Supplier Sept-Oct 2015

SEPT/OCT 2015

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Contents

SEPT/OCT 2015 vol. 31 no.5

☞News

Vicky Cammiade Publisher

04 New showrooms for Leda Machinery 05 AWFS fair delights 06 Innovation Excellence Award for Joinlox

☞Design & Trends

Jennifer Curtis Group Managing Editor

08 Furniture made using 3D printing 12 Intergrain Timber Vision Awards

☞Manufacturing 27 Top 10 technical innovations Ashley Cooper Group National Sales & Marketing Manager

28 Latest Tooling Trends 44 Altendorf: the saw

☞Features 14 Hardware 20 Surface Materials

Phil Ashley Technology Editor

☞Front Cover The only specialist business publication servicing the Furniture, Kitchen, Shop/ Office Fittings, Cabinetmaking, Joinery and the related timber and panel product industries in Australasia for over 31 years!

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Member of the International Woodworking and Furniture Supplier Magazine Association

Nover

News New showrooms for Leda Machinery ADELAIDE based Leda Machinery Pty Ltd has recently announced that its group dealers in NSW, TAS and WA have all established Leda showrooms.

These new showrooms complement those already operating in South Australia and Victoria.

A large range of Leda, KDT, LMA and Ledacraft machines will be in show in each location.

Both sales and service will be enhanced in all States with the local availability of stock machines and service technicians.

Since introducing KDT edgebanding machines a few years ago, Leda Machinery has placed hundreds of machines around Australia and the advent of the KDT CNC routers has now added many more. ●

Titus has merged operations with Stefano Orlati in Australia THE merger will combine the Titus Plus innovation, technical expertise and reliability with established design and service from Stefano Orlati.

Stefano Orlati has been a long time distributor of Titus, making it a natural progression to amalgamate, which will allow them to deliver an extended product range for the cabinetmaking, furniture manufacturing and distribution industries to a combined customer base in Australia.

Stefano Orlati has established a presence as a specialist in designer cabinet handles, lighting and general hardware, which will now be available through the full distribution network of Titus Tekform in Australia.

Alongside the Stefano Orlati brand mark the Titus logo signifies globally manufactured and sourced, European quality fittings backed by existing distribution networks and local market knowledge.●

Interest rates help lift renovations higher THE Renovations Roundup report released 28 August by the Housing Industry Association, provided a comprehensive review of the state of the Australian renovations market, including coverage across each of the eight states and territories.

Renovations Roundup included results of the exclusive HIA Renovations Survey which was conducted during August 2015.

“Over the past year, extremely low interest rates have helped drag the renovations market back onto a path of growth. The volume of home renovations is estimated to have increased by 1.2 per cent during 2014,” said HIA Senior Economist Shane Garrett.

“Demand for home renovations is extremely sensitive to consumer sentiment, and the post-GFC downturn provides sobering evidence of this.

“The 2011-13 renovations downturn was the third worst on record, involving a 4 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

reduction in activity of 15.6 per cent,” he added.

“However, more recent strong dwelling price growth has lifted home equity in the Sydney and Melbourne markets, the local renovations industry reaping the benefits.

“Other markets, however, continue to suffer from the combination of subdued dwelling prices and low household sentiment. The burden of red tape and regulation is also frustrating growth in the market, with nearly one half of renovators identifying taxation and government charges as a serious source of cost pressure,” he pointed out.

The Winter 2015 edition of Renovations Roundup projects that renovations activity will increase by 4.5% this year with a slight 0.4% increase forecast for 2016. During 2017, it is forecast that activity will grow by 1.8% followed by a 3.4% increase in 2018, bringing the total volume of renovations activity to $31.23 billion.●

Acimall’s new website THE new website of Acimall (www.acimall.com), the association of Italian wood and wood-based materials technology manufacturers, has been online for a few weeks.

The new website leverages the latest web technology and practices, increasingly widespread and mobile – a tool to find exactly what you are looking for, very quickly.

It perfectly suits any device, from PC to smartphone, with clearly organised and lean contents, putting information for member companies in the foreground without forgetting to support those who want to improve their knowledge of the wood machinery business.

Available in nine languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese and Portuguese have been recently complemented

by Russian and Turkish.●

CMDA AGM and trade night at LEDA Machinery THE 2015 CMDA Annual General Meeting will be held at Leda Machinery in Dandenong, Victoria on 20 October in conjunction with a trade night.

Following discussions at the 2014 CMDA AGM and considerations by the current CMDA Board a resolution will be put to the members at the AGM to set the CMDA board size at seven. Currently the board consists of Mark Nickson (Chair), Peter Gill and Clint Smith. ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

AWFS fair delights THE AWFS ((Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers) fair in Las Vegas closed its gates on July 25 with outstanding success for all parties concerned.

Featuring an impressive array of latest technologies and machineries and other aspects of the woodworking and wood processing industry, there was a huge turnout of both national and international visitors.

Steve Waltman, vice president, marketing and communications, Stiles Machinery commented during the show: “It is exceeding all expectation, AWFS has done a great job! The timing is perfect for recovery!”

Dan Murphy, the vice president of Sales, Weinig USA also added: “Everything seems to be improving.”

“We were pleased to see an increase of visitors, great interest in our entry level and complex automated solutions, and renewed enthusiasm from customers who visited our booth,” said general manager of Cefla North America, Massimo Di Russo.

Addressing the quest for innovation, AWFS Fair 2015 once again brought the entire global industry together for an in-depth review of the new developments and advances that are driving the market. Participants benefitted from high-quality educational programming in the industry, a huge, expanded show floor that featured top suppliers and resources, and a variety of opportunities to network, learn and acquire the relevant information and strategies to help them grow along with their industry.

The eight exhibiting AWFS Fair companies that were given a Visionary New Product Award for product innovation and leadership in the woodworking industry were Weinig Holz-Her USA, SawStop, Schenk Ltd, Striplox, Vortex Tool Company Inc, RSA Solutions, SurfPrep by Dixon Enterprises Inc, and Next Wave Automation.●

VACUUM LIFTING SOLUTIONS Our vacuum lifters can lift and move a huge range of products from 10kg to 2,000kg.

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THE VACUMASTER 180° VACUUM LIFTER ALLOWS A HORIZONTAL LOAD TO BE LIFTED AND ROTATED 180° BY A SINGLE OPERATOR FREECALL

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www.suppliermagazine.com.au

SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 5

News Innovation Excellence Award for Joinlox at international AWFS Fair LEADING-EDGE construction materials and joining solution supplier, Joinlox, won a Visionary New Product Award for Innovation at the International AWFS Fair held in Las Vegas in July.

Striplox won the Innovation and Productivity in Functional Hardware Category, which recognises excellence in creativity, innovation and industry leadership.

Joinlox CEO, John Pettigrew said the Striplox range is supplied to some of the world’s largest industryleading organisations and the award is testament to

its superior innovation and competitive advantages for its clients involved in all aspects of building, architecture, cabinetry, furniture and panel constructions.

“We are delighted to be presented the innovation award for the functional hardware category on an international basis,” he said.

“Our investment and focus on research and development means we provide our customers innovative products that give a continuing competitive advantage.”

Striplox Sales and Marketing Manager, Dean

China International Kitchen and Bathroom Expo 2015 NUMEROUS top international companies have confirmed their participation at the next China International Kitchen and Bathroom Expo (CIKB) 21 to 23 October 2015 in Shanghai.

CIKB will take place for the first time at the new National Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai.

The central focus of the LivingKitchen satellite event organised by Koelnmesse is the concept of the “modern fitted kitchen”. With increasing demands for high quality, high levels of technological affinity, limited space and a keen interest in easy-toclean materials, the Chinese consumer is particularly interested in fitted kitchen systems.

CIKB is organised

by Koelnmesse and the China National Hardware 6 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

Association, with support from LivingKitchen and the AMK. “We are certain that CIKB is on the right track to becoming the platform for modern fitted kitchens in China. This development is confirmed by the registration of European brands which will offer the Chinese public an unprecedented exhibition of the modern kitchen. And of course, AMK will also be at the trade fair with their own presentation”, said Kirk Mangels, Managing Director of the Working Group AMK (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Die Moderne Küche/Modern Kitchen).

In addition, CIKB will consolidate its strategic partnerships with relevant associations and media such as the China Kitchen Industrial Development Forum and the Interior Designer Salon, among others.●

Urquhart said the company is committed to providing new concepts and innovations that reduce whole-of-job costs and adapt to changing market and industry needs.

"We have a deep understanding and engagement with the construction and design industry and our Striplox range has proven hugely successful worldwide, rapidly cutting labour costs for our users, whilst providing the same quality result every time,” he said. ●

Schelling acquires IMA CUT to size solutions specialist Schelling has acquired automated edge processing technology company IMA. Together, the companies will provide automation technology solutions for the panel processing and furniture industries.

The Austrian company Schelling Anlagenbau GmbH and the German IMA Klessmann GmbH have been co-operating for over 25 years because the two companies complement each other.

Complete system solutions and the controlled automation of production processes are the key areas in the future of industrial manufacturing.

Both companies have accumulated a wealth of know-how in these fields.

While both brands will be preserved, the companies will intensify their collaboration in all areas of business.

Most importantly when it comes to developing and executing the newest most groundbreaking technologies, which will underscore their position as global technology leaders.

The partnership is also expected to yield positive synergy effects in sales, purchasing and manufacturing for both companies. The global subsidiaries of both companies will work even closer together and the dealer networks of both companies which already overlap in 90% of the world markets will bring even more advantages to the customers and partners of the two companies.● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Design & Trends

Furniture made using 3D printing Interview with material expert Dr Sascha Peters At interzum 2015, Dr Peters was responsible for the "4th Industrial Revolution: 3D Printing" special show in the innovation of interior zone. In an interview, the recognised material expert talked about the concept of the exhibition as well as the possibilities that generative production methods offer furniture and interior and designers.

Q: What is the concept behind the "4th Industrial Revolution: 3D Printing" exhibition and what emphases have you set?

A: The exhibition depicted the possibilities of how furniture and interior designers could implement generative production methods and demonstrated the future application potential using several outstanding projects as examples. Here, we highlighted the different additive techniques as well as the substances and materials that can currently be processed.

Live presentations of the currently biggest mass-produced FLM system (fused layer modeling), our machine called BIG Rep and a food printer turned the technology area into a tangible experience.

Q: How does 3D printing work and what does the "generative production" technique mean?

A: 3D printing, generative production and additive production are all generic terms for a whole spectrum of different related techniques that have developed since the mid-1980s. Characteristic for this type of production is the fact that 8 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

material is added rather than taken away as with conventional production methods such as turning or milling.

The most well-known methods applied in the consumer area are 3D printing and Fused Layer Modeling (FLM).

In the case of 3D printing, material powder such as starch or plaster is applied in layers and glued using a bonding agent to the places where the structural component is to be ultimately created. The bonding agent is applied to the corresponding place using a conventional print head. This is why the term 3D printing is used for the method.

In the case of Fused Layer Modeling (FLM), a plastic wire is used instead of powder. Comparable to a hot glue gun, the material is melted in a nozzle and then applied in lines or drops.

Since an important patent expired for this technology in 2009, it has experienced dynamic development over the last years.

Q: What is the significance of the new processing possibilities of additive technologies for application in the furniture and interior design sector? Which

opportunities and challenges arise for the interior design sector?

A: Up until now, the application of the generative methods was limited down to the production of prototypes and for the production of small parts with complex geometry. Due to the trend towards bigger installation areas of the machines and new material systems, the possibilities are moving more and more towards the direct manufacturing of products also in the furniture and interior design sector.

Designers have already created the first models of furniture; however, these are initially limited to the gallery scene. Since additive technologies enable new formal design possibilities, which are also combined with a significant potential of saving material resources, the experts are expecting a considerable increase in the implementation of the technologies in the furniture and interior design sector in the future.

The latest developments also underscore the potential of integrating functional components and light during the construction phase.

10 www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Design & Trends

8 Q: 3D prints are becoming increasingly cheaper, the materials more diverse and more resilient. What will we be able to manufacture using 3D printing in the future?

A: Generative technologies have always held a huge attraction for the creative industry. Because 3D printers enable the realisation of designs that were simply impossible up until now due to the technical or economic restrictions. This applies for products and designs with complex geometry, as well as those with cavities, undercuts and moving parts.

The manufacturers are also showing great interest in this area. We can assume that the manufacturers will initially have small parts made out of plastic or metal, i.e. fittings, handles or hooks with complex geometry produced using the 3D printing technology. This particularly makes sense where only small volumes are required or where the storage of spare parts is no longer practical due to reasons of cost.

If necessary, the customer would order a component from the manufacturer online. He, in turn, would select a production site close to the customer, send the digital production data and have the items printed there. This would significantly reduce the logistic expenses and the industrial production would be more specifically aligned to meet the customer's requirements. It is not yet clear when 3D printing will be worthwhile for complete furniture systems.

We are currently experiencing a type of gold-digger syndrome, which has resulted in hundreds of new companies cropping up in the generative production sector over the last two to three years. â—?

10 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

Getting sorted with Hideaway Bins The drive towards recycling and the management of waste in the commercial sector has never been stronger. Part of this is establishing easy to use and workable recycling practices that all company employees can follow easily.

The installation of 50 litre Hideaway Bins side by side is an innovative solution for separating waste and recycling. The bins once used to dispose of waste or recycling are slid away out of sight, keeping the room clear of clutter.

Hideaway Bins are designed and made in New Zealand and are made from only high quality materials to ensure the units will withstand the challenges posed in a commercial environment. For strength, the framework is made from high-grade zinc treated steel which is then powdercoated for durability. High quality German soft close runners are designed to hold upwards of 52kg and they over extend to ensure the buckets will come clear of the bench top easily.

Unique to Hideaway Bins is the friction-fitted lid that remains in the carcase when the bins are open and closes down onto the unit when closed, locking in odours. This lid is coated in a Clinikill antibacterial powder coat designed to fight harmful bacteria, yeast and fungi designed to keep the bin solution hygienic – unique to Hideaway Bins.

All buckets are made from a food grade polypropylene and come complete with a liner holder designed to keep the bin liner in place.

All buckets fit standard bin liners available from local supermarket chains.

If space is limited, twin bin solutions are also available with 15, 20 and 40 litre double bin solutions to choose from. With many distinctive features to select from, there is a Hideaway Bin for every commercial requirement.

Hideaway Bins are distributed throughout Australia through national distribution partners: Hettich, Nover and Galvin Hardware. â—?

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Design & Trends

Intergrain Timber Vision Awards

Winners of the sixth annual Intergrain Timber Vision Awards were announced at the Annual Awards Breakfast in Melbourne on 20 August, revealing a new vision for Australia’s building and landscaping industry.

From an imaginative children’s playground and waterfront library to a tiny cabin perched atop rugged Victorian cliffs, a diverse and aweinspiring collection of projects were recognised for showcasing creative and visionary use of timber.

Faced with 124 exceptional entries in 2015, a panel of esteemed judges chose winners across five categories including; Commercial Interior, Commercial Exterior, Residential Interior, Residential Exterior, and this year’s new category – Public Space.

Each receiving a $2,000 cash prize and Intergrain product to the value of $3,000.

The winners were: • Best Commercial Interior – The Library at The Dock by Clare Design • Best Commercial Exterior – The Mornington Centre State 2 by Billard Leece Partnership

• Best Public Space – Jubilee Playground by Sue Barnsley Design • Best Residential Exterior – Moonlight Cabin by Jackson Clements Burrows • Best Residential Interior – Lagoon House by Taylor and Hinds Architects Intergrain Trade Brand Manager, Amanda Chalmers, said: “After five years of the Intergrain Timber Vision Awards, we continue to be astounded by the breadth and beauty of timber use in Australian design.

“We were moved by the simplicity and honesty of this year’s entries. Each winning project has its own unique qualities, yet collectively they embody Australia’s desire to showcase timber thoughtfully and let the true quality of the material speak for itself.

Overall Winner: The Library at The Dock by Clare Design Located in Melbourne, this project was celebrated by the judges as a standout winner. As the judges described, the project utilises timber to its fullest from surface to structure. The result is a quality public building that is “both timeless and modern”

The Library at the Dock also took out the Commercial Interior Award, with the judges commenting that it is “an impressive piece of institutional architecture.” The panel was captivated by the way the timber is cleverly integrated throughout the whole structure without dominating.

The hotly contested Residential Interior Award was awarded to Lagoon House, situated on the edge of Pipeclay Lagoon south of Hobart.

The judges commented on “ability of the design to gently bring the inside out” and were impressed by a use of timber that is “so solid and delicate, simple and beautiful.”

Proudly recognising the great work of Australian and New Zealand design professionals, the Intergrain Timber Vision Awards celebrates advanced timber application and projects that push the boundaries of normal timber application.

Since its launch in 2010, design professionals across the building and landscaping industries are annually invited to enter innovative projects that showcase creative and visionary use of timber. ●

Left: Overall Winner and Commercial Interior Award – The Library at The Dock by Clare Design Top (2 images) Residential Interior – Lagoon House by Taylor and Hinds Architects

12 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

KBDI chapter event at Minosa Award winning kitchen and bathroom specialist, Minosa opened its doors to industry for the first time when the KBDi (Kitchen & Bathroom Designers Institute) held its local chapter event for members, non-members and suppliers.

The KBDi briefed the gathering on this year’s awards program and offered a few teasers for next year’s KBDi design tour of Milan Design Week and EuroCucina.

There where presentations from Smeg, Silestone and Pytha 3D CAD on their latest innovations and products. Smeg introduced the push to open dishwasher along with the all white Smart Sense induction cooktops.

Silestone introduced its new and versatile material called Dekton while Darren Genner of Minosa presented Pytha 3D CAD showing how Minosa uses this software to present itsdesign concepts to clients.

Minosa also announced, and presented for the first time in Australia, the use of virtual reality software and guests where invited to step inside the latest Minosa design home and walk through at their leisure.●

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SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 13

Hardware

Dynapro: a unique movement system for individualists.

The individual slide generation High load capacity up to 70 kilograms, synchronised movement and 4D adjustment: the multitude of special qualities is what makes Dynapro a unique movement system for individualists.

The concealed slide system was awarded the coveted Red Dot design prize in 2010 and not only provides the basis for full-extension drawers in wood and other top-grade materials but, since 2013, has also been at the heart of the cubist drawer system Vionaro.

Individuality is the buzzword of our times. Customised products play a special role in virtually every area of our lives – and, of course, our furniture is no exception. As well as satisfying aesthetic aspirations, items of furniture have to offer above all intelligent functions that cannot fail to impress.

Movement systems that give the furniture designer a free reign for creative ideas and, at the same time provide top technical quality, are essential, particularly in view of the growing demands in terms of operating comfort, stability, quiet movement and load capacity.

With Dynapro, the concealed slide offering strength and precision for full-extension drawers, Grass 14 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

has the answer to all currently identifiable trends in the furniture industry. Dynapro is the perfect slide system for modern furniture – from handle-free surfaces, high fronts and wide drawers to the need for individualisation in drawer design and the growing aspirations with regard to functionality.

Technically perfect movement Furniture designers who prefer imaginative design and expect a concealed slide to offer excellent running performance, high stability, precision and exceptional operating comfort find the right solution for their kitchen, living room or bathroom furniture designs in Dynapro.

Unlike many conventional concealed slide systems, Dynapro features a synchronisation mechanism.

Thanks to the mechanically synchronised slide rails, the Dynapro slide system moves without any annoying noise or resistance. Even under high load, the excellent running performance of Dynapro remains unchanged. Load forces of up to 70 kg present no problem for the system. This means that extra-wide drawers can optionally be made of heavy materials because, even when fully loaded, there is no adverse effect on movement

characteristics. Abrasionresistant plastic rollers ensure a smooth, even glide every time.

4D adjustment facility The height, side and tilt angle adjustment as well as the optional depth adjustment for inset drawer fronts ensures perfect alignment.

All adjustments are tool-free, readily accessible and easy to handle. In short – it takes just a few tweaks to achieve optimal alignment.

Opening and closing Compatibility with the most commonly used comfort systems from Grass guarantees Dynapro users operating comfort at the highest level. Minimal force is required to open and close the drawer – which almost seems to move by itself. The Soft-close damping system closes Dynapro drawers gently and quietly. With Tipmatic, the

mechanical opening system, as well as Sensomatic, the electromechanical opening system, it is possible to operate large handle-free fronts which open with a gentle tap. Sensomatic combined with Soft-close unites the advantages of handle-free opening and the elegance of damped closing.

Modularity means greater flexibility Dynapro offers furniture makers the ultimate in individuality. Wooden drawers of all kinds can be based on this concealed slide, opening up wide scope for creative design.

Since 2013, the concealed slide system has also been at the heart of the Vionaro drawer system from Grass.

The minimalist drawer sides in aluminium or steel add elegant visual design to the Dynapro slide technology.

This means furniture makers can use one and the same slide system for their own wooden drawers as well as for the designer drawer Vionaro, once again expanding the scope for creative design.●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

DYNAPRO SLIDE SYSTEM

The powerful precision drawer slide for absolute design freedom.

Invisible. Efficient. Effective.

There are many special qualities that make Dynapro a highly economical movement system for the future.

High load capacity. Synchronised movement. 4D adjustment.

Dynapro combines intelligent function characteristics, outstanding running performance und operating comfort – for the utmost individuality in drawer design. Dynapro is one of the world‘s leading systems with an integrated three-dimensional adjustment feature and optional depth adjustment.

GRASS Australia/New Zealand Pty. Ltd.

www.grass.eu

Australia: Phone +61 3 9421 3048 info-australia@grass.eu

New Zealand: info-newzealand@grass.eu

Hardware

One system, many applications Sliding doors provide the key to creating a modern spacious interior design in cabinetry furniture for the home. Large surface doors create purist interiors, especially with flush fitting sliding door systems.

Open sliding doors don‘t get in the way where space is at a premium.

The SlideLine M sliding door fitting from Hettich is a system for many applications.

Integrating seamlessly into the background, Slide Line M does not interfere with the design of furniture and gives sliding door elements a look of elegance. SlideLine M

16 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

combines the practical aspect and design for furniture. The versatile system is ideal for a range of project applications: kitchen overhead cabinets, bathroom cabinets, entertainment furniture and office cabinets.

SlideLine M is opening up more and more options: shelf units are transformed into attractive multi-functional furniture with doors that slide back and forth to produce a fascinating interplay between open and closed segments.

Perfectly soft stopped sliding doors underscore the quality of furniture. Silent System

is unobtrusively integrated in SlideLine M's running component and moves doors gently and quietly in opening and closing direction. Where several sliding doors run in one profile, soft colliding slows them down as they move towards each other.

The single-track, bottom running SlideLine M sliding door fitting is suitable for all common furniture designs and doors made of wood, glass and aluminum weighing up to 30 kg. It is installed quickly and easily on the assembled carcase. Projecting by just

The SlideLine M sliding door fitting from Hettich.

eight millimetres, the profile keeps sliding doors close to the carcase, guaranteeing minimal gaps at either side.

Two doors can cross each other in just one profile.

Various sets in profile heights of 16, 18 and 25 mm provide positively connected solutions and the silver or black decorative profile elegantly blends into the design of furniture. â—? www.suppliermagazine.com.au

One system, many applications: SlideLine M SlideLine M combines the practical aspects and design for furniture. The versatile system is ideal for a range of project applications: kitchen overhead cabinets, bathroom cabinets, entertainment furniture and office cabinets.

Discover the latest in German quality innovation by visiting a local Hettich Showroom.

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Hardware

Striplox rapid assembly connectors

Häfele Free flap fittings Free flap is a hingeless stay flap fitting for all of the most common cabinet heights and flap weight combinations.

The Free flap stay flap fitting is in touch with the latest trends with regard to compactness and design and impress with their ease of operation.

During development, Häfele placed a considerable amount of importance on having a slimline and minimalist design in order to create more space in the cabinet, and having an attractive appearance as a result.

Many different flap sizes in kitchens, bathrooms, offices and living areas can be equipped with Free flap. Another advantage of this flap fitting is its unique, minimal opening resistance.

Thanks to the multi-position function, which can be perfectly adjusted using the force adjusting facility, Free flap holds the flap in every position. The integrated finely-tuned soft closing system provides operating convenience. ●

There is a new range of concealed joining systems that is revolutionising the design and cabinetry hardware industry worldwide. And now, thanks to Häfele, it’s available in Australia.

The key to the awardwinning Striplox range is its speed of assembly.

What makes Striplox so fast is a unique interlocking design that locks in one action to evenly spread the load along the length of the joint to give you a strong and tight connection every time. This versatility ensures it’s perfect for hundreds of tool-less applications and installations on or off-site.

Internationally patent protected, the entire Striplox range suits all standard manufacturing processes and incorporates the internationally recognised system 32 for ease of fitting and assembly.

Striplox rapid assembly connectors are ideal for fastening together a wide variety of materials and applications, including both commercial and residential fit-outs, panels and ceilings, joinery, furniture, shelving, modular kitchens and more.●

Gieffe table legs The Australian office is transforming.

Organisations are moving away from boring old cubicles towards open-plan spaces where work doesn’t feel like work.

Manufactured in Italy and made for Australia, Gieffe table legs bring a touch of luxury to every workspace.

Sleek and modern, Gieffe provides 18 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

a stunning industrial look that makes work a pleasure.

These days employees demand flexibility, and these table legs meet the brief in spades. Each leg is adjustable to 110mm and comes in a range metals in shaped and rounded applications. ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Surface Materials

New from Nover Nover have some new and exciting products hitting the market soon.

New, exclusive and coming in 2016 to Nover is the winner of the 2015 Best of the Best award at Interzum - Fenix NTM. Made in Italy, Fenix NTM (nanotech matt material) is totally unique - there is nothing like this product on the market.

Fenix NTM is a super opaque nanotech material - an innovative interior design product that combines elegant aesthetic solutions with state-of-the-art technological performance. It is produced using next generation resin developed with the help of nanotechnologies to provide this new material with novel properties, opening up new avenues in the field of interior design.

20 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

Fenix NTM is super matt, fingerprint resistant, repairable (micro scratches) and allows you to control fabrication in house. With a real design shift coming from Europe towards matt finishes,

Fenix NTM is bound to be a real winner with consumers.

Other points of difference of FENI NTM include: • low light reflectivity – extremely matt surface; • thermal healing of microscratches; • anti-fingerprint; • soft touch; • resistance to scratches and abrasion; • resistance to dry heat; • high resistance to acid solvents and household reagents; • enhanced anti-bacterial properties.

Also available between now and the end of the year is the new and improved Indaux hinge range – now including a 165, 30, 45 and blind corner option – all with integrated soft close dampener. Also to be introduced is the new bi-fold hinge using the same mounting plate as the soft close.

This new offer from Nover and Indaux is comprehensive and competitive with significantly improved factory

settings for faster install and smoother function. It will be available in 52mm and 45mm centres, knock in, screw fix and expansion with various mounting plate options in both standard and eccentric.

The new Indaux hinge range has been expanded to now feature a 30, 45, 90, 105, 165, bi-fold, full overlay, half overlay, inset and various mounting plate options.

To introduce the range, Nover is offering unbeatable introductory pricing and a free bonus so you can try it out. ●

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Training

Key to future competitiveness How do we foster innovation in the next generation of furnishing designers, makers and

business operators? It’s an important question for the furnishing industry and strongly on the minds of those responsible for ushering in the workforce of the future.

Innovation is becoming accepted as one of the critical keys to business success, with furnishing enterprises improving their value propositions by diversifying, seeking new markets, targeting niche areas, and changing product design and manufacturing techniques.

However, finding new and improved ways of doing things is equally important in training practice if we are to produce the skills and thinking these businesses increasingly rely on.

Registered training organisations (RTOs) are also experiencing a range of external pressures as the sector undergoes reform, and some practices become less viable with dwindling resources.

In recent years the furnishing sector has faced a reducing number of training providers, fewer apprentices entering the workforce and difficulty filling jobs, especially in niche areas and thin markets. This is a critical time for industry participants to become more innovative and collaborative, and in many cases they are.

Some RTOs are reporting higher success in attracting new students into furnishing

qualifications as a result of greater focus on promotion and offering new pathways. Others claim a project-based approach to developing skills, in collaboration with industry, is key.

At Holmsglen TAFE in Victoria, enrolments in Certificate IV in Furnishing Design and Technology have doubled as a result of a new approach to promotion, and those in the Certificate II in Furniture

“Industry involvement in training is critical. When we collaborate, we get the best outcomes for industry. It really is the combination of a well informed Training Package, innovative training provision, both on and off the job, and participation from employers, that will drive future results for the furnishing industry.�

Making Pathways are also looking very positive. These are important outcomes for furnishing, indicating interest in the higher level technical and design skills that industry needs, as well as in exploring furnishing options and pre-apprenticeship pathways.

Recent additions to the Furnishing Training Package have been especially designed to encourage delivery of entry-level courses in schools and other institutions, in order to provide a more hands on exploration of what the

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furnishing sectors offer.

The new Certificate II is an important component of a strategic approach to attract more young people into the industry and provide a learning pathway into apprenticeships and higher skill levels. It calls for a stronger collaboration between schools, employers and RTOs to make furnishing an engaging career proposition.

Other new components of the Furnishing Training

Package, such as the Certificate III in Timber and Composites Machining, provide an increased focus on technology skills, especially in CAD and CNC, and are also now meeting the skill needs of market niches like machinery suppliers.

This qualification was the result of extensive collaboration across industry and its success will depend on continued industry support.

Targeting niche markets is a priority for furnishing and one that will take continued www.suppliermagazine.com.au

vigilance to ensure industry can access training in these areas. This was one of the considerations in the Training Package review, which repackaged qualifications in thin market areas into more flexible specialisations.

However, the success of these initiatives depends on industry using them and conducting training.

“Industry involvement in training is critical,” said Gary Dunshea from Manufacturing Skills Australia (MSA). “From the continual improvement of Training Package components to training delivery and promotion of career pathways, industry plays a paramount role.

“When we collaborate, we get the best outcomes for industry. It really is the combination of a well informed Training Package, innovative training provision, both on and off the job, and participation from employers, that will drive future results for the furnishing industry.”

Innovation at the training level has also been delivering results.

The Australian Glass and Glazing Association (AGGA) saw apprenticeship completions increase after it introduced a mentoring system. The Australian Furniture Association (AFA) has been looking into running an installation accreditation program to encourage the take-up of cabinetmaking apprentices.

Improving access through online resources is also important. MSA claims its online training resources in kitchen and bathroom cabinetmaking have been downloaded more than

42,000 times to support training delivery. It now has a range of resources across most of the furnishing sectors that have been widely validated via a national network of teachers. The Carpet Institute of Australia developed a web-based tool to promote and explore careers in the carpet sector.

Competitions are another successful way to lift the profile of furnishing occupations. The recent Australian Furnishing Association Awards, KBDi Designer Awards, Furnitex Connect Expo and WorldSkills competition help to showcase furnishing talent and possibilities.

Earlier this year Holmsglen Institute took up a furnishing challenge that won the hearts and minds of many of its Furnishing Design and Technology students, and saw pieces of furniture created from a felled tree at Government House, Victoria. The project was managed by FurnITAC (the Victorian Furnishing Industry Training Advisory Committee) with students competing for the Minister for Higher Education and Skills Student Award.

There are many ways that industry can get involved, and the possibilities for creating new approaches to training and skill promotion are limited only by the imagination. Now is the time to increase the focus on innovative approaches to skill development and working together to strengthen training outcomes across the industry.

For more information contact Gary Dunshea, Industry Liaison Officer, Manufacturing Skills Australia.●

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Opinion

We need pioneers to move forward

By Rodney Brown, GoCabinets Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a pioneer? You know the first to achieve something no-one has ever achieved before.

How difficult would it have been for Charles Lindbergh, who, at the age of 25, flew solo non-stop from New York to Paris in 1927 – a distance of nearly 5,800 kilometres. In an instant he became world famous but that was not his reason for the flight. Yes, there was the Orteig Prize of $25,000 on offer for the first to achieve the crossing.

The prize was offered by a French born New York hotelier called Raymond Orteig.

Raymond initially offered the award in 1919. Six well known aviators had lost their lives attempting the crossing before Charles succeeded.

So what did drive Charles to try something so many people said was sheer lunacy?

What made him think it was possible? Why would he risk his life to achieve something six fellow aviators had paid the ultimate cost trying to do?

We are certain there are many different reasons for Charles wanting to attempt such a feat – the challenge, the fact that so many people said it could not be done, the money and the sheer joy of flying. Charles’ passion for flight was huge, from the moment he first flew in a plane it became his life’s obsession.

In a very short time he set and achieved many goals so many thought were unachievable.

For many who start a small business they do so knowing the industry within which we 24 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

work has existed for many decades and, in some cases, hundreds of years. For these industries we have a manual or guide book from which we can learn. The manual is not necessarily one you purchase from a shop – it is the history within the industry. We learn from the mistakes made by the trailblazers who broke down the barriers 10, 20 or 50 years before us. These existing industries like plumbing, building, electricians, graphic design, accounting, architecture, mortgage broker, mechanic, and so on, have a legacy, a history and a set plan on how to succeed.

So what happens within your chosen industry when you start to question how things are done? What happens when you start to develop a different way, a better way to achieve better results quicker?

Does the industry look at you and applaud? Or do they look at you and say: “That’s all very well but we’ve done it this way for 20 years and it works fine so why change it”.

Interestingly, for every single person who says that is a “great idea” you will have eight people who say “it’s not for me”. It is for this reason pioneers should be applauded for their persistence, their will to succeed and their ability to question the status quo. For without these pioneers we would still be walking around on all fours hunting and gathering and living day to day in survival mode.

When a pioneer has success we should celebrate. goCabinets recently reached

a wonderful milestone by registering its 900th member to its online cabinetry ordering system. Launched in 2013 by Gary Cannard, a 30 year veteran of the cabinet making industry, goCabinets, in its first two years, has gone from strength to strength; however, goCabinets continues to have its challenges. For starters, getting the industry to understand the software and what it does was and still is no easy task. Gary spent over $250,000 and three years of his life developing the software before it ever earned a dollar. Even now the cost of maintaining, updating and marketing goCabinets is a constant challenge.

So why would Gary commit so much money and time to an idea with no guarantee it was going to work? One thing through this whole process that has kept Gary going, through all the frustrations and rejections, was the belief that this was where his industry needed to be, even though it might not have been what the industry wanted or indeed thought they were ready for.

There is a clear distinction between the two – let me explain.

What a client wants may not be the best option but in most cases it is what they know. The job of an expert in any industry is to ascertain what the client’s objective is then to provide them with a solution that meets their objective. The solution may not have been what they were expecting or what they

wanted, but it was what they needed. goCabinets is a more productive, efficient, viable solution to so many problems, which exist within the cabinet making industry. As 900 plus members can attest, it is an extremely viable option for their cabinet making or building business. And as the next generation of cabinet makers and builders come through they will be looking to software like goCabinets to solve all their problems.

What these “johnny come latelies” to the industry understand is that computers and software are tools and if they can do the job quicker with less mistakes and then store all the information for easy access at a later date then let’s do it and do it now!

What the veterans of the industry struggle with, for the most part, is change. Change can be scary, but change can also be the best thing to ever happen to you. Do you know what can happen when you open up pandora’s box on change? A whole mountain of possibilities become available to you and you business.

So you do want to be a pioneer? How thick is your skin? How much frustration can you take? As it turns out if you find your calling, your passion and stick with it you’ll discover you can actually withstand quite a bit of negativity.

One last thought to ponder, no statue was ever made to celebrate a follower, they only make statues for the pioneers, the leaders. ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Software

Pytha viewer The free Pytha viewer, that the industry has all been asking for, is now available.

Until now the presentation of projects was limited to computers on which Pytha was installed. Now the demonstration is also possible on computers without Pytha so the customer can view your designs in 3D on their own computer.

Now it is no more necessary to carry your own precious laptop to the customer’s site.

The Pytha viewer lets you even turn layers on/off, highlight particular objects and measure distance or radius.

Plot sheets within the project can also be displayed.●

Pytha supports Oculus Rift

According to the manufacturer, the consumer version of the VR glasses Oculus Rift will be available in the first quarter of 2016. It comes with two built in small “screens”and movements of your head directly affect the representation of the scene.

Oculus has further announced a VR controller, with which the user will dive even deeper into the virtual world.

The Pytha team is already working with the newest developer kit. This promises even higher refresh rates, more fluid tracking and easier installation of the Rift hardware.

With the help of the Oculus Rift RadioLab scenes, created with the 3D CAD software Pytha, will turn into virtual reality. Move through scenes in real time and experience your building projects from tomorrow already today. ●

What’s Black & white and not Read all over?

Do you know someone who is vision impaired, has a disability, or can speak, but not necessarily read English – their second language; With 17 RPH stations around the country, there is a Radio Reading Service near you – or them – that will keep them in touch with the printed news and allow them to still enjoy a good book. Go to www.rph.org.au to find out which station is nearest and start a new chapter in their life.

Manufacturing

Top 10 technical innovations Philip Ashley reports.

The wood processing industry in Australia faces challenges as new technologies emerge.

Imports from countries with low production costs are a world-wide issue and Australian manufacturers rely on innovation and design to compete.

The internet is the tool of the century but makes us more susceptible to theft of intellectual property rights.

Our skilled workforce is ageing and fewer young people are entering the industry in the skilled trades.

Our wood processing industry needs to continually embrace change and innovation to make ends meet.

So what are the top ten innovations for the wood processing industries?

Everyone’s list will be different and at the risk of being corrected, here’s mine; just to get you thinking.

CNC machinery was developed in 1952 at MIT in the USA for the military aircraft industry but has been adopted almost universally where machines are used to process materials.

From the first machine with one routing spindle and three-axis, we’ve seen machines morph into many different adaptations of the one principle. Ironically, we seem to be back where we started with a single spindle, albeit on a five-axis machine but with a much more efficient manufacturing

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philosophy of doing all the machining at the one time, eliminating multiple set-ups.

The Internet makes my number two innovation but could easily have been first. The internet will provide information and connectivity that will be of continuing benefit to the industry as we move into the area of digitalisation (Industry 4.0). Data from your machines, tools, processes and even your product after it leaves your factory can be used to improve your manufacturing efficiencies beyond our current thinking.

Software comes in at number three and includes operating systems (Windows), machines, CAD and product design software. CNC was the first step but it really didn’t come of age until we added software. Products can be designed then broken into pieces for processing on your CNC equipment. Errors have been eliminated; lead-times reduced and costings finetuned. Software continues to evolve and will link to the Industry 4.0 initiative to provide even more benefits than it does today.

Lower cost machines are not so much an innovation as an economic development.

Not only does the modern machine do much more that it’s previous equivalent but it usually costs less. On the wall at Felder (NSW) there’s a receipt for a Luna 470 band-saw costing $3,100 in

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1986. Some 30 years later the same machine costs only $1,589 – that’s half price.

Nested based manufacturing has been championed

by Australian, the USA and United Kingdom manufacturers but is slowly gaining momentum from the rest of the world. It’s changed the way we make cabinets and enables manufacturers to stay in business when they might have been forced out of the industry.

Safety is a major issue in today’s modern manufacturing environment. The trade unions are largely credited with improving safety but it is the industry itself that has been instrumental in making the workplace safer. Case in point is the SawStop machine sold by Gabbett and Carbatec as only one example where technology can contribute to safety.

Machine diversification is about getting basic machines to do more.

Since the early 1980s, CNC machines have evolved into what we now know as “machining or processing centres” It’s all about doing more with the product and handling it less, meaning it gets out the door faster and makes manufacturing more efficient.

Tooling has long been dismissed as a secondtier cost but should be higher on the agenda.

Tooling has made significant leaps in recent years on the

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back of China locking up most of the world’s carbide deposits. Cutting tools are now highly efficient, long-lasting and contribute significantly to the quality of the manufactured product.

The “green” initiative is my number nine and a bit of a sleeper.

It’s the “unseen” technology and all the major machinery suppliers are buying into it. Suppliers save energy while making the machine, cutter, saw or power tool and engage in recycling programs at the end of the product life. More efficient motors are being installed in machinery by most companies and, in some cases, kinetic energy recovery, (used in Formula 1) is used, in particular on beam-saws.

Zero Join edging is my number ten. This might seem odd because it’s not something that’s made a big impact on Australian manufacturers. However, as 90% of Australian furniture manufacturing involves panel materials, the “seen” edge is of major importance. In addition, the advances in technology from Plasma through Laser and now hot air have been significant and ought to be recognised.

Have I missed anything?

I’m certain there are other views out there. Write in and let us know your thoughts.

We’ll put a brief revised list in the next issue if we get enough responses.●

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Manufacturing

Latest tooling trends A look at the latest tooling trends to see what’s out there and put tooling in the perspective it deserves. By Technical Editor, Philip Ashley.

Much gets written about machinery and rightly so.

If you’re spending several hundred thousand dollars on a CNC machine, you’ll want to do as much research as possible and the suppliers are eager to get their equipment into the trade media.

After you have made your purchase and amongst the real issues of space, power, extraction and training, you will need to think about how effectively the new machine will work. It’s time to think about the tools you need to make your machine as effective as possible. After all, your new machine is just a tool holder and won’t cut anything without a saw, router bit or cutter-head installed.

Let’s take a look at the latest tooling trends to see what’s out there and put tooling in the perspective it deserves.

Low-noise tooling Two years ago at Ligna 2013, AKE attracted attention with the new SuperSilent sawblade. We’ve reported on this before but noise is such a significant issue that it’s worth another mention (just in case you missed it).

AKE research found that much of the noise was caused by air movement generated by large gullets.

Their solution was simple – reduce the gullets and cut out the noise. The technology has become so successful that other companies are producing similar sawblades with similar results.

Most workplaces in the woodworking, furniture and joinery industries exceed a noise level of 85 dB. The noisiest processes are sawing and planing with noise levels between 83 and 103 dB, followed by milling with 82 to 94 dB (Source: University

of Stuttgart). Leuco and Leitz now also have low-noise blades they call “nn-system” (Leuco) and VectorCut (Leitz) with claimed noise reductions between 3dB and 6dB. AKE’s small-gullet sawblades also include a new chip guidance to more efficiently remove the chips from the gullet and preserve the cutting efficiency. The design won numerous awards world-wide and, unlike the first version, the blade can now be sharpened twice.

All these low-noise blades from any supplier will not only reduce noise but increase the tool life by up to 30% and save up to 10% in energy costs. You will find that the blades with the most noise deducing qualities have the smallest gullets and can only be re-sharpened a few times.

Blades with larger gullets may still have some (lesser) noisereducing qualities but can be

sharpened more often. You will need to get the balance of cost versus noise reduction that you are happy with.

These blades are mostly suitable for panel materials and your preferred supplier will be able to advise you on their suitability for your product.

Dust emissions and nesting Dust is a problem when routing on a CNC nesting machine. Your dust extraction system may be working perfectly but unless the dust is being directed into the chute, it’s not going to pick it up.

The issue here is whether or not you use an up or downcut tool for your work. An up-cut tool will provide some energy to get the dust into the extraction and, of course, the down-cut will pack the dust into the gap between the cut panels and help to keep the

Left: AKE SuperSilent saw Above: Leuco low-noise cutting

Left: Leitz DryCut Above: Leitz chip tools first released 1993

parts on the sacrificial sheet.

You may be using a down-cut on the first (onionskinning) pass and an up-cut on the finishing (sizing) cut.

You could also use a tool with both up and down cut properties (compression tools) to keep a clean edge on both faces of the melamine board.

In all cases you may want some help in removing the dust from the work surface.

Doing it by hand will slow up production and doing it mechanically (with a machine attachment) could be costly. A solution is to use a chuck with a built-in turbine.

Leuco developed the first tool holder of this type a few years ago and it’s been accepted very well in Australia. Leuco's Aerotech turbine and clamping system for router tools is available in both ISO and HSK types. The device uses a built-in turbine that lifts dust upwards where the dust extraction is more able to take it away.

The device needs to be matched to your machine by a tooling technician and there are two versions for cutting different materials. The turbine can be fitted with cutters up to 60mm diameter.

Aerotech is a monochuck HSK or ISO type tool. The ISO type is only available in a hydro version and as such is limited to speeds up to www.suppliermagazine.com.au

24,000 RPM, the speed of most CNC machines used in Australia.

Leitz also produce a turbine and both brands create strong, powerful suction that cleans your CNC as you rout and nest. The Leitz turbine is used in conjunction with their ThermoGrip CNC chuck system and provides a rigid link between the machine spindle and cutting tool. Rigid tool holding and optimised dust collection allow for the fastest possible routing while maintaining a clean work environment.

A clean work environment maximises worker productivity, machine output, workshop profitability and has been proved to extend the life of the tool because it’s not recutting the chips before they are extracted from the tool.

Recent developments Leitz engineers have designed special circular sawblades for applications on mobile crosscut saws and portable saws. These (eight times) re-sharpenable blades are called DryCut and cut steel, non-ferrous metals, plastics and compound materials without cooling. In addition, they are reported to be nearly spark-free.

Sandwich panels and trapezoidal sheets, very popular in Europe right

now, can be successfully sawn using DryCut circular sawblades with exceptional cutting results reported.

Product tests at the Leitz tool testing centre in Oberkochen have shown optimal performance in all materials and remarkable strength in cut quality throughout the product lifetime.

Karlheinz Tuschke, responsible for solutions in non-wood applications at Leitz, said: “This is due to the soldering technology used in Leitz production – a special tungsten carbide quality and strict quality control”.

Leitz DryCut circular sawblades can be used on Jepson, Bosch, Metabo, Mafell, Festool, Makita, Milwaukee and many other well-known brands.

Five-axis machines are becoming more popular as machine prices come down across all brands. An issue with cutting on a five-axis machine is getting a standard tool into the often complex shapes being produced by the machine. Tooling suppliers are now producing extra-long and slim collet chucks with a balance quality of G2.5 and capable of 36,000 rpm.

These collet chucks produce excellent surface quality even with a length of up to 124mm on the smallest diameter chuck.

Leitz recently presented the new generation of its ProfilCut tools – ProfilCut Q. In its premium version, this solution is claimed to offer the highest cutting speeds in the industry.

“Conventional systems reach their limit at cutting speeds of 80 to 90 metres (maximum) per second,” said Christian Wimmer, Head of Sector Management at Leitz in Riedau.

“This new Leitz generation of profile tooling is approved for cutting speeds of 120 metres per second. “This allows users to run higher feed speeds with the same number of teeth, increasing productivity and output,” he added.

Cutting on CNC machines used to be done mainly with straight shanked routing tools with two cutting tips. Over a period of time tooling manufacturers angled the cutters to create a shear action and this reduced wood tear-out. A few years ago Leuco took the shear angle to extremes with their p-system cutters that took the angle to 70 degrees. Not only is tear-out reduced but the tools seem to have a life way beyond what was expected of them. One manufacturer reports five million metres from one tool before it was sharpened and another claims ten times the life over standard cutters.

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Manufacturing

29 The p-system tools cost more than standard cutters but the life of the tool guarantees a good return from the investment plus a saving of all the down time changing tools and all the tool sharpening costs that would have been necessary with a standard tool. Leitz also has a similar tool with their EgdeExpert range of router bits and cutter heads but they are saying 50 degrees is the optimum angle.

I’m sure the industry will decide which tool works best.

The future “In the course of its life cycle, each tool produces data,” explained Andreas Kisselbach, Head of Research and Development at Leitz.

In the very near future, tools could exchange their data via Internet with network partners such as machine and tool service providers. The communication process within the network is automated, making active intervention by users unnecessary.

Kisselbach said: “Networked tools allow faster

Biesse five-axis

commissioning and higher process security”.

A considerable increase in productivity can be achieved.

The first prototypes of networked tools have already been produced by Leitz.

They contain tiny data chips with individual tool codes leading into a Cloud. There, data such as master and application data, critical and offset values, performance times and service cycles are saved and constantly updated.

Another Leitz project is for the development of engineering Apps being able

to collect different information from various production processes and make them available on your iPad or iPhone. In future, users will be able to detect critical operating states of machines and tools and will be in the position to collect operating data such as performance times.

These technologies are a response from Leitz to Industry 4.0 and we’ll cover this latest manufacturing principle in a future edition of Supplier.

Your cutting tools play a big part in your manufacturing process. CNC suppliers

recommend that tooling should equal upwards of at least 20% of the cost of the machine. Such is the value and effect a good tool contributes to your expensive machine investment.

The right tools last longer, cut better and are often quieter and run longer between sharpening. It pays to speak to your preferred supplier about the types of tools that can help your business grow. New tools are being developed all the time and there might be dollars to be saved just by making a simple phone call. ●

Create more with less waste “Since the introduction of retro-fit spiral cutters to the Australian Market some eight years ago, they are now the most exciting development in planing technology in over 60 years,” said Woodcraft Supplies’ Robert Gregory.

“Spiral cutters are 50% quieter, reduce sanding by

30 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

30% and maintenance of blades by 60%.

“Now the Makita 82mm electric hand planer can be retro-fitted with a true helix spiral cutter, tungsten insert knife system means dramatically improved durability, noise reduction and smooth timber finish,” he said.●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

The tour group.

Weinig industry tour

the Weinig tour was about $2,000 more than the basic Ligna cost and included eight technology visits in three countries. Not bad value considering there was an additional airfare,

five night’s additional accommodation and a tour bus. The 2015 Weinig technology tour kicked off in England but I joined the group in Gdansk, Poland.

32 This is our story.

Philip Ashley reports.

If you communicate with your equipment suppliers you may eventually be invited to join an industry tour.

These normally occur at trade shows where attendance at the show is combined with a number of factory visits to enhance the experience and justify the cost of an overseas trip. They can be planned to coincide with any major show and may often be offered between shows if interest is high or there are significant new products to release.

Biesse is currently promoting their Inside Biesse event to be held in Pesaro Italy in October and will focus on automation and software. Homag offer them regularly and SCM (Gabbett) will organise www.suppliermagazine.com.au

them on-demand. Most suppliers offer assistance in getting you to equipment users, especially in their country of origin.

I tagged along on Weinig’s recent industry tour to England, Poland and Germany, organised to coincide with the recent Ligna fair in Hannover, to see what goes on and what you can expect.

When you receive your invitation in the mail you’re going to either file it in the waste basket or put it aside to look at when I have time. You’re certainly going to ask yourself whether or not it’s worth it and what you’re going to get out of it. I’m a freelance journalist so I recover my costs from what I write and I asked myself the same questions.

To simplify the cost issue SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 31

Manufacturing 31 If you’re going with the group from Australia there’s not much organisation to worry about. If there are delays, the whole group will be delayed so you won’t be sitting around wondering how to reconnect with the group. I joined mid-way through the tour and had to get to Gdansk via Frankfurt with a one-hour connection.

If you’re organising anything yourself, be aware that, these days, an hour isn’t enough to catch your connecting flight. Even a small delay and you’ll find you cannot make the connection and may be waiting around for maybe even a full day, depending on your final destination. You may be better off spending a night before going on the next day. A hotel is so much better than a plastic airport chair, especially after a 24 hour flight from Australia.

I arrived in Gdansk to find the group had been delayed out of London (no surprise) so we met late in the evening – plenty of time for introductions and a few beers before retiring for the night.

These tours can be small and this one had less than 20 persons including myself and two Weinig hosts. Some of the guy’s brought their wives because they’re also involved in the business. The minibus was cosy, there was plenty to talk about, the scenery was great and everyone was getting on very well.

One of the things I noticed was that there was plenty of networking going on.

People were sharing ideas, telephone numbers, contacts and other information and I am sure that many manufacturing problems were solved during the three days I was with the group.

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Poldan Situated in Slawno, Poland, Poldan produces products from glued laminated timbers. They also produce high class window scantling and glued square timber for doors, pallets, briquettes and small holiday homes.

Poldan is a family company operating for over 30 years.

Initially, a dozen or so cubic meters of wood panelling were processed every month.

Because of the location of the plant in the Gdansk-Szczecin region that is abundant with high quality softwoods and a high demand for sawn timber and glued beams, a decision was made to extend the plant.

Poldan has two wood processing plants where raw material is processed from round-wood to finished goods such as plywood, window and door glued laminated scantling (three layers), solid wooden doors and houses, oak, beech and pine furniture boards and natural interior doors.

The plant in Slawno is equipped with state-of-theart machines manufactured

by Weinig. An extensive

range of machinery allows the production of high class window scantling, which satisfies the needs of the largest European customers (Italy, Germany, England, Ireland, France, Denmark and the Netherlands).

Their products carry the international FSC certificate and meet the wood gluing requirements as defined in the ITB Technical Approval no.

AT-15-2948/00.

The use of a single piece of wood in a window frame can allow the frame member to move as it is exposed to the weather. To eliminate this, Poldan laminates three thinner pieces to make up the dimension they want. The

resulting three-layer piece is less susceptible to movement.

A lucrative by-product of the company’s output is timber houses intended for the holiday market. The homes are placed mostly on the Baltic Sea as holiday homes. They’re not very large, but outdo a caravan by a fair margin. Poldan employs many skilled women to manually mark defects as they are more exacting than men and the job requires constant concentration.

Weinig Dimter equipment is used to crosscut at a very fast rate and this is followed by a finger joint machine to put the pieces back together again before moulding.

Left: Drewit screens Right: Huttemann wall members

Finger joints that are seen are either painted or covered with another material.

Ikea Ikea has many factories located around the world.

The Weinig tour was able to visit the plants in Stepnica and Goleniow, Poland. The Stepnica factory produces from logs to boards ready for furniture manufacture.

They saw, dry and process all of their own materials from locally grown trees. The Goleniow factory produces from boards to finished, packaged furniture.

Ikea makes a phenomenal amount of furniture – reported to be in the vicinity of 100 million pieces every year.

Getting in to any Ikea plant is not easy and the registration process (including copying of our drivers’ licences and fitting out with safety gear) took well over an hour.

No photos were allowed here but I can report that their factory uses many different brands of machinery.

The stacking and handling equipment is all Biesse; the edge banding is done with Homag machines and drilling

by Rilesa; Heesemann and Costa supplied the sanders; Weinig, Dimter, Raimann, Grecon and Waco provide the solid wood handling www.suppliermagazine.com.au

and processing equipment; Cefla provides the finishing equipment.

It is no secret that Ikea plays one supplier against the other to get the lowest price and the best deal for themselves.

A report by Gunde Odgaard, BAT-Kartellet, Denmark said that “Ikea is not a ‘good’ customer, though it is a large customer”.

Notwithstanding the criticism of Ikea, there is no doubt that the company is hugely successful and its Polish factories were wellworth the visit. Ikea has been benefitting from low cost, skilled Polish workforce since 1961 when it started manufacturing furniture there.

Poland is now Ikea’s largest producer of furniture in the world with 14 Swedwood plants. The company also has manufacturing links with 70 other Polish companies making upholstery covers to mattresses.

Drewit Drewit is located in Witnica, Poland and produces a range of products for the lower end of the market. The owner is always looking at new products and will even consider selling Drewit for the right price. His motto is: “It’s just like a pig” and the theory is that just like there are many

products available from the one pig, there are many diverse products available from wood.

His products are mainly garden furniture and products for the DIY market. Many products are finger jointed and, at first his customers would not trust that it would hold up in the weather.

He now offers to replace anything that falls apart.

Huttemann Our last visit was changed to Huttemann due to a plant shut-down at our originally scheduled visit. There was no problem there as the Huttemann visit was incredible. The company is located in Wismar, Germany and produces glued laminated beams. It’s the largest glulam warehouse in Europe and produces some of the largest sections the tour members had ever seen. Sections up to 24 metres long and 260mm X 1040mm were being produced while we were there but 50 metres and longer are possible!

The facility is operated almost entirely by computer and manual intervention is rare due to the speed the wood is being moved through the production by the (mostly) Weinig brand

equipment. Economical and ecologically sound wall sections based on the Lego principle are also produced there.

Summary So what did we learn? Well, no-one was unhappy with the tour and everyone got a good look at small, medium and large companies producing a range of products. It was clear that the larger companies with good market share need to produce only a few products because no-one else will invest the capital to compete with them and, of course, they are already established.

It was also clear that the smaller companies produced a more diverse range of products to satisfy a range of market demands and to more efficiently use all of their raw material.

For Weinig it was a chance to show off their machines in a much wider field of operation and for the participants it was a chance to refresh with new ideas, make new friends, do some networking and share some excellent Polish and German beer.

Next time you get an invite to a technology tour, give it a second thought; you won’t regret it. ● SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 33

Manufacturing

Traditional artisan meets high tech automation Biesse Rover A CNC 5-axis machining centre coupled with Biesse’s bSolid software has enhanced the company’s production capacity.

34 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

Master craftsman Athol Wright of CDF Studio in Tamworth is internationallyrenowned for his work. By installing a Biesse Rover A CNC 5-axis machining centre coupled with Biesse’s bSolid software he has enhanced his capacity to contribute to some new and exciting furniture making and showcase fit-outs for Australian flagship venues.

Athol describes this initiative that has improved the company’s performance as: “a traditional artisan gone high tech”.

Athol heads CDF Studio and works with leading Australian and international architects and designers.

The company has been making stunning timber furniture and undertaking stylish commercial fit-outs since 1996.

With commissions across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and elsewhere, CDF Studio work is widely recognised for its design flare, superior craftsmanship and attention to detail.

An example of Athol’s work can be seen in Sydney's Rocks precinct – one of the city’s hotspots – now further improved by the newest local, the Grain, a bespoke bar at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Positioned overlooking Sydney’s George and Alfred Streets at Circular Quay and designed by award-winning architect Michael McCann, Grain brings a strong local www.suppliermagazine.com.au

36

“Zero-Glue-Line” Evolution AirForce System is Biesse’s award winning robust, affordable hot air edgebanding solution. The revolutionary AirForce System developed by Biesse now allows companies of all sizes access to invisible glue line quality achieved by laser edges without the need of a complex and expensive laser system.

No Glue Seamless joints Stronger bonds

1 300 BIESSE (1300 243 773) We have a Biesse showroom near you biesse.com.au

Using hot air technology the edge tape is perfectly bonded to the panel and is resistant to peeling which creates a stronger bond. This guarantees a superior product which is highly resistant to heat, water penetration and humidity, resulting in an excellent finish that will last for years.

Manufacturing 34 bar feel to the city's harbour front. Its many highlights include a floating up-lit bottle wall, large grained wooden artisan entry doors; a large central fireplace, and retractable glass windows, which open to views of the harbour over a beautiful native garden.

The bar's entrance features an artisan sand-blast carved New Guinea rosewood timber floor-to-ceiling wall panel sitting behind a custom designed and built glass topped Tasmanian oak timber ‘skeleton’ table – all designed and made by the Tamworth master craftsman.

Both the hotel lobby and George Street entrance have custom designed timber doors featuring a patchwork of differing Australian hardwoods and all hand-made by Athol.

Immediately noticeable on the the executive level of the hotel is the emphasis on timber, with floor planking, tables and chairs, display

36 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

cabinets, wine storage, private dining area and a huge butcher’s block. There is also a 15-metre bar flanking the entry in roughly hewn salvaged Victorian red gum and a large communal American oak table. Once again, Athol’s expertise underpins much of the design and manufacturing.

Along with others CDF Studio’s Rover A is a powerful yet compact 5-axis router that is an ideal solution for manufacturing solid wood.

With a wide range of sizes and configuration, the Rover A is ideally suited for both small and large shops that need to manufacture a wide variety of components in small batches.

The 5-axis operating section, equipped with 360 degree continuous rotation on the vertical and horizontal axes, enables the machining of complex shaped pieces ensuring quality, precision and absolute reliability.

As is the case at CDF Studio, the Rover A CNC router series with 5-axis capacity can be readily linked to bSolid software.

While bSolid has intuitive and advanced 3D drawing tools, the software also works with common 3D CAD files.

Chief executive officer for Biesse Oceania, Luke Tenaglia said that Biesse has put a huge effort into systems integration.

“Linking machines together is increasing important for larger companies – not just loading and unloading, but entire manufacturing systems and processes,” he explained.

He said Biesse’s software and machine interface systems are complex, but not complicated. “We have made a substantial investment in developing our own software and operating systems, plus systems that integrate individual machine intelligence – now most certainly a leading component of our offering to our customers.”

Biesse’s Australian software specialist, Bart Carr, said this means designing can also be done in a third party

drawing software program.

"Importing and sending your designs to the machine is really easy and it provides greater flexibility in working and designing methods."

One of the most impressive features of bSolid is its ability to virtually test run a job with a 3D on-screen simulation of the job in real time. This sophisticated element allows for monitoring of the job and minimises the impact of programming errors by predicting any issues and allowing interception prior to job being run on real materials with real tools.

"The bSolid unparallel collision detection technology can save the operator a lot of trouble. If there's a tool out of place, or something is in the way of the tool path, it will show up in the virtual simulation with a collision warning. The error can then be rectified and a machine ‘crash’ avoided," said Bart.

“Obviously this can mean big savings on time and wastage. This is all made more accurate via detailed 3D modelling of the machine, the individual tools and various machining components.” ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Rover C9 Edge with lightweight panel.

Jayco: that’s freedom From the budget conscious Songbird campers and pop-up caravans of the 1970s, Jayco now produces Australia’s largest range of quality recreational vehicles.

The company makes eight different types or RVs and park cabins and their production figures are very impressive. Almost one in every two recreational vehicles sold in Australia is a Jayco and, in 40 years, 170,000 have been produced. Fifty four recreational vehicles roll off the production line every day.

With dozens of different layouts and a wide range of finishes, Jayco aims to give the customer exactly what they want. To help achieve this goal, owner Gerry Ryan and his team turned to Biesse to produce their extensive range of often complex interior cabinetry.

Jayco’s investment in Biesse machines is as impressive as the company’s extensive range of products. No less than 14 major pieces of Biesse equipment occupy one of the seven large buildings www.suppliermagazine.com.au

on the 20 hectare property in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong South; a total of 60,000m2 under roof – five CNC machining centres include a Rover A and Rover B flat table machines and two Skill 1224 nesting machines with automatic labelling, working two shifts.

The machines produce a range of parts including floors and every standard, custom-made or oddly-shaped cabinet that goes into a modern RV. As manufacturing manager (pre-assembly) Chris Tibb explained: “We’re fitting square boxes into curved spaces where every millimetre needs to be used efficiently. This requires design and machining capabilities beyond normal cabinet type work”.

The CNC machining centres also include a Biesse Rover A Edge and a Rover C Edge machine to rout a shape and apply and finish ABS

edge to even the smallest of components in the one cycle, thanks to clever processing techniques.

Caravan components are often made with lightweight materials – something that’s finding its way into interior joinery in Europe but not used much here. Lightweight panels of laminated plywood with a Styrofoam core are easily and expertly processed on the Biesse equipment. These two machines are complemented by five additional Biesse CNC flat-bed nesting or single-part processing machines. Amazingly, one of these CNC machines is 14 years old, which proves they stand the test of time.

To cut the huge range of panels required for the highlevel of production, Jayco has invested in three Biesse beam saws – two with twinpushers and one of these two with a turning function (Selco EBTR120) to align grain

direction. Due to the volume of work, Jayco rear-loads the saws in packs and book-cuts in stacks up to 110mm in height.

Custom Australian JNC software takes the parts from caravan orders and puts them into nested patterns. All the square sections are done on the three beam saws and all the curved sections are cut in nesting patterns on the CNC routers. The oldest of the three beam saws, a WNT600, is showing signs of cosmetic wear after ten years (over 30,000 hours) but the machine still functions perfectly.

In addition to these, four edge banders, including the recent purchase of a Stream B1, produce edged panels designed for long-life in the diverse range of adverse climatic conditions in which the RVs will be used.

The Stream B1 was designed and tested for 38 SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 37

Manufacturing

Lightweight panels cut on Biesse CNC.

37 Jayco’s lightweight product that is machined with its plastic surface (protective) film still intact. The Biesse Stream handles this very light but tough product with ease. The Stream was also designed to allow a possible future addition of Biesse’s Air Force zero glue-line technology should the need arise. In 2016 a further purchase of a very special double-sided Stream edge bander will be installed and this will be capable of applying and trimming pieces that are not flat.

Biesse has shown they are able to meet Jayco’s present and future production needs.

A number of smaller hand-fed edge-banding equipment has been supplied by Biesse to handle small, curved profiles.

Jayco remains one of the most competitive brands in the market, able to produce at a price point that leaves the competition in their wake. To do this, their equipment must be fast, flexible and reliable.

Operating over two shifts every day, Jayco cannot afford machines that are unreliable or fail to operate at the very highest standard.

Biesse delivers with equipment that, in some cases, is over ten years old and still produces consistently every single day.

38 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

Over the last several years, Jayco worked with Biesse to specify exactly the type and specifications a machine needs to suit their unique manufacturing needs and Biesse has been able to accommodate all their needs.

Spare parts are delivered promptly and, when it’s needed, service is always readily available.

When the oil crisis hit in the early 1970s many families downsized to four cylinder vehicles. In fact, by the mid 1980s, Holden and Ford were being replaced by Camry and Magna as the preferred family vehicle. At the same time the major caravan makers were building 30 to 40 foot caravans. The stage was set for a new product and so the Jayco story began.

This year, Jayco celebrates its 40th anniversary as an Australian-owned family business. It hasn’t always been easy but Jayco survived the economic downturn of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s through sound business management leading to numerous awards including the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame for founder, Gerry Ryan. Jayco also gives something back to Australia, supporting various sporting codes such as cycling, motorsport and basketball.

The order books are now full as Australia’s ageing

baby-boomers hit the road in search of adventure and discovery. As the largest supplier of recreational vehicles to the domestic market, Jayco is well-placed to meet the current and future demand. Buyers are savvy on what they want so Jayco loosely follows European design trends while keeping true to Australian performance and quality expectations.

Biesse machines meet Jayco’s expectations for quality, performance and reliability. As production foreman Troy Wilkins said: “We push our Biesse

machines to the max and they perform. Biesse is very good at providing what we want and whatever Jayco has asked for, Biesse has delivered”.

Gerry Ryan started making camper trailers in a cow shed in Cranbourne (Victoria).

Humble beginnings for sure but, from the initial eight employees, Jayco has grown to become the market leader with 46% of the market. The remaining 54% is divided between the other 80 (approximate) companies building recreational vehicles in Australia.

Such dominance is only achieved by hard work and smart decisions. As Gerry Ryan said: “I figured if I could struggle through that first year we’d last a lot longer. Well, we made it ... must have been doing something right.”

One of Jayco’s many clever decisions was to invest in Biesse for its cabinet manufacturing and this decision has certainly paid off. ●

Pictured (above) Assembly line and (below) Rover A 1343 ATS Edge-banding.

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Beating the odds Halls Gap is an Australian town, the capital of the Grampians National Park and surrounded by a splendid natural environment.

This is the landscape where Tim Butler lives, a carpenter seduced by the landscape and by the wood of the River Red gum (Eucalyptus Camaldulensis), a tree which finds its ideal habitat along the edge of rivers and water courses.

In his workshop, Grampians Furniture, he breathes life into pieces of furniture that are a physical expression of this land: solid wood, worked with passion using traditional methods, and with finishes that highlight the beautiful colour of the material, along with a style

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

which communicates nature, simplicity and warmth.

Butler’s mastery is widely appreciated – his reputation has surpassed the boundaries of the Grampians National Park region, and his work is known in neighbouring provinces and other states throughout Australia.

But a few years ago, Tim Butler was the victim of a serious accident: during one of his rides into the magnificent natural landscape of Australia, along the Grampians National Road, the passionate motorcyclist came across a kangaroo. The fall was very serious: he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage, a skull fracture, as well as a broken clavicle, scapula,

four ribs, and a hand and a punctured lung. The doctors saved him and he emerged from his coma, but they couldn’t hide the facts from him – he would never be able to work again. The part of his brain that was damaged regulates co-ordination and the organisation of actions in a precise sequence – without even taking into consideration the limits imposed on his arm movement by the fracture of his clavicle and hand.

For a carpenter, this news was enough to snuff out any remaining hope.

“The news hit me hard,” commented Butler, “but I wouldn’t let myself be beaten: I decided to fight, to continue to live my life, and to do the things I loved, the things I knew how to do.”

And so began a long period of treatment and rehabilitation.

Little by little, the situation began to improve and Tim Butler was able to return to his workshop, among his tools and sheets of River Red Gum wood.

However, everything was more difficult than before, until the day where a much-anticipated new

piece of equipment arrived at Grampians Furniture – a cutting edge Minimax Cu 410 Elite S universal combined woodworking machine, the first of its kind ever made in this product range.

“An Italian dream machine,” as Butler defined it. “A combined machine that is so powerful and intelligent that is has allowed me to do many of the things I once did again.”

It arrived on the 23 December, the day before Christmas Eve and Butler’s birthday – perhaps not by chance…

“The absolute precision and automatic functions that this machines boasts have helped me enormously,” he added.

“All I need to do is press the correct buttons to get exactly what I want, with some stunning results.

“I remember that one of the first pieces I worked on with this universal combined machine was a table leg. It was like it had already been smoothed off, such was the quality of the cut. I decided to varnish it and keep it as an example of what I could achieve with my new Minimax!” ●

SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 39

Manufacturing

Design to production SCM Group has had a long standing relationship with Ligna, the leading trade show for forestry and the woodworking industry, held in Hannover, Germany. The SCM stand at the 2015 show was dominated by a fascinating structure that demonstrated how digital productions that use design software and extremely sophisticated technologies, and their ability to communicate with each other, can open new horizons.

Behind a structure of this calibre is the work, research and experiments of Federico Rossi, associate professor at the School for the Built Environment and Architecture at the London South Bank University.

“The research world is increasingly interested in “design to production”: in other words, technologies that can transfer complex design geometries to the language of a machining unit and a numerical control work

40 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

centre,” explained Rossi. “We have been conducting this applied research with SCM Group for a few years. For us it’s a great opportunity to experiment and test how our ideas can be developed in the day to day work of a company. A digital approach to production that, in the not too distant future, will feature significantly in all sizes of companies.”

All this led to Streaming Innovation, the structure in the middle of SCM Group’s main stand at Ligna 2015 and featured on the group’s new advertising campaign.

“This year we wanted to try a different and more advanced three dimensional structure that expresses the complexity of the surfaces and volumes that can be obtained easily and quickly with five-axes machining processes”, explained Rossi.

“Masses and volumes that intersect each other like roots represent SCM Group and its ability to provide machines and technologies that, placed

together in the right sequence, complete a production process, whatever it may be.

“Complex shapes,” continued Rossi, “that recall nature and, at the same time, the concepts that are at the heart of the movements through space of the tool in a five axes machine.

“This unique flowing, three dimensional, technological installation marries aesthetics and wood to create various spaces, comfortable areas and passages through which visitors can access the stand. The whole installation has obviously been produced with SCM Group’s numerical control machines ... a monumental and concrete demonstration of the infinite potentials that can be achieved with the group’s skills and ability to work in any spatial dynamic and any shape, to bring to life any idea, even the most ambitious,” concluded Federico Rossi.

Naldini Arredamenti has had a long standing

partnership with SCM Group’s technologies.

“For a small company like ours being able to contribute to the creation of SCM Group’s stand, a colossus in woodworking technologies, for Ligna 2015, the most important trade show in the world for our sector, makes us extremely proud. The fact that the project was by Federico Rossi, makes it even more exceptional.”

This was how Gabriele Naldini described his recent experience. His workshop produced the parts that brought to life the gigantic Streaming Innovation structure.

Gabriele, who is the second generation of the family run company, Naldini Arredamenti of Forlì, started working in the mid-eighties. At the time the company consisted of a small workshop in San Martino in Strada, close to Forlì, that was soon rendered obsolete by new projects and ideas. The progressive move towards

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Pictured (above) Gabriele Naldini overseeing the construction of the stand and (opposite) the SCM Group stand at Ligna 2015 under construction.

producing furniture for shops and chemists lead Naldini to new markets and, in 2004, they took the decision to radically change the company with a new plant, new technologies and new objectives.

Today, Naldini Arredamenti, thanks to its technical and production staff and a consolidated group of external workers, sees a constantly growing turnover.

All their work is rigorously custom, from the design to

the installation. They provide a complete service of an extremely high quality with a constantly growing interest in commercial, contract and residential furniture.

“We have taken an even more radical leap forward with the purchase of a new SCM group five axis work centre,” Gabriele said. “Now we can work in all three dimensions and meet all the requirements of designers that are increasingly working with this approach, with products that we would never have been able to produce manually.

“But, what really changed us, was embracing the new numerical control technologies. The first centre that we bought was a SCM Tech Z2, which literally launched us on another planet. We managed to survive the initial and extremely difficult years of this recession thanks to this choice.

“There was an extremely tough selection during which the numerical control machine allowed to continue growing and win complex jobs that previously we wouldn’t have been able to do.”

Once the initial difficulties were overcome, Naldini now employs a ‘numerical control approach’ to its work: “Every order is designed, planned and produced by taking into account everything that we can do with our SCM work centres, which are absolutely perfect for our requirements,” he said.

Represented in Australia

by Gabbett Machinery, the SCM group name is synonymous with with digital craftsmanship – a definition that encapsulates a new way of working that is not solely limited to large companies or large production lines, but increasingly available to anyone. ●

New panel saw from SCM Gabbett Machinery has unveiled SCM Group’s new and improved SI400Nova panel saw, now with a 3.8m sliding table option. Already popular throughout Australia as a 3.2m machine, this added function makes the Nova capable of handling any panel size.

The Nova range also features the largest motor in its class, so no matter whether you’re machining MDF panel or solid timber, the Nova eats through it comfortably. You’ll also have a motor that is working well within its normal capacities – ensuring it has a long, easy working life. www.suppliermagazine.com.au

It is often thought that a sliding table system can make or break a panel saw – if it doesn’t work, your saw doesn’t work.

The hardened steel slide system pioneered by SCM Group contains a patented assembly system. Zero interference fit on the table means the sliding table is durable and accurate.

The new SI400 Nova panel saw uses a large panel support, helping the operator to comfortably use the machine. Two large flipover reference stops and oversized aluminium fences make this a great machine to spend time using.

SCM Group’s engineering is second to none – a fact backed by the ten year warranty. Designed for the Australian cabinetmaker, the SI400 Nova features 3.2m or 3.8m sliding table capacity; 400mm maximum blade capacity; a scoring saw and an overhead safety guard.●

SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 41

Manufacturing

Achieve optimum compressed air Kaeser Compressors recently launched its second generation master compressed air management system. The new Sigma Air Manager (SAM 2) is the even more powerful second generation version of the highly successful master controller from Kaeser.

Amongst its numerous features, SAM 2 maximises the efficiency of all components within the compressed air station.

For the user this translates into reduced energy costs, improved efficiency and sophisticated energy management as per ISO 50001.

A PC-based master compressed air management system, the SAM 2 allows the compressed air user

to manage all of their compressed air production and treatment components from one single unit.

For optimum energy efficiency, the SAM 2 uses Kaeser’s advanced 3-D Control to analyse the relationship between three key factors: switching losses (start/stop), control losses (idling and frequency conversion) and pressure flexibility (average increase above required pressure).

Based on this information and the specific pressure required by the user, the SAM 2 then predictively calculates the optimum achievable configuration and adjusts the connected components accordingly.

Operating status, pressure history, free air delivery,

power consumption, as well as maintenance and any error messages can all be easily displayed and analysed on the SAM 2 in both real-time and retrospectively from the user-friendly 12-inch colour touchscreen.

It is also possible to see at a glance whether the compressed air system is operating in the “green zone” from an energy management perspective. Alternatively data can be accessed remotely using a PC and network connection.

The SAM 2 from Kaeser has also been designed to accommodate potential future expansion of a compressed air system. A simple software upgrade is all that is required to meet these new requirements. No additional

hardware investment is necessary.

The extensive benefits of the SAM 2 are expanded even further when combined with the Sigma Network. Created

by Kaeser, Sigma Network is a highly secure, closed Ethernet network that has been specifically developed to support optimal monitoring and coordinated control of compressed air stations. Users of the Sigma Network are able to enjoy significant cost savings and maximum service convenience as a result of rapid data availability and evaluation.

Supporting operation in 30 languages, the SAM 2 can boost operational reliability and efficiency, as well as significantly reduce energy costs. ●

The magic lies in the detail Homag Australia has recently introduced a new nesting cell solution: the Weeke Vantech – a versatile multi-talent that truly works for everybody.

42 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

The Vantech highlights include: • gantry style; • dual drive for highest precision over the total working width;

• two synchronised digital servo-drives in X-direction;

• extremely high acceleration 96 m/min vector speed; • the whole working field is reachable with all processing tools. ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Manufacturing

Altendorf, the saw

By Technical Editor, Philip Ashley.

In 2006 Altendorf celebrated 100 years: quite an achievement for any company in the modern era.

The pedigree is undeniable and, despite strong competition from other quality manufacturers, Altendorf maintains its market position even though the company produces only one type of woodworking machine.

Earlier this year I visited Sven Kostross at Altendorf in Minden, Germany, to take a look at their production plant and to find out why this machine is so highly regarded. Some of my research come from the book “The Saw, 100 years of the Altendorf sliding table saw”.

However humble, this is my short version of the Altendorf story.

Altendorf was founded in 1906 by Wilhelm Altendorf and the company is still managed by the Altendorf family. The electric motor had been invented in 1873 and ball bearings in 1899 so the stage was set for a number of machinery inventions that would only slow down after

the Second World War. The surface planer and band-saw had already been invented but there was no safe way of straightening wooden planks or cutting plywood – the common panel material of the time.

Wilhelm Altendorf invented the sliding table panel saw in 1906 and this machine type is possibly the mostused of any machine in the cabinet shop. A cabinet maker by trade, Wilhelm passed his master craftsman’s certificate in cabinet making and furniture design before working as a (shop-fitting) furniture designer in Berlin.

In 1906 he started his own business but was not satisfied with the available machinery of the time. As the saying goes: “Necessity is the Mother of Invention” so Wilhelm decided to build his own machinery.

Adding a sliding table to a bench saw sounds simple now but, in 1906, it was quite a breakthrough.

Wilhelm went on to design and build many new machines. Technology Wilfried and Tom Altendorf with Philip Ashley.

44 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

was un-stoppable and, in 1913, Henry Ford established the assembly line and revolutionised seriesproduction. Altendorf made band-saws, thicknessers, lathes and other machinery largely from wood, not iron and this was to reduce vibration. They were half the price of iron machines, offered savings in electricity and saved 300% on freight costs.

Business was booming and Altendorf machines were in high demand. Wilhelm was deferred from military service during the 1914-18 war and in, 1919, when Berlin became embroiled in civil strife, he decided to move back to his home town of Minden.

During this period the Ruhr area of Germany experienced unprecedented population growth and, as furniture companies flourished in the region, so did Altendorf. Some of the largest kitchen companies in Europe are located in the area. In 1920 Wilhelm patented a wooden-frame construction for housing on the basis of a vertical, selfsupporting wooden frame and constructed a number of apartment buildings that can still be seen in Minden today. This was the time

of the Bauhaus movement, which was also interested in prefabricated construction and simplicity of form.

Wilhelm Altendorf had done most things right up until now but the company could not withstand the international economic crisis of 1929.

Within a short time, 18% of Germany’s population became unemployed.

Altendorf decided that to stay in business, only a few machines could be produced and one of these was of course the sliding table panel saw.

In 1929, Willy Altendorf (Wilhelm’s son) graduated as an engineer and, within a few years, Altendorf had designed and patented a double sliding table saw with height adjustment of the blade. About this time the company decided that, due to pressure from the mechanical engineering association, its machines would be made from steel.

It is prudent to mention at this point that, during WW2, Wilhelm struggled against Nazi administration to keep his company alive.

Companies not producing armaments saw difficult times and, in response, a range of innovative children’s furniture was produced that had multiple uses. www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Assembling the roller table.

Altendorf survived the war with only minor loss. In the years following the conflict, Altendorf continued to make machines from wood due to materials shortages and, very often, machines would be sold in part-exchange for heating materials, bicycle tyres and even cigars.

In 1947 the Export Trade Show was held in Hanover and went on to become an annual event. Many specialised trade shows developed from this and the leading Ligna trade fair is one of those. Altendorf is the only woodworking machine manufacturer to have taken part in this show continuously since its inception.

It’s about this time that the first WA80 machines were produced with a cast-iron frame and, despite criticism from outside Altendorf, in 1956 the company decided to specialise in only one type of machine – the sliding table saw.

By 1958 the company was producing 40 machines a month and had full order books but other companies were reverse-engineering the machine and bringing out copies. Germany was becoming well-known for its manufacture of quality goods such as cars, whitegoods, televisions and, of course, woodworking machines. www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Altendorf’s contribution was the aluminium sliding table, which, when added to the double-roller carriage developed in the 1930s, could support the world’s longest sliding saw table at five metres.

Altendorf laid the foundation for its international success in the 1980s and was sold in Australia through agents including Scandex, Allwood, Furnco and Forest Machinery. The first Altendorf Australia showroom was opened in Melbourne in 1988 by Hans-Peter Schwager and handed over to Rick Lee, and recently, Vit Kafka. Mature readers may remember the earlier directors John Bradley, Peter Elsworth, Ross Bunker and Edward Devine, who all worked for Schwager as he ran the Australian branch from his home in Switzerland.

The new Altendorf Altendorf was changing and, in 1993, the new Altendorf was released at the Ligna fair to the sounds of Irish rock band U2.

This was the first time Altendorf had brought in an external product design team but all the essential elements of the successful saw design were still present in the new machine.

A modernisation of the factory was to ensure that a more automated and quality oriented production could be maintained. The noble grey and green machine has identified the Altendorf F45 until May this year.

Within two years Altendorf had developed their C-class machines to close the gap between the technicallyadvanced F45 and low-cost products in the world markets Altendorf was trying to penetrate.

A number of technical developments arrived on the back of the new machines. These include computerisation (C.A.T.S.), Vario-Drive, the Rapido scoring blade, the Duplex DD angle fence and the TTP Servo-Drive. In addition to these developments, Altendorf has also looked at its original double-roller carriage but has been unable to find a better solution for distributing the torsion from the material into the saw carriage.

Altendorf maintais a comprehensive testing facility and test-cuts a wide range of materials including lightweight panels and materials used in military vehicles.

Of course the Altendorf saw has been copied. I personally remember an Australian made saw being referred to as The Australian Altendorf. It wasn’t even close and we sold it a year after we purchased it. Recently I was told at an AWISA fair that: “Our sliding table is like an Altendorf”.

And, of course, you may have seen copies such as the Lignadorf machine from Taiwan. The Chinese are of the opinion that you should be proud that they copied your machine and not someone else’s. Of course, Altendorf now manufactures in China in Qinhuangdao for the local market.

The new, new Altendorf At Ligna this year Altendorf released its new range of machines. The green is gone and the machine is now two shades of grey. The new frame allows you to stand much closer to the machine and the sliding table received a few design tweaks. All the controls are on a new control panel at eye level, not on the machine base.

The machine is now sold much like a car. You select the model; add one of the three controllers of your choice; any of the four options “packages” and then other options from a comprehensive list. Altendorf re-invented its product and, after over 100 years, it’s still regarded by many as one of the finest machines available.

Altendorf now makes 2,600 machines a year and has 135,000 machines installed around the world.

Some are still working even after 50 years. Eighty percent of all the parts in an Altendorf come from within 200km of the Minden assembly plant; 57% of Altendorf machines are exported and, in 2014, the company had a turnover of 35 million Euro.

Altendorf believes it is strong enough to connect quality, price and performance and is highly optimistic about the future of what is really an institution for the wood trades.●

The first Altendorf.

SupplierSeptOct 2015 | 45

Events

OCTOBER 2015 6-9 BWS Eisenwaren 2015

nternational trade fair for woodworking processing, fittings, carpenter supplies, joinery- requirements, ironware, tools, do it yourself and security systems

Salzburg, Austria http://www.bwsmesse.at 6-9

DREMA Furnica 2015 International Trade Fair of Machines and Tools for the Wood and Furniture Industries

Poznan, Poland http://www.drema.pl/en/ 13-16 SICAM 2015

Exhibition of components, semi-finished parts and accessories for furniture industry

Pordenone, Italy http://www.exposicam.it

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NOVEMBER 2015 3-5 Win-Door 2015

Trade fair for window and door industry

Toronto, Canada http://windoorshow.com

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5-7

WMS 2015 Woodworking Machinery & Supply Expo

Toronto, Canada http://www.woodworkingnetwork. com/wms-event

Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au Website: www.suppliermagazine.com.au PUBLISHER Vicky Cammiade Email: vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au GROUP MANAGING EDITOR

11-14 Fenestration 2015

International exhibition on windows, doors, skylights and curtain wall technology, components and prefabricated units

Shanghai, China http://www.fenestration.com.cn/ fenestration2014/index_en.jsp

Jennifer Curtis Email:jennifer.curtis@elitepublishing.com.au TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Philip Ashley philipneilashley@yahoo.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Ashley Cooper ashley.cooper@elitepublishing.com.au

14-17 VietnamWood & Furnitec 2015

International woodworking industry fair, furniture, fitting components & accessories exhibition

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam http://www.vietnamwoodexpo.com 14-17 Window & Doors Vietnam 2015

Glass technology exhibition

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam http://www.glasstechvietnam.com/ window&doors.asp

25-27 IFFT Interior Lifestyle Living 2015

Interior lifestyle Iiving international furniture fair

Tokyo, Japan http://www.ifft-interiorlifestyleliving.com

Georgia Gilmour georgia.gilmour@elitepublishing.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN Uber Creative – Annette Epifanidis Mobile: 0416 087 412

JANUARY 2016 16-19 Domotex Contractworld 2016

World trade fair for floorcoverings

Hannover, Germany http://www.domotex.de

Email: annette@ubercreative.com.au www.ubercreative.com.au PRODUCTION For artwork and production enquiries please email: production@elitepublishing.com.au PRE-PRESS

20-23 ExpoMOBILIARIO 2016

International furniture fair

Mexico City, Mexico http://www.magnaexpomueblera.mx

21-23 CIKB 2015

China International Kitchen and Bathroom Expo

Shanghai, China http://www.cikb.com.cn

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Prominent Digital PRINTED BY Prominent Press Pty Ltd OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES

28-31 Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair 2015

Hong Kong, China http://www.hktdc.com/fair/hkbdh-en

20-23 ExpoPromueble 201

International exhibition of woodworking machinery and raw material for the furniture industry

Mexico City, Mexico http://www.magnaexpomueblera.mx/ Promueble/

Representative Agent for Taiwan,China and Hong Kong, Robert Yu,Worldwide Services Co Ltd,11F-B, No. 540 Wen Hsin Road, Section 1,Taichung, 408, Taiwan Tel: +886 4 2325 1784 Fax: +886 4 2325 2967 Email: sales@wwstaiwan.com ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD PUBLISHERS OF: Supplier Magazine, FB Magazine, Flooring Magazine

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46 | SupplierSept/Oct 2015

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