. Custom tools tailored to your specific requirements are also available. The diamond-tipped shank cutters of the EdgeExpert series are suitable for use in all types of chip and fibre materials. No matter if it is raw, plastic-coated or with sensitive decorative papers, foils, or veneers. Even laminated woods such as plywood or multiplex with delicate finishes can be machined perfectly and highly economically with the EdgeExpert shank cutters. Another advantage is the optimal chip removal, which results in significantly less wear on the cutting edges.

Even more advantages and time savings are achieved by users who order their Leitz tools as a complete system in combination with a high-performance shrink fit chuck. Perfectly assembled, balanced, and including the supplied setting data, these tool systems are ready for use immediately after delivery as a new tool, or after sharpening in manufacturer quality, right here in Australia. These solutions show why Leitz, one of the original tool makers, simply offers more. Their knowledge and reliability from 144 years of tool making gives their customers more quality, efficiency, productivity, flexibility, and more success using Leitz products. web www.leitz.com.au ❚

m les-Tea a S r u Call o on today

5 12 3 1 0 0 13

Efﬁciency Slicing manufacturing costs with high-shear tooling

www.leitz.com.au

279_INSERAT-186x135-Leitz.indd 1

29.10.2019 16:26:20

Feature

Biesse High Dynamics

here is no better example of technology innovation than Formula One. F1 is the proving ground for leading automotive invention and the lessons learned eventually find their way into the cars we drive today. Biesse know that to continue as a world leader in performance woodworking machinery, they need to push the design envelope. Biesse Group’s latest CNC nesting equipment can be compared to F1 where the design of the chassis; table; drive motors and safety equipment has been optimised to provide the customer with a totally new and re-imagined processing solution. Welcome to the world of Biesse High Dynamics. Nesting provides the greatest potential for High Dynamic processing because speed is one of the most important processing criteria. To achieve higher production speeds, other factors must be considered. Biesse Group has worked to deliver the benefits of higher speeds to their customers by rethinking the nesting process from the ground up. Every aspect of the machine has been considered with the goal of increasing the actual processing speed while maintaining quality and safety. The result is a product Biesse Group claims is the fastest and most productive nesting machine available. The new Rover B FT HD nesting machine is now available through the Biesse Group as a stand-alone machine that will significantly increase the number of sheets processed per shift, but it is as a cell that the machine really shines. The cell’s infeed; CNC machine; and outfeed, and every aspect of work has been optimised for continuous, high-speed processing. After the first sheet has been labelled, the rest of

Supplier March/April 2021

the day’s production continues without a break, ensuring your equipment delivers the maximum return on your investment. In F1, performance is measured in milliseconds. To achieve faster acceleration and deceleration and high lineal and cornering speeds, the key factors include chassis (table) design, weight, and power. Biesse Group have re-imagined the entire process and achieved a cutting solution where every second of movement has been considered to produce a CNC nesting result that saves an enormous amount of time. The highest linear cutting speeds of 50 metres a minute with a 12mm tool; high speed angular interpolation (corner) movement; and a positioning speed over 170 metres a minute are now possible with Biesse HD. High cutting speeds place huge demands on every aspect of the machine so Biesse Group started with the chassis, or frame of the machine. To hold even the smallest parts on the edge of the sheet, three vacuum pumps

move an increased amount of air from the vacuum table that has been completely redesigned. Larger air hoses, and air channels that are not only larger, but designed to guarantee a smooth, uninterrupted flow of air, exactly like a good dust extraction system. Tests indicate a 30% to 70% better holding of even the smallest parts. Stability is another important factor that affects the possible cutting speed round the entire panel, as well as the quality of your production. To guarantee the highest confidence, Biesse widened the stance of the gantry frame. The rack and pinion, still the best technology for dusty environments, is fitted with bigger and deeper teeth. And Biesse have located the linear guides closer to the rack for higher performance under load. As a one-operator cell the CNC machine can be enclosed in a cabinet and in this case the machine hood can be removed, reducing weight, saving wear and tear, and offering improved visibility and safety for the 18 operator.

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NEXT LEVEL NESTING DYNAMISM, TOP RESULTS, PRODUCTIVITY: THE NEW AGE OF NESTING Top speed accelerations and interpolation are what characterise the Rover B FT HD, the nesting machining centre designed to guarantee outstanding results and unprecedented productivity levels.

IT’S NEW...

IT’S FAST, DYNAMIC AND UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU HAVE SEEN BEFORE. Now at the Sydney showroom 1300 Biesse (243 773)

BIESSE.COM

Feature

benefit is the tool operating with its optimal chip load and lasting longer, especially with superior Australian manufactured board. Biesse HD offers the reality of using one machine instead of two or three, or the possibility of eliminating overtime or weekend work. It is a revelation like no other.

To power the High Dynamic cutting solution, Biesse increased the power in the axis drive motors by three times and added a more rigid reduction gearbox. A fast, 12-position tool-change travels with the processing head, further eliminating downtime. An optional 33-position tool change can be mounted at the rear of the machine. The automatically lubricated 42-bit vertical drilling head is now watercooled, an additional low-cost advantage for continuous production. And finally, at the cutting station, the new design dust hood with shorter bristles and high-tech antiejection fabric, is now set to the millimetre for near-perfect dust removal on any thickness sheet. The savings are everywhere with Biesse HD. First, the label printer moves with the pusher and after the first sheet, the cell production is continuous. The sheet is aligned with the machine table, saving fifteen seconds per sheet and adds up to twenty minutes a shift. When the sheet is moved onto the machine table it is dropped in its final position: more time saved not having to push it into place. And as the finished parts are moved onto the outfeed, the next sheet is loaded at the same time. It’s a symphony of motion that never stops.

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But it’s the cutting where the most savings are made. Past machines have made claims of high speeds but rarely deliver because of the time the tool takes to reach the claimed feed speed. Biesse HD’s improved rack and pinion and more powerful drive motors accelerate to reach the claimed top speed in around 100mm of travel and decelerate in the same distance. But lineal speed is not the only gain through Biesse High Dynamics. An F1 race car cannot compete without blistering cornering speeds and so, Biesse HD will produce sharp, square corners on your nested panels four times faster than the standard Rover B.

Biesse HD is not just a machine, it is a philosophy, a new way of thinking that directly benefits the customer. It is fast, dynamic, unique, unlike anything you have seen before. Equipped with the optional twin configuration of two routing spindles and two drilling units, even greater savings can be achieved. The cell can of course be linked to a storage solution with offloading and sorting of finished components by robot. Frank Williams CBE, of Williams F1 motorsport fame asks of innovation, “Does it make the car go faster?” In the case of CNC nesting with Biesse High Dynamics, the answer is yes. web www.biesse.com ❚

On a typical 600mm by 600mm panel the tool achieves 50metres/minute for 70% of the time. In a test for an Australian kitchen manufacturer, cutting typical cabinet components from a 3.6 X 1.8 sheet took less than three minutes to process. An unseen

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Feature

In House Industry Expo a Huge Success

ulticam Systems, suppliers of the fully Australian made range of Multicam CNC Routing machines, recently held a series of in-house trade expos. The expos were held at their offices in Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane during March and April. The expo’s attracted visitors and companies from a wide range of industries, including kitchen manufacturers, cabinetmakers, shopfitters, point-of-sale display companies, engineering and fabrication companies, sign and display companies and composite cladding companies. The purpose of the expos was to present the wide range of CNC routing machines and accessories available from Multicam Systems. New and existing owners of Multicam CNC machinery were shown the latest products and developments in CNC machinery and productivity attachments. These included special automated clamping systems, CNC rotary axis attachments, automated location and positioning systems, vacuum pods and cutter cooling and lubrication systems. Multicam invited other great Australian companies, CarbiTool, Sutton Tools, NC

Tools (suppliers of SolidWorks CAM and CAMWorks) to be part of the events and show how their products can enable CNC machine owners to get the best from their machines. Multicam also demonstrated their unique KitchenCAD Pro, Door Manufacturer, Ezi-Panel Pro and Ezi-Duct Pro software products, which are designed to offer cost effective and versatile software solutions for various industries. There were a variety of machines on live display and in action, including a complete nesting cell with a 3600mmx1800mm nesting machine, automatic material loading and unloading for cabinetmakers and kitchen manufacturers. A 2400x1200 CNC machine demonstrated cutting of ACM and other products, while a high-speed triple head cutting machine showed how CNC machinery can be utilised in the sign and display industries. Each of the machines had various accessories fitted, such as air assisted constant depth attachments, camera recognition systems, mist cutting systems and loading and positioning systems. This highlighted the flexibility of Multicam CNC routing machines and their appeal to a diverse range of

manufacturing industries. Many visitors were pleased to learn that these accessories and attachments can be retro fitted to existing machines, allowing owners to expand their capabilities with minimal outlay. Being an Australian supplier and manufacturer allows Multicam to develop and provide solutions specific to Australian conditions and needs. Their ability to design, manufacture and implement bespoke solutions based on an individual company’s needs, is just one of the benefits of buying from, and supporting Australian manufacturers. Stephen Heusz, organiser of the events said that Multicam were extremely excited by the response and attendances they had at the expos. “Despite the complication of having to comply with CIVID-19 directives, we found visitors were eager to interact with us at these expos. The lack of trade shows over the last year may have had something to do with this, however we feel that many companies are looking to build on their capabilities and enhance their appeal and services they can offer. Being able to see a variety of machines in action, and talk with our representatives and technicians, presented a unique opportunity for the time.” Stephen added, “The support we received from Carbi-Tool and Sutton Tools, who offered very generous discounts and incentives on their range of tooling, and NC Tools, who offered lucky door prizes of iPads, aided in making the events extremely successful. We also provided discounts on our range of machinery and then sweetened the deal by presenting visiting companies with a carton of their favourite beer.” web www.multicam.com ❚

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Feature

Costa, Built to Last Story by Philip Ashley

osta Levigatrici S.p.A. is a worldleading Italian manufacturer of automatic sanding equipment for the processing of wood, metal, and many other products. The machinery manufacturing history of the Costa Family goes back for 5 generations, starting at the beginning of 1900. In 1982, Alessandro Costa formed Costa Levigatrici, specifically to manufacturing wide belt sanders only, now offering the highest quality sanders with unchallenged levels of reliability. Costa have a commitment to the wood and metal industries that continues through investments in innovation, manufacturing and after sales services. Wide Belt Sanders are derived from drum sanders. The 1960 McPhersons machinery catalogue shows the German-made Carsten’s

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three-drum sander, available up to 75 inches, or just short of two metres wide. Back then, this was considered a big machine. The latest Costa sanders are available up to 3.7 metres wide with contact rollers weighing in at 3,000 kilograms each! Wide belt sanding machines are commonly used to remove a small amount of material to create a flat, thicknessed surface, a process referred to as calibration. Some machines can also be used for the traditional task of preparing a flat, smooth surface for coating or staining, a process known as finishing. A modern machine may combine both processes. Wide Belt machines are available in a range of working unit configurations such as planing heads, top and bottom sanding belts with or without platens, cleaning brushes, and cross-sanding belts. Specialised

sanders may have orbital sanding units, or computer-controlled sanding pads but these are less common. It’s in the area of wide sanding machines that Costa excels against other Italian and German machinery suppliers, not only for both high quality and high performance, but also, longevity. Costa wide belt sanders are built to last. Installations in Sydney in 1984 and Brisbane in 1990 are still working perfectly after over 30 years of continuous service! 80% of all the Costa machines sold by Ville-Tec over the last 24 years are still operating. Peter Vuille Bille of Ville-Tec Engineering said “The principles of wood sanding have not changed in a hundred years. What has changed are the electronics, the safety features of the machine, and some of the parts like the segmented pad. In the 1970’s our pads had

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Feature

24 segments, now they have 84. This is due to smaller components such as electronics and modern valves available today.” What is important to a wide belt sanding machine is the heavy-duty construction of a machine designed for the mass-removal of wood over an exceedingly long period of time. The largest wide belt machine made by Costa is 3.7 metres wide and these are suitable for a number of uses, not the least being the processing of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels used more and more in construction. To handle an entire CLT wall up to 400mm thick, 3.2 metres wide and 15 metres long, you need an extremely solid machine that is built not only to last, but solid enough to have minimal vibrations. Costa wide belt sanding machines are used in the most demanding situations. These are not machines coming off a production line, everyone the same. Costa sanders are customised for the end user, the manufacturer, right down to the customer choosing what brand of PLC, comm’s and inverters they prefer. Costa sanders can be found in the demanding construction industry, sanding large CLT panels for walls, floors, and ceilings for Mass Timber Construction (MTC). MTC is a new building

material, using engineered wood products as the primary structural material. It has social, environmental, and economic benefits. ‘The Gardens’ in Campbelltown, Sydney is built from CLT, as is the 10-storey Dalston Lane project, the world’s largest CLT tower, in London. Peter Vuille-Bille has 40+ years in the woodworking industry, 25 of them as MD of Ville-Tec Engineering and supplying

Costa wide belt sanders. What Peter doesn’t know about wide belt sanding isn’t worth knowing. Ville-Tec Engineering is one of only a few companies that can claim to be truly independent and fully focused on their Australian and New Zealand customers. If you are looking for a wide belt sander that will last, Costa is amongst the best you will find anywhere. web www.ville-tec.com.au ❚

Wide Belt Sanders from Costa Levigatrici Available in working width up to 3.7m and configured to suit your specific needs. F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N C O N TAC T U S AT

Ville-Tec Woodworking Machinery

(02) 4648 1268

Info@Ville-Tec.com.au

www.ville-tec.com.au

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Victorian ICON:

Jim McIldowney Story by Philip Ashley

rom joiner to wood machinist; machinery salesman to sales manager; to a partnership with Peter Jones in a saw and tool supply and sharpening business, Jim McIldowney is someone steeped in the history of the wood working machinery trade, not only in Victoria, but across Australia. But it’s in Victoria that Jim is most remembered for his genuinely friendly smile, honest approach to business and his philanthropic approach to the industry he has spent his life serving. A conversation with Jim is filled with memories long forgotten by most but fascinating for its historical significance. Jim was born July 1934 in the northern Melbourne suburb of Ivanhoe. He was the oldest of only two boys. Readers may remember Jim’s younger brother John; a frequent visitor to the AWISA trade fair as the Victorian Agent for key joining systems. Jim’s father was a joiner and worked for his father at Brunswick Timber Company, which he owned. Back then, the machinery was driven by overhead belts and originally powered by a steam engine. After finishing school at Heidelberg State School and Collingwood Tech, Jim also worked for his grandfather as a joiner, returning to Collingwood Tech in 1949, this time as an apprentice. Jim’s father was part of an elite group of special forces in WW2 known as the Z

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Special Unit. Members of his unit were involved in a daring raid on shipping in Singapore harbour on the night of 26th September 1943. The Krait, a former Japanese fishing vessel named after a venomous Asian Cobra, was selected to transport members of Operation Jaywick into Japanese occupied waters near Singapore where six British and eleven Australian army and naval personnel placed limpet mines on ships in Singapore harbour. Seven ships were damaged or sunk.

McPhersons After a few years working for his grandfather, Jim decided he didn’t like the joinery trade and decided to try wood machining. He enrolled in night school at RMIT, known as the ‘working man’s college’ under Frank Ginnevan. When Brunswick Timber Company closed down in 1955, Frank mentioned to Jim that he knew of a job available at McPhersons, selling wood working machinery. Jim applied and was accepted full time as a woodworking machinery salesperson and allowed to go on the road in a company car. Jim still remembers the FX Holden ZR386 he drove to Chapel Street Prahran and Bouverie Street Carlton where many of the early woodworking businesses were located.

The big companies McPhersons serviced at the time included Danish Deluxe; F.W. Griffiths; E.H. Reidy; Sunshine Cabinets; Burgess Furniture; Alstergren and even the airline Ansett, who operated a woodworking shop. Older readers will recall the brands McPhersons sold including the German Anthon four-sided moulding machines; Barker sanders; Sagar straight line edgers, morticers and tenoners; Durden saws, manufactured in South Australia; Burkle presses, still around today; Carstens drum sanders that Jim says, “Were like a Rolls Royce, they ran like a Swiss watch.” Jim recalls one day he told his three children he was going to Pentridge Prison to install a machine. When the story was told at school, the machine part was left out so the headmaster rang up and asked what he could do for Jim’s wife Pam, since Jim was now in prison! On another occasion a builder called Jim out to a site on Dandenong Road, wanting a range of machines for a workshop he was

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setting up. The project was the Chadstone Shopping Centre, one of the biggest retail centres in Australia. Jim also sold a machine to ASIO but was never allowed in the see where it went. But maybe the best anecdote was when actress Ava Gardner herself walked into the showroom and ordered a range of machines and equipment to build the sets for the 1959 film ‘On the beach’ that was filmed in Melbourne. Ava kept in touch with Jim through the filming and even had Jim dispose of the equipment after the shooting ended. Jim said, “She was fantastic to deal with, there were no airs and graces, she was such a down to earth person.”

Leading Edge MacPhersons eventually separated all their companies and so Jim ended up in the new company, Macson Machine Tools, along with salespeople like Jim Blackwell, Colin Davey, and Bill Fulton. Macsons main competitors at the time were Scandex and A.E. Supplies. But then, in 1980 after 25 years with McPhersons and Macsons,

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just round the corner. Jim and Peter were selling a range of imported tools including Leitz; AKE and Gudho. Jim said, “We liked to keep all our doors open. I remember dealing with Tony Lemmon at Wickman who brought Leitz saws into Australia at the time. I would but saws in lots of 100, in fact I think we sold more Leitz saws than Wickman did.”

Jim decided to start his own company in partnership with Peter Jones. Jim had met Peter through the Australian Institute of Woodmachining when Peter was working for George Travers of Shoda Travers saw sharpening service. Readers will recall George Travers, his son Robert and his grandson Sam who is still in the tooling supply industry. Sometime after Jim left, Macsons closed down and shortly after that, Jim Blackwell joined McIldowney-Jones as office manager. There was no mention of a wage, but on the first payday Jim told him he would get the same pay as Peter and himself. Jim said, “He was a very good man.” Sadly, Jim Blackwell passed away ten years ago. Those early years were the start of some big changes to the furniture and wood working industries in Australia. Allwood Machinery (John Cover and Jake Martin) and Gabbett Machinery (Barry Gabbett) started out just a year before Jim and Peter established Leading Edge.

Leading Edge customers were from all sectors of the wood working industry, including diverse companies such as Phillips in Clayton who made television cabinets and speaker boxes. Jim and Peter would supply vee-cutting tools that would cut the particle board to the veneer; the board could then be folded to make the TV cabinet. Sony also operated a plant in Wodonga, but all that manufacturing went offshore. Silverwood and Beck, and Stegbar Windowalls were two other large companies Jim and Peter serviced, but it’s fair to say most manufacturers in the Melbourne area had a connection to Leading Edge. Leading Edge even did work for the artist Pro Hart out of Broken Hill.

Jim recalls that over the years he has seen many changes in the industry. Jim has seen high speed steel; laminated steel. stellite; tungsten carbide and now, diamond tipped cutters and saws come into the market. He recalls the times when spindle moulder tools were ground in pairs and held in slotted collars, and their battle to ensure that those tools were fitted with pins to stop the cutters from coming out of the collars. Jim and Peter were always genuinely concerned about the safety of their tools. Jim finally retired at 61 years of age when he and Peter sold the business in 1995. The company still operates in Seaford with the name ‘Leading Edge.’ After retirement Jim ventured round Australia on many trips, visiting far flung places like Darwin; Alice Springs and Cairns. Jim and Pam also did several overseas trips to England and Europe. Jim had travelled for business and made several self-funded trips to Chicago and Edinburgh as part of Rotary and has many great memories to share. These days, while the caravan is gone, they still like to get away when they can, but not on the road.

Jim and Peter started out in Westall Road, Springvale as McIldowney Jones Leading Edge, in rented premises. They decided on the name ‘Leading Edge’ over Jim’s billiard table. A few years later they moved to their own property in Bando Road,

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Jim was also heavily involved with the Australian Institute of Woodmachining over many years serving on the general committee and qualifications committee and served as treasurer for five years and one term as president. Members would meet at various businesses that would open their doors to interested groups. The A.I.W.M. also did a lot of building works at the Timber Training School in Creswick, Victoria, particularly on the saw sharpening workshop. That group was disbanded several years ago.

Philanthropy Jim is what is known as a Rotarian and has been in the service for thirty years. Rotary International is an international service organization whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders

in order to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of his financial support of Rotary’s foundations.

Nesta Jojoe Erskine wrote, “We might not be the ones to change the world. We might not belong to the few that put a ding in the universe. We might not be something the whole world would celebrate. But, In the little corners that we live; in the lives that we’ve played a part in, we should be nothing but unforgettable.” It would be fair to say that in the corner of the World we know as Victoria, Australia, Jim McIldowney has made as much an impact on the furniture industry as most. And for those fortunate enough to have met him and enjoyed his friendship, he is truly unforgettable. ❚

Manufacturing

Cutting edge instant gratification with a 48-hour dispatch guarantee Imagine the jobs you could win by providing an instant benchtop quote with a guaranteed completion date? In a world filled with instant gratification, the desire to get what we want without delay is at an all-time high. People are making decisions faster than ever before and they expect to be able to act on those decisions instantly, but they also want help and reassurance in making these decisions. This step by step guide for trades on delivering a simple enjoyable process for customers is an industry game changer - and there are less steps than you might think.

4. Meet with the client to discuss their new kitchen or bathroom project and measure up. 5. Provide the client with a quote in realtime in the finish of their choosing by entering the dimensions right there on the spot. Order it to be dispatched 48 hours later or at a date of your choosing.

1. Register for an account with BENCHTOP EXPRESS online at https:// benchtopexpress.com.au/register/ 2. Get familiar with BENCHTOP EXPRESS’ extensive range of quality worktop products. This includes over 25 of the latest on-trend colours and finishes including Laminate, Compact Laminate, Mirostone and Dekton Lite.

3. Watch a short 30 second How-To video on Quoting within Seconds or book a one on one training session.

How is that for instant gratification? In five easy steps, trades can now meet the growing customer demand for instant service, even when it comes to a new benchtop solution. What once was often a lengthy and costly process for many trades became an opportunity and a dream for two highly successful, multi-generational cabinetfocused companies who are now delivering on their promise: 24/7 quoting and 48-hour dispatch. Since January 2021, for the first time in Australia, made to measure benchtops are being ordered and dispatched all over the country in a guaranteed 48-hour turnaround time. That is the Benchtop Express promise. ❚

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Manufacturing

Advanced Materials Story by Philip Ashley

dvanced materials have been with us since the 1950’s when polystyrene was invented. Modern advanced materials include titanium; aluminium; carbon fibre; Kevlar and metal laminates. Your mobile phone is a very good example of advanced materials. The substrate; backplane; transparent conductor and barrier films all contribute to its design and function. In the building and construction industries advanced materials are designed for maximum performance and are one of the richest sources of innovation. Advanced materials are in demand where low weight and high mechanical properties are needed. Advanced materials add value and increased performance and functionality in a wide range of applications including decorative panels for shop-fitting; sign panels; splashbacks and counters; door skins; shop fronts; kick plates and in the automotive and

Above: 3D work in advanced materials Supplier March/April 2021

marine industry, trailers, and truck bodies. The difference between a CNC machine for cutting wood or panel materials, and a CNC machine for cutting plastics or other similar materials, is minor. All CNC machines need software to drive the (mostly) three but sometimes five axes. Most CNC machines for cutting advanced materials use an overhead gantry structure for improved accuracy and stability. Apart from the cutting tools used, perhaps the main difference between a CNC machine cutting wood products and one cutting advanced materials is that an advanced materials machine is provided with effective protection against the ingress of carbon and other dust to the slide ways and electrics and in some cases has a more efficient extraction hood. Machines are available as a locally-produced flat bed machine; imported flat-table

machines similar to a nesting machine, or as a vertical machining centre similar to those produced by a number of European suppliers. Homag Group produce CNC machines for some advanced materials and make machines to cut cardboard for packaging. Biesse Group produce an extensive range of machines specifically for this sector and a number of ‘Plast’ machines have already been installed and working successfully in Australia. Biesse Group sales staff are particularly adept at providing solid advice on this technology. SCM Group own the CMS brand of machines for working composites, carbon fibre, aluminium, light alloys and metal, and this company has been doing this for many years, in fact, longer than most. UK based Crosby Composites services the F1 motor sport industry. On the value of CNC machining 3D models, Mr. Crosby says, “The F1 market generally requires a maximum run of sixteen parts. Unless you can be very efficient, it is difficult to justify the cost of machining everything on a CNC machine.” Multicam CNC machines are produced locally in NSW. They are proficient in a wide range of different materials such as cardboard, acrylics, thermoplastics, vinyls, and foams. Specialist tools, machine tables and fixtures are available from Multicam, who have literally hundreds of installations around Australia and overseas. Software designed specifically for the cladding industry is available. For plastics fabricators, Multicam supplies CNC machines to process and engrave materials including Acrylic, ABS, Lexan, HDPE, PVC, PETG, UHMW and many other thermoplastic products.

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Manufacturing

products. The material has particularly good resistance to flame, good thermal insulation, and good acoustic properties. Researchers at Stockholm's Royal Institute of Technology have developed a new transparent wood material suitable for mass production. Professor Lars Berglund of the University’s Wood Science Centre says, “While optically transparent wood has been developed for microscopic samples in the study of wood anatomy, the project introduces a way to use the material on a large scale.”

Above: Biesse Processing expanded and compact plastic materials, composites and cardboards can be done using oscillating and tangential knife devices. In this case, special consideration is made to the table surface to eliminate damage to both the table, and the knife used for cutting the material. The knife moves up and down like a jigsaw as it moves around the profile to be cut. Some advanced materials will need to be held with mechanical devices and special ‘T’-slot tables are available for this.

significant implications for the production of a wide range of furniture products from doors to panels. Palm Wood as a resource is in plentiful supply and is soon to become widely available as solid wood and board products for the furniture and cabinet industries, most likely imported from South East Asian countries. There are no knots, and the wood has sufficient screw holding capacity for use in solid wood and panel

Another beautiful innovation in the furniture industry has been the early development of bioplastic furniture. This innovation is due to a joint effort between Terreform One and Genspace. Two pieces of furniture have been created through this material; a chaise lounge and a small child’s chair. The furniture is made with Mycoform, produced by combining wood chips, gypsum, and oat bran together with a fungus called Ganoderma lucidum. This fungus disintegrates waste products and leaves a strong structural material. ❚

The cutting tools used for wood can also be used in most cases for processing other materials, with varying success. It is important to source tools that have been specifically designed for materials such as facades and insulation materials like fibre cement boards; aluminium composite panels; foamed insulation materials; and rock and glass wool. Other materials such as aluminium and non-ferrous metals; thermoplastics, duopolistic and mineral composites; and fibre-reinforced materials also need specialist cutting tools. Other innovations Last March we brought readers information on palm wood, a resource that could have

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Above: Multicam www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Software

Identifying growth for your business Story by Riley Henry

oes your business still have room to grow? If your answer is yes, then the suggestions below might help you reach your goal. If your answer is no, then definitely keep reading because there should always be room to grow. Increasing demand As you likely already know, advertising is one of the ultimate solutions for building awareness and subsequently attaining customers. To capitalise on your advertising, we have highlighted a few important yet sometimes undervalued avenues for complementing your ads. Modern Website – Your website is the online equivalent to your shopfront, only it is visible to far more of the world. While it can be costly to get right, it’s a crucial aspect of digital marketing. It provides so much natural interest and is the anchor to which you should focus any digital advertising. You may already have a website, but we would encourage taking a look through to see if you’re really providing maximum engagement. Social Media Pages – Facebook and Instagram are currently the core pages and we’d recommend having both. It’s free, and regular posts from your business will help get you in front of a new world. Google My Business - Your Google My Business listing gives potential clients easy access

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to your hours of operation, phone number, website and more with a click of a button — all at no cost to you. Your free GMB profile also gives customers an inside look at your business through reviews and ratings. Keeping up with demand - Small Businesses When you’re a smaller business or a oneman-show, your calendar can fill up quickly if you have enough demand. Naturally, minds turn towards hiring additional staff or upgrading to larger machinery, but each come with a large price tag (especially if you look at a CNC machine). Outsourcing or connecting with a larger manufacturer is a low investment initiative to increasing your production capabilities.

This is the exact circumstance in which goCabinets has been helping many trades accept more projects. The simple online platform connects you with a local, independent manufacturer capable of cutting your custom projects. This allows you to take on and facilitate more orders than what your current capabilities allow. Keeping up with demand - Large Businesses Even with a large factory, running large machinery, you can find yourself working at your max and unable to take on additional projects. That is not a terrible situation at all but there are still opportunities for growth aside from major upgrades in assets. Increasing Efficiency – An obvious statement, but even little efficiencies can accumulate to clear hours of wasted time from your schedule and provide opportunity for increased output. Accounting and management software can majorly reduce administrative burdens while goCabinets can save hours, daily by reducing manual quoting, double handling, and other time-consuming processes. Discover more on the Cabinets by Computer site, email us at Info@ cabinetsbycomputer.com or call us on (03) 5254 3274 to explore opportunities for growth in your business. ❚

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Software

Interior Design & Production Software

Online shopping with CAD+T

ustrian software specialist, CAD+T has launched a new online shop. The simple and effective planning tool, which is designed to work with CAD+T’s existing ERP and cloud-based software solutions, has been partnered with a fourthgeneration configurator tool to create a fully customisable sales tool for furniture designers and manufacturers. The new online shop allows users to design and modify furniture designs in the third dimension using fully customisable and pre-designed templates. Users can clearly identifying different materials, shapes and sizes in an easy to navigate room environment but unlike its predecessor, features can be adapted for different users, including end-users via an online portal, before the software’s configuration software automatically creates the required technical drawings, material requirements, product pricing and cutting lists needed for the next stage of the manufacturing process.

The updated configurator tool is also no longer limited for use on CAD+T planning and construction modules. Instead, it can be incorporated independently via its own hosting onto webpages or a customer’s e-commerce websites – a desirable function for those modifying their route to market since the

pandemic. It is also scalable - which means there are no limits to the number of servers that can work in tandem with the configurator – and it comes with a fully customised interface for internal staff members.

Software solutions for bespoke furniture design and manufacturing

Online Shop Complete ERP solution

Martina says, “The new software widens our client’s opportunities to sell their products in different ways, whilst still having a complete solution that is unique to their business. Whether you’re looking to design a piece of furniture from scratch using our standard configurator tools or offer a bespoke online ordering service, our new software offers an intelligent solution that streamlines screen to machine production. “It is also fully adaptable and isn’t limited to mainstream furniture manufacturing. We have a customer that creates specialist bed frames that are designed around a person’s height and weight. Our new software allows the customer to input their stats via a website and create their very own, made-to-measure bed. This shows how customisable our software is and the wealth of new opportunities it can offer the manufacturing sector. Plus, with our new cloud-based, SAAS (software as a service) compatible technology, customers can benefit from a flexible and powerful one-stop solution designed around your business.” ❚

Direct CNC/Nesting connection within 1 week

CAD+T Australasia Pty Ltd

Level 5, 23-25 O‘Connell Street NSW, 2000 Sydney Phone: +61 (2) 800 620 67 E-Mail: office@cadt-solutions.com Web: www.cadt-solutions.com

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Supplier Woodworking Magazine is pleased to invite readers to enter into the draw to win a free 12 months subscription of the industry leading software from 3D Kitchen™.

3D Kitchen QT Software Produces:  Floor Plans  Elevations  High Quality 3D Rendering Features:  Easily create your own unique cabinets  Full cabinet library built to allow detailed design  Full product support (12 months) Broadband internet required

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Seamless links from design to production with 3D Kitchen software Gary Mieran from Akryah Kitchens walks us through their company’s implementation of 3D Kitchen software. 2012 was a year of great change for our small family owned and operated cabinet making business Akryah Kitchens. We had relocated to our purpose-built factory and were now ready to invest into CNC technology. With the excitement of this life changing technology came the fear of being able to use this technology as seamlessly as possible. The purchase of the machine is simple, but what do we use as our software program? A decision that is important as selecting the right CNC to suit your situation. I was fortunate, or smart enough, to employ a very experienced and fantastic guy in Brett Kussrow. His experience with a software program called 3D Kitchen was quite extensive and it was decided to invest in 3D Kitchen as our preferred software. After the initial install from 3D Kitchen, I immediately saw my investment in the CNC technology working. Obviously, Brett’s experience with the program was a huge benefit. But how would we go introducing others to the program? Introducing Guinea Pig number 1, myself, old school Cabinet Maker with basic computer skills. Within a couple of days, I had the drawing program mastered and, in a few weeks, I understood the full potential of the program. I thought if I can do that, almost anyone could. From those early days the business simply grew and grew. The team at 3D Kitchen provided us with the extra programs to enable us to expand our design and estimating team. Through the program’s simplicity and with the 3Dkitchen back up service training

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new designers and estimators was, I think, as simple as it gets. A more recent addition to our program was the 3D Door Module for cutting our own routed doors. Previously we would outsource the routes, so we would have to drop doors off and pick them up but now being able to do them in house saves us time and money. Due to our constant growth in the business, staff that were drawing and estimating have now stepped up to the next level processing jobs to the CNC. Starting on the most basic cabinetry first and then over time building up to more complicated jobs. In a short period of time the new processor has the knowledge and confidence to take on all levels of work. I can attribute this to the user friendly capability of the program. Fast forward to 2021 Growth in the business has seen us relocate to two large factories totalling 2500 SQM, two CNC machines and 27 staff. 3D kitchen has recently provided us with our ninth licence.

3D Kitchen is simple to use and provides our clients with plans and rendered elevations however I believe them most important function of the program is the costing function. For years I operated as an old school cabinet maker, pricing jobs through lineal metre rates for each type of cabinet and yes, knowing the cost of materials but never really trusting the pricing completely. 3D Kitchen changed all of that and before long we knew exactly the allowance for our materials, labour and machining and most importantly profit margin. Simply adjust your costings as necessary to retain the profitability within your business. Over the years I have witnessed 3D Kitchen constantly working on introducing upgrades to give us added features and this combined with first class tech support has seen us use the program without any major issues. Our relationship with Shane in Queensland and Chris (the owner of 3D Kitchen back in New Zealand), has been ongoing for many years and I can honestly say it has been a pleasure to deal with them both. I have enjoyed their absolute professionalism and would like to pass on our gratitude on behalf of the team here at Akyrah Kitchens. ❚

Above: The 3D Kitchen image (top) and the finished design www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Software

Become a proud, proficient, PYTHA-pro

earning to use a powerful tool like Pytha is exciting, and like anything new, can also be challenging to dedicate time to early on. Busy CAD operators may struggle to find the time to step out of the office to learn. Others may need a solid classroom-style session to get their head around various tools. Pytha Partners have recognised this and have developed a range of training options to suit all learning styles. Whether learning face to face or online, you can be guaranteed that Pytha Partners keep you accountable to your learning path so that you become a proud, proficient, PYTHA-pro.

Supplier March/April 2021

Face-to-face Face-to-face learning is a great way to experience intensive training. Pytha Partners’ face-to-face workshops include New User Design and Manufacturing Fundamentals, geared to help new users become proficient in an effective and efficient timeframe. The team follow up all classroom training with a learning consolidation session that gives new learners the chance to revisit with their trainer a new skill, or tool, they might be working through. Courses are held in purpose-built training rooms in the company’s Sutherland (NSW) office. With limited numbers for each

session, you will be guaranteed plenty of attention from the training team (meet them below). Online Where self-paced learning is preferred, Pytha Partners have introduced a comprehensive suite of online training units. Their flagship course is self paced new user training, complete with screen recording, fully narrated with a Q&A to test your knowledge. Other online courses covering implementation, upgrade training and rendering are delivered via Zoom with trainers on hand to help. Places are limited to ensure all participants get the time they 38 need.

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Advanced Manufacturing - Joiners Usin

Statistics – Australian Joiners - Tracking Workshop Staff Times on Jobs 30% of Australian joiners currently use manual time sheets to report their

total time on each job. For joiners with 10 workshop staff using manual time sheets costs approximately $775 per week, $37,975 per year in lost production time staff filling in time sheets and admin time.

60% of Australian joiners do not track their staff time on jobs at all. The

main reasons are firstly “the information is too little, too late and too inaccurate” and secondly the very high cost to produce a single report on Jobs times daily ($775 per week see above).

10% of Australian joiners have adopted technology and use tablets on

workshop floor and some form of job and staff time tracking software App.

100% of Australian Joiners

Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software is simply an App. Low Cost Subscription $108* per week Accessing and using Empower is almost as quick, easy and inexpensive as downloading an App to your phone. You can access Empower Software within the hour, start using it today and secure significant workshop productivity gains, within the week. (*10 staff)

If you want 20% to 40%+ less labour time on jobs therefore 20% to contact me by phone or email. Discussion of the technology, pricing demonstration available on request. We welcome your call. Founding Director Sean O’Sullivan | +64 27 22 84211 | sean@manufacturingandengineering.co.nz

ng Technology To Reduce Labour Costs

Empower Software guarantees you 20% to 40%+ reduction in jobs times therefore 20% to 40%+ reduction in labour costs 70 Client Case Studies and 14 Lean Consultant and Production Expert Case Studies confirm existing joinery clients using Empower Software achieve a reduction in time on jobs of 20% to 40%+ therefore a reduction in labour cost on jobs of 20% to 40%+, view our website www.empowersoftware.co.nz

Empower Software has a new website www.empowersoftware.co.nz

o 40%+ less labour cost on Jobs g, trial software or software

Software

3D. Combined with his knowledge and experience in manufacturing, he offers a well-rounded perspective to Pytha customers. In his previous position as a designer and CAD operator, Michael conquered the craft of creating easy-to-sell kitchens, bathrooms and other interior spaces. In his role at Pytha Partners, Michael uses his technical proficiency for the benefit of Pytha users, delivering support, training and testing.

TAFE In-person TAFE courses are available in NSW and Victoria, dependent on numbers. If you are interested in completing a six-week TAFE course at Lidcombe TAFE or Holmesglen Institute, visit pythapartners.com.au and look for the TAFE expression of interest form. Meet the Training Team Paul Hadfield With over twenty years of experience in all facets of joinery and shopfitting – from sweeping the factory floor to managing million-dollar fit outs – Paul has a great understanding of the need for speed, accuracy and efficiency in the CAD and CAM areas of your business. His practical skills and technology tenacity will help you get the most out of your Pytha purchase.

Katie Sayour With a trade certificate in Furniture Making (Cabinetmaking) and a decade of detailed production drafting and CNC machinery operation, Katie Sayour knows her way around Pytha software. Katie’s pre-Pytha roles gave her a clear understanding of the pressures involved in production work – she knows stalls in drawing equal stops in production, so it’s critical to keep a job moving. Katie’s super efficiency will help keep you on the move, and with her technical know-how, she challenges you to find a Pytha problem she can’t solve!

Aaron Meyer Aaron Meyer offers both manufacturing and design expertise to switched-on business owners considering moving to Pytha 3D CAD or learning the ropes with their new installation. He is a RadioLAB master, too – Aaron’s your go-to-man for all things rendering and will help you get well on your way to delivering efficient and impressive concepts to your clients. ❚

Michael Dominick With a creative background and a passion for drawing, art and design, Michael loves the intuitive feel of designing in

Supplier March/April 2021

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Company Profile

Six Generations Strong Story by Philip Ashley Through war, expropriation by the state, re-establishment, a buy-back and the construction of a new factory at the original site, OKA Buromobel have remained true to the pioneering spirit of their founders with a focus on quality, modern manufacturing technology, and the customer. Six Generations Strong According to a 2012 Harvard Business School study, 70 percent of family-owned businesses fail or are sold before the second generation gets a chance to take over. Not so with OKA Buromobel, a 160-year-old, sixth-generation family-owned office furniture manufacturer located in the eastern German town of Neugersdorf. Suppliers Phil Ashley visited the company at the invitation of Lignum Consulting, who have shaped the future of over 300 German and International furniture and related companies. For 160 years the owner-run company has been influencing German office history with innovations. In 1858, August Kasper set up

, his carpenter’s workshop in Alt-Gersdorf in Saxony. In 1892, Oskar Kasper started series production of office furniture and used his initials to name the company OKA. In 1903 with his son Erwin Kasper, he reinforced his position in the office furniture business with a patent for a ‘roller shutter lock’. After WW II, the site in Saxony was converted to a state-run company producing home furniture and so, Erwin Kasper moved OKA to Bad Marienberg in West Germany. Over the years, important key accounts were won with Germany’s Post and Telecommunication providers, but it was not until the 1980s when Günter Kasper introduced innovations like the first electric height-adjustable desk that the company enjoyed its second peak. After the fall of the Wall, Thomas Kasper and his father Günter Kasper bought back the main factory in what is now Neugersdorf and in 1993 the new production site was inaugurated at the original site where in 2003, the entire expertise was brought together. The company is still family managed by Thomas and Sebastian Kasper.

Above: Frank Brade, Chief Production Officer at OKA Supplier March/April 2021

Frank Brade is the chief production officer (CPO) who gave us an unrestricted tour of the facility. OKA manufactures custom furniture to specification, so their production has been batch size one for five years now. OKA is one of many successful companies who have turned to a consultancy firm to assist them in realising these short and long-term goals. Frank says production of office furniture is complex, with more requirements to conform with commercial building codes and regulations like fire and noise (acoustics). Production The machine production runs in 3 shifts, so the machines never stop. The assembly line normally runs in 2 shifts, or 16 hours although the second shift is with reduced workers. The internal logistics is according to lean philosophy with ‘just in time’ and ‘just in sequence’ principles. Their production resulting in lot size 1 batches. The internal lead time from beginning of the production until shipping the furniture extends usually about 3 days. All OKA furniture is customer specific and ‘data-wise’ unique. In 2003 OKA installed a new automated production line with a twin-saw; buffer system and two high-capacity laser edge banding machines. They produce one thousand six hundred parts per shift in pre-assembly and the factory works 24 hours a day. During the cutting and edge banding phase, or pre-production, certain panels may be placed in a buffer and released back into the line so that all of the parts for a particular cabinet arrive at the assembly point at the same time. At a certain stage in

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Company Profile

innovative ‘Spaceline’ partition wall system. Their products have Blue Angel accreditation that examines the entire lifecycle of a product and promotes the use of wood from sustainable forestry and low-emission wood materials. Their furniture complies with the German Product Safety Act and the ISO 9001 quality management standard, and the ISO 4001 environmental management standard.

Above: Manual cutting production, common parts will be assigned as either left or right panels and this determines the location and composition of the cabinet hardware. The parts are brought together on the assembly line where routing, drilling and insertion equipment adds the hardware according to the individual cabinet design. Cabinets are assembled in carcase clamps where the computer control brings the correct parts to the 200-metre assembly line in the correct order, much like the auto industry. TAKT time is the available minutes for production divided by the required units of production. 435 minutes per shift is the TAKT baseline so at 75 seconds a cabinet, 348 cabinets a shift can be assembled, no more and certainly, no less. Cabinets with a TAKT time of 75 seconds are assembled on one line. Cabinets requiring a longer assembly time are sent to a separate production line. The philosophy can be related to a highway where the slow traffic sticks to one lane and fast traffic is not impeded.

is no paperwork in the production line either as it’s all controlled by computer. Any information an assembler needs comes up as digital information on a TV monitor. The product is assembled immediately before the truck leaves but may sit in the despatch area for no longer than three hours. The logistics of production are critical to achieve an outcome where the product is still being assembled when the truck enters the despatch area.

OKA have gone from the craftsmanship of their origin to the cutting-edge production facilities of today. For the past eight years they have partnered with Lignum Consulting. At the time of our visit the company was in the ‘ramp-up’ phase of their high-technology assembly line, working with Lignum to realise a more productive working environment. Since then, OKA added COVID protection systems and provides excellent advice on their website for the best setup for the home office.

Below: Edge Banding

Standards and Partnerships In order to meet customer requirements, OKA continuously invest not only in production facilities, but design, quality standards, and logistics. OKA won the prestigious Red Dot award for their

Worktops and tables are assembled on a manual line and 50% of these are now height adjustable with Danish LINAK componentry. Most of the company’s factory employees work in this area, very few work on the machining line. OKA produce to order so there is no storage needed. There

Supplier March/April 2021

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Company Profile In this age of digital transformation, the office continues to be an important working and living environment. People in urban areas value a proper work-life balance. As the demands on the personal working situation grows, the competition for satisfied

Above:

employees increases. Those companies that adopt current trends and create feel-good zones from office spaces generate increased success. OKA work with designers and architects to realise office furniture that is often unique to the customer. With that as

Below: Drilling and insertion and (bottom) Assembly

a goal, a fully integrated manufacturing process for batch size one production is paramount. With Lignum as a consulting partner, OKA achieves the success they deserve. ❚

One day's production

GERMAN TECHNOLOGY, AUSTRALIAN KNOW-HOW As Australia’s only ABS edgeband manufacturer, Surteco Australia are committed to creating the highest quality product through local design, materials and manufacturing.

Did you know that Surteco Australia leads the market by crafting beautiful, on-trend decors and surfaces, and have been for over 130 years in Germany? This is a legacy we’re very proud of.

www.surteco.com Phone: (02) 9421 0333 7-11 Penelope Crescent Arndell Park NSW 2148

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ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD. All rights reserved - No part of this publication maybe reproduced, transmitted or copied in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of Elite Publishing Co Pty Ltd. Viewpoints, opinions, claims, etc expressed in articles appearing in this publication are those of the authors. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the information supplied or for claims made by companies or their representatives regarding product performance, etc or for any errors, omissions, misplacement, alterations, or any subsequent changes, or for any consequences of reliance on this information or this publication.

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