Digital solutions for joiners

apps and assistants from HOMAG

Digitalization in woodworking shops is a hot topic in the industry — but what's the best way for a company to approach this transformation? There are many approaches, options and strategies — but which path is the right one?

Companies from the carpentry and woodworking industry often face the same questions as they search for a solution tailored to their requirements.

• What software tools, apps and digital products are available?

• Can I try them out easily and without having to invest a large amount of money?

• Are there simple solutions that can eliminate various obstacles in my day-to-day work (e.g. when organizing materials or sorting parts)?

• Is there a way to slowly approach using digital assistants?

To answer these questions, HOMAG has developed powerful and smart solutions. The intelligent assistants and apps enable carpenters and woodworking shops to support their individual workstations during specific operations. Companies can use the assistant that best fits their requirements as a starting point and then add other solutions if needed. Small and medium-sized businesses are collaborating with HOMAG to take a step-by-step approach to digitalization.

Almost all digital assistants can be used as individual components, depending on requirements. Companies can test most of the HOMAG apps free of charge for 30 days before deciding. Once a company has found a solution for starting the digitalization process, it can simply order its apps monthly or take out an annual subscription, as needed.

All HOMAG solutions can be run directly in an Internet browser or as an app on a laptop or tablet, so time-consuming software installations are no longer required. What's more — it means that all applications are always automatically up to date.

Digital assistants and apps: The explanation

HOMAG offers various digital assistants that differ in their scope of delivery. On the one hand, HOMAG supplies complete product sets that include an app package as well as various other elements, such as label printers, designs for sorting shelves and LED strips (to make the shelves "intelligent" for "pick by light" operations). The HOMAG CUBE always plays a central role in any solution: This intelligent control box uses the Internet to connect apps to shelves and label printers to ensure optimum interaction between people, apps and other elements in the work environment.

In addition to the product sets, HOMAG also offers apps that can be ordered as stand alone solutions and used on a laptop or tablet with a high degree of flexibility and ease.

All edgebands at a glance

How can I store my edgeband coils in a way that is clear and tidy? How can I manage stocks of edgeband coils and find edges quickly? How do I make sure that enough edge material is still available?

These and similar questions may be on carpenters' minds as they move toward greater control and efficiency in handling their edges. The solution is called “Edgeband Management Set“.

With this digital assistant, carpenters have a complete overview of all the information about their edge material and they can quickly find the right edgeband at any time. The app and the HOMAG edgeband rack offer a permanent overview of stock of edge material (e.g. ABS edgebands, melamine edging, aluminum edging). The printer can also be used to create labels to identify the edges.

The “Edgeband Management Set” is a plug-and-play system that the carpenter can easily install himself and adapt to his own needs. Included are a proposal for a construction plan for the edge rack, the LED strips, the required apps "materialManager" and "materialAssist Edge" and a label printer for marking the edges. The HOMAG CUBE is the heart of the system. It is the interface between all the individual parts and ensures optimum communication between edge rack, the apps and the user.

If you already have your own rack for your edgebands, you can also retrofit it with the “Edgeband Management Set”. That is to say: This digital assistant fits seamlessly into the existing workshop environment.

Digital tools for cutting using saws & nesting machines Where do employees in woodworking and carpentry shops lose most of their time when dividing panels? Where is the most potential to save material, and therefore money? Where do the most frequent errors in the

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