Manufacturing in the UK is becoming increasingly challenging, with costs of material and labour only continuing to rise, of course, that is if you can find the labour at all.
With fewer young people entering the industry, a more immediate solution is needed to stay competitive and protect margins. Some simple automation or material handling solutions can often increase productivity significantly without costing the proverbial arm and a leg.
Weinig offers numerous solutions for different applications. Around moulders, the obvious choice is the SOLID OUTFEED T 15 R return feed system, which turns what was a two-man operation into an efficient one-man cell. In simple terms, the operator feeds material into the moulder, and it is returned to him via a driven cross transfer and return roller conveyor.
Robustly engineered and designed to work with all modern Weinig moulders, the system is compact, reliable and space efficient, with an excellent investment justification. The T 15 R is compatible with most moulders in the range from the SOLID PLANE CUBE up to the heavyweight Powermat machines.
Often used in conjunction with the T 15 R is the SOLID FEED M 100 hopper feeder. This versatile and flexible feeder, mounted at the moulder infeed, ensures constant and reliable feeding of both short and long parts. When not required, the compact unit simply swivels down into a park position, out of the operator’s way. With a powerful 1.5 kW feed motor, the M 100 handles all popular section sizes and comfortably keeps pace with the moulder to ensure smooth, continuous feeding.
Solutions for cost reduction are not restricted to the field of moulders. The Weinig portfolio covers many other applications in solid wood processing. For example, when handling wide, heavy slabs of timber, prior to lengthwise sawing, Weinig offers a broad range of modular solutions compatible with its multi-rip saws.
These cover not only the infeed of raw material but also outfeed options such as return conveyors, sorting conveyors and waste separation systems.
The cross-cutting arena is equally well served with a wide range of automatic stackers for cut lengths, along with semi- or fully-automatic loading systems. Highly efficient cross-cutting cells can be designed for all levels of output, from assisted infeed elements through to fully automatic vacuum de-stacking systems that eliminate manual labour entirely.
For lower volumes, Weinig offers intelligent stacker trucks that take all the hard work out of manual stacking of cut lengths, or heavy-duty cross pusher systems to create a buffer prior to stacking.
Weinig is well known for its high-quality, high-performance mechanised systems that maximise productivity from high-speed moulders. Solutions range from simple cross-chain feeders with accelerators to systems incorporating mechanical de-stacking, automatic stick removal, singulation, metal detection and more.
Every installation is designed as a tailored solution through consultative sessions with Weinig experts. Whether it’s 120 m/min MDF profiling lines or efficient softwood production lines serving the DIY sector, Weinig has the expertise to deliver.
Panel processing under the Holz-Her brand also provides opportunities to cut costs and streamline workflows.
Edgebanders equipped with return feed systems become highly efficient production cells, particularly with large and heavy products such as fire doors.
Fully automatic chaotic storage systems further eliminate manual handling and keep routers or beamsaws working to maximum efficiency, as well as reduce floor space needs by up to 50%.
Investing in automation is an opportunity to manage costs reliably and increase productivity using the resources available. Many other benefits flow from these investments, so the best starting point is a conversation with a Weinig expert to explore what’s possible.
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