Both innovators in their own right, SCM and Lamello’s products are intrinsically linked, as they continue to push the boundaries of design and technology – and now they have joined forces to offer a one-hit machining process that gives CNC users a quick and cost-effective way to join panels without the need for glue.
“For many years there has been a need to standardise the way we connect cabinets,” begins Duncan Smith, showroom manager at SCM UK. “In Europe, this has long been Lamello’s niche – in many countries they are seen as the industry standard – and their joining solutions have become the go-to fixings for many manufacturers.
Duncan with cabineo test set
“Whilst relatively new in the UK, the macro apps developed by SCM, which allow for effective, one-click insertion of Lamello’s P-System and Cabineo, have been tried and tested over several years. As new fixings are launched and the technology behind our machines continues to advance, our in-house team continues to create and update Lamello-ready macro apps that are free to download from our very own Maestro software system.”
Although these are used by SCM customers globally, Duncan admits the UK market is only now starting to understand the true time-saving benefits of Lamello’s range when used on SCM’s CNC range.
“Regardless of the size of your production or the CNC model being operated, our universal Lamello macro apps offer simple and effective one-hit machining. No second machining is required. That’s the beauty of this process – it can all be completed on a single machine.
“You could be a small joinery workshop using a Morbidelli N100 three-axis flatbed CNC, or a large manufacturer operating a top-of-the-range, fully automated X400. The principle remains the same. Our macro apps offer quick, precise and consistent results for joining panels, whatever model you use.”
With multiple processes to choose from on SCM’s Maestro Digital System, each function has been designed to offer solutions to a wealth of panel processing requirements.
“One size doesn’t fit all,” says Duncan. “When it comes to the Cabineo, where do you want the macro to start? Do you want the panel to be drilled or routered? Do you want repetition, or do you want to work with 90° butt joints or mitre joints?
“Alternatively, when it comes to the P-System, do you want the router tool to complete the job in one sweep, or use the sawblade to cut 1.2mm and draw back out?
“Our macros have been designed for easy manipulation, offering you complete flexibility. You can even set up parametric conditions within that panel that make the CNC introduce more connectors automatically if the width or length of the panel changes. And, because our software is designed in-house and we don’t rely on third parties, our customers have everything at their fingertips. It’s simplicity at its best.”
For those customers that have not yet experienced Lamello’s CNC connectors for themselves, demonstrations at SCM’s Nottingham showroom illustrate just how quick, easy and accurate the process is.
“We encourage our customers to come and see our machines in action and to watch the whole process. We also perform demonstrations remotely, via multi-cam live broadcast, on our customer’s preferred web collaboration platform. We place a piece of MDF on the table of one of our three-, four- and five-axis models, and cut six squares from it. Every side is machined and assembled in under five minutes flat,” explains Duncan.
“Customers are always wowed by the sheer speed of the process and the level of accuracy achieved when using Lamello’s fixings. These results are simply not achievable when using traditional cam-and-dowel fittings. You can’t match the speed, precision and overall strength of the product, which, not forgetting, is completed entirely on one machine.
“This, partnered with free software updates offered to customers several times a month and access to hundreds of readily available macro apps to drag and drop into your cabinet programmes, makes for a winning combination. All that’s left to do is to purchase an aggregate and your fixings from a Lamello dealer.”
Duncan adds: “Smart partnerships lead to good outcomes. For us, it would be a limitation not to have Lamello’s fixings featured on the software on our machines. SCM and Lamello work in sync – we are both innovators, and we are both committed to our customers. That’s why, together, we offer dynamic solutions that allow our customers to stay ahead of the curve.”
To book a demonstration, visit www.scmgroup.com/en_GB or call 01159 770044.
