Material costs are often the largest single cost category for wooden products manufactured in the UK. As we have limited natural resources of our own and import most of our timber, we need to make sure we use them as efficiently as possible. Whether it is furniture or joinery from high value hardwoods or packing cases from lower value softwood, material costs need to be carefully controlled.
For high value hardwoods, the starting point is often ripping material to width. Without doubt, the safest and best way to do this in volume is with a multi-rip saw. The wide range of multi-rip saws from Weinig covers all capacity requirements, starting with the SOLID RIP U 310, equipped with the patented QuickFix system for quick setting of the blades, avoiding the need for sleeves and multiple sets of spacers. Simply release hydraulic pressure in the shaft, slide the blades to the correct position, apply pressure again, and you are ready to go.
For higher capacity demands, the SOLID RIP V 310 comes into its own. A heavy-duty machine with the option of automatic width optimising and moving blade technology to ensure maximum yield from every single board processed. Simply present a random width slab to the machine, which automatically measures the width and compares it to your cutting list. At the press of a button, the blades move to position to maximise yield, showing the operator via laser where the cuts will be made before the slab is pushed into the machine.
As with all Weinig multi-rip saws, the driven track is the key to cutting accurately and cleanly. Cast iron links running on twin hardened and ground prisms are the only way to guarantee straight cuts in twisted or mis-shapen slabs and achieve parallel strips with minimum oversize for subsequent production steps.
Approaching ripping from a different angle is the SOLID RIP FX 210, where flexibility is the key. Instead of passing the material through a stationary saw, the FX 210 drives the blade through stationary material. With a driven back fence, the positioning of even the heaviest hardwood slabs is carried out with ease and accuracy, even if the slab is 6000 x 1000 x 210 mm thick. The versatility of the FX 210 is unmatched, as the single machine can rip, groove, produce angle cuts, mitre cuts and straight cuts in a compact footprint, all operated safely by a single operator.
Once ripped, material needs to be cross cut to length. This is where the extensive range of cross cut saws from Weinig really lead the way. The entry level SOLID CUT PF 300 is a most effective solution to ensure maximum yield – a simple yet very effective length measuring system coupled with optimising software means every individual board is processed to give the maximum from what is available.
For more sophisticated applications where defect cutting is needed, the SOLID CUT PF 550 offers the solution. Perfect optimisation coupled with defect cutting is the ultimate way to achieve maximum yield from every individual board processed. An extensive range of options is available to tailor the PF 550 to individual needs. Options range from buffer infeed systems, ink jet or label printers, sorting conveyors to automatic or semi-automatic stackers.
Top of the range for volume and flexibility is the SOLID CUT PF 900 series, where different versions offer different capabilities. The PF 900 Classic is a robust saw for heavy duty, demanding applications while the other versions – XL for larger sections, XXL for supersize sections, Exact for utmost precision or Speed for highest output – there will be a saw for the most challenging of applications in any sector.
Taking cross cutting a step forward, Weinig can offer integrated drilling modules for the saws to combine two processes into one – cutting to length and drilling in one seamless, controlled production step means perfect precision and trouble-free assembly of components. With such an extensive range of machines and options, there is a solution to improve productivity, enhance efficiency and drive consistent yield improvements across your business.
For further information about the Weinig product range, contact Weinig UK on 01235 557600 or email [email protected].
