Nov 07, 2014. /Lesprom Network/. Under
the slogan “Surprisingly versatile”, machine tool manufacturers at
Ligna (11–14 May 2015, Hannover) are showcasing their machines’ potential for
uses beyond conventional wood processing,
Deutsche Messe AG said in a press release. Established machine tool
manufacturers are increasingly developing products for everything from
metalworking to high-tech processing for companies in the automotive,
facade, yacht building and aerospace industries. Interest is high
wherever machining, sawing, drilling and sanding is needed. Solutions
for processing plastic and composite materials are particularly
widespread, with their rising popularity driven by today's highly
developed CNC 5-axis machining technology. Today's woodworking machines
can do everything that is required of modern manufacturing in other
sectors, and very efficiently.
These days nearly every market
leader offers industrial solutions for processing plastics and
composite materials. The product spectrum ranges from preconfigured
machines for various applications all the way to customized solutions.
Machine manufacturers have their own teams of specialists for both wood
composites and solid wood.
The resulting manufacturing
technologies offer outstanding potential for processing plastics and
composites as well as other materials: Heavy stands that absorb
vibrations guarantee the necessary precision in handling workpieces.
High quality table coatings – initially developed to withstand abrasive
materials – prevent more delicate materials from being scratched.
Manufacturers of woodworking machines can bring to bear extensive
experience and skill with suction systems to remove dust and fumes.
Innovative 5-axis technology with rotation and swivel axes make it
possible to work at any angle and position – including freeform parts.
Applications range from filigree milling and high-frequency machining to
optimized interleaving and fine engraving. Facilities with vertical
ranges of 50 meters or more are required for manufacturing very large
components such as wind turbine blades or boat hulls. All processes can
be carried out in a single workflow. Rapid tool-change systems minimize
setup times. Individualized clamping devices provide the perfect fit for
every individual requirement. High performance, efficiency and
cost-effectiveness are ensured right down to single-unit batches with
these CNC processing systems.
The packaging industry can also
source attractive solutions from machine tool manufacturers, whose
highly flexible cardboard cutting systems process endless corrugated
cardboard into perfectly sized folding cartons in a huge variety of
formats, all the way down to one-off units. This is only possible
because the machines can be set up automatically for any application at a
moment’s notice.
The leading providers also offer the
invaluable advantage of expertise across the manufacturing process,
including in particular blank cutting, along with CNC processing.
Today's panel saws process plastic materials just as precisely. Add to
this a comprehensive portfolio of ancillary machines and automation
systems, and the wide range of highly specialized machines, tools and
services that plastic-working operations often need for manufacturing
can usually be provided by a single supplier. Lastly, networking these
different machines significantly boosts productivity and efficiency.
When
processing solid wood, it is chiefly automated planers and profilers
that form the basis of innovative solutions – and they also offer
excellent performance with plastics and foams. Undercuts such as
dovetails and T-grooves are often needed when processing these types of
materials. Universal spindles combined with a compact fast-turning
hollow shank taper provide the ideal solution for processing during
manufacturing.
Tool manufacturers play a central role as
system partners. One trend stands out in particular: saw blades, mills
and drills are increasingly being adapted to machines, applications and
materials, which delivers significant benefits to the final industrial
solutions. Optimized cutting shapes and innovative coatings result in
break-resistant drills and saws that offer excellent service life.
Whether
plastics, composite materials or non-ferrous metals, modern woodworking
machines and tools can master any material without any major
adjustments. Existing 5-axis technology offers full processing in
shorter times and with fewer work steps, because a reduced number of
processing assemblies carry out the production task and eliminate setup
periods. And there is almost no limit to the possible shapes and sizes.
Reason enough to take a look at the bigger picture – at Ligna 2015, the
flagship fair for machines and systems for woodworking and wood
processing, which offers a lot of added reasons to be in Hannover from
11 to 15 May 2015.