for the Glass and Window Industry
NWL
Sees the Light and Boxes Clever
North
Western Lead Co (Hyde) Ltd
(NWL) has unveiled a state-of-the-art UV light box which enables users
to cure adhesives from below, rather than using a traditional curing
method from above.
The
customer friendly light box, which measures approximately 900 x 500
x 75mm, quickly, safely and reliably cures a wide range of adhesives
at the touch of a button. The operator simply sets the timer before
the first use, depending on the curing time required, and the machine
does the rest.
The machine has been extensively and successfully trialed with a number
of NWL's customers. It is ideal for the company's popular range of
Decra Fused Tiles, which need to be cured from below because many
of them are made with opaque glass.
Manufactured from pieces of coloured glass, which have been permanently
fused together at extremely high temperatures, Decra Fused Tiles have
the impressive appearance of a craft product and open up a wealth
of inspiring design possibilities.
NWL has also developed a special technique to cure tiles from below
and apply them permanently and very cost effectively to mirrors. Until
making this innovation, which NWL will share with its customers, applying
Fused Tiles to mirrors could have caused problems. This opens up a
wealth of opportunities for customers wishing to enter into lucrative,
new markets. Of course, Decra Fused Tiles can also be applied to fanlights,
door panels, furniture panels and shower screens.
For traditional applications, NWL also offers a newly developed free-standing
lamp which cures from above.
NWL's Decra Fused Tiles feature in the company's 16 page Decra Fused
Tiles Collection brochure. For further details on the new light box,
Decra Fused Tiles or to obtain a copy of the brochure, please contact
0161 368 4491.
North Western Lead Co (Hyde) Ltd was established in 1946 and is a
leading supplier of decorative glass overlay products, including glass
bevels, self adhesive strip lead, film and fused tiles. The company's
flagship product - Decra Led® - is a self adhesive lead strip.
Manufactured from ingot lead which has been specially selected to
produce a polished even finish with clean cut edges, Decra Led®
provides consistent malleability for ease of working on all designs.
Tel: 0161 368 4491
Email: stephen.hart@decraled.co.uk
Web: http://www.decraled.co.uk
‘Accurate,
consistent, cost-saving’, is the verdict from Anglian Windows
after eight months using the automatic Decorative Application System
from GED Integrated Solutions.
The
system, also described as ‘an automatic lead tape machine’
has been in constant use since Anglian took delivery last Summer,
and has in that time produced many thousands of units that are consistently
accurate in leading, thus potentially eliminating many rejects.
‘Not only do we avoid producing inaccurately leaded panels, which
of course saves wastage in the factory, we are also reducing the possibility
of rejects by the customer and call-backs,’ says Anglian's Manufacturing
Director James Wilson, ‘which of course saves additional expenditure
and further protects our reputation.’
The system applies 6, 9, and 12 mm lead tape using 50 and 100 metre
rolls, to either single or both sides of a panel in diamond or grid
patterns. Capable of producing more than 100 leaded lights per shift,
the system also applies 3M's Accentrim optical film which transforms
the appearance of a plain sheet of glass into one that appears to
have been bevelled or brilliant cut.
‘In volume leaded light production, the seemingly endless repetition
of a task when carried out manually naturally leads to errors. When
out by even a single millimetre on a two-sided leaded panel, the result
not only looks amateurish, but it also spoils the effect that the
leading is meant to achieve.’
With the DAS table every strip of lead is placed consistently and
precisely, producing an accurately leaded panel that can only enhance
any newly installed window.
Anglian Windows is currently thinking of adding a second machine to
the volume leading process, and GED's UK Sales Manager Chris Wale
suggests that additional cost savings can be made at Anglian as a
single operator can easily look after two machines, with each machine
itself saving on the cost of labour of two people.
US-based GED Integrated Solutions manufactures advanced glass processing
machinery including Intercept Spacer Systems for warm edge IG fabrication.
Email: cwale@geduk.com
Web: http://www.geduk.com
Elumatec
Assists Breakwells
Breakwell Glass in Wolverhampton specialises in the manufacture
of aluminium doors, windows and curtain walling for a diverse range
of applications. The company recently expanded its fabrication operation
by purchasing the factory next door and, in order to consolidate
business, invested in specialist fabricating machinery from Elumatec.
First
on the list was an SBZ140 CNC profile machining centre to complement
the existing Elumatec model already in commission on site. ‘As
a leading commercial aluminium window, door and curtain walling
manufacturer, we have to keep up to date with fabricating technology,’
comments MD Robert Breakwell. ‘Being already familiar with
the Elumatec brand, we decided to acquire another centre which would
perform as effectively and reliably as the first. The four axis
SBZ140 was the most suitable option for our needs.’
Additionally, the company has also purchased a DG142 mitre saw,
which has the capacity of cutting two profiles simultaneously, thus
speeding up the process. Also installed is an automatic taping machine
to speed up the previous manual process of taping. ‘We supply
products to building contractors and construction companies and
with 27 years experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on
quality and efficiency,’
continues Mr Breakwell. ‘Investing in the Elumatec brand helps
us to equip our new factory with machinery and accessories that
will streamline the business and ensure improved productivity and
profitability. Demand is always constant within the aluminium market
and we are confident of future expansion with the support and backup
of such a reputable and well known brand name.’
Web: http://www.elumatec.com
Aetna
UK Delivers another Horizontal Stretch Wrapper to Vertik-Al Within
a Week
Founded over 40 years ago, Vertik-Al says that it was the first
company in the United Kingdom to apply powder to aluminium. Based
in the Midlands, the company has gone from strength to strength
and claims that its purpose built 3.5 acre site hosts the most technologically
advanced pre-treatment, powder application, thermal break and testing
facilities available in the world today.
Vertik-Al
was one of the first companies to offer its customers stretch wrapping
of finished goods The company purchased its first Robopac Spiror
stretch wrapper from Aetna UK and it has been in continuous use
ever since. However due to an increase in demand for stretch wrapped
product, the Spiror was becoming a bottleneck and Vertik-Al needed
more capacity to meet the increase in demand and to ensure continuity
in the packaging of its products. Managing Director, Wade Lock immediately
contacted Aetna UK for advice and discovered that the company had
a new Spiror 400HP stretch wrapper in stock, ready for immediate
delivery.
The Spiror stretch wrapper is equipped with all the features required
to wrap aluminium without damage. Features such as polyurethane
drive rollers, automatic top pressure rollers, infeed and outfeed
conveyors and automatic side roller adjustment, are ideal for a
demanding duty cycle with random cross sectional pieces.
The 400 model can handle product groupings from 25mm to 300mm wide
and from 20mm to 200mm tall without adjustment. Minimum length 800mm,
maximum length is infinite. For larger sections, Robopac make 8
different ring sizes up to a maximum 2500mm.
A touch screen display and the ability to store 10 separate programmes
which can be recalled in seconds, comes as standard. The Spiror
400HP is fully guarded to CE standard and has electronically variable
conveyor and ring speeds to give optimum film overlap and linear
speed. Standard 250mm wide film can be used from 15 to 50 microns
thick, both plain and printed.
Vertik-Al is delighted with the company’s new machine and particularly
with the delivery time as Wade Lock confirms.’The stretch wrapper
was with us within one week of placing the order, which meant we
started to see the benefits from the new machine almost immediately.
The installation went smoothly and Aetna's personnel have been helpful
and accommodating. It's everything we expected from Aetna UK and
Robopac and we are all very pleased with the outcome.’
Historically transport 'fretting' was always a problem for boxed
goods and aluminium coaters and painters used tissue paper and strapping
to deliver their products in pristine condition to the end user.
Today the use of stretch film, which is both cheap and highly effective
in keeping packs tight during transportation, is the wrap of choice.
Stretch film is very gentle because the tension is spread over a
larger area than, for instance plastic strapping. It holds the individual
pieces tightly so they don't vibrate together which eliminates the
risk of distortion. The added benefit is that the end user has much
less packaging waste to dispose.
Aetna UK provides after sales service from its offices in Bedford.
The company also uses its own regionally based UK engineers and
advisors to support its many customers and believes that its team,
which has been in place for many years, is now the most experienced
in the United Kingdom. Aetna says that this is the area in which
the company has a serious advantage over its competitors and is
confident that it is this level of service that has made it a market
leader.
Tel: +44 (0)1234 825050
Web: http://www.aetna.co.uk
The
latest version of the successful Stuga
Flowline cutting and prepping centres, called the Flowline ZX3, is
now well established in the market place.
The
ZX3 has been running for over twelve months now and is the younger
brother of the Flowline ZX4 which was launched two and a half years
ago.
The ZX4 was built to run at a level of between 800 and 1,000 internally
glazed casement windows per week but with a large market for a lower
priced model running at around 700 to 800 per week the ZX3 was launched
and the first one delivered to Chester Windows in Chelmsford, a well
known and fast expanding Rehau fabricator that has doubled production
since installation of the machine. Since then another fifteen fabricators
have purchased the ZX3 and are benefiting from the Stuga technology.
The ZX3 comes with the very latest enhancements including full bar
optimisation with the measuring of every piece of profile on the infeed
table and using every last millimetre, which even takes advantage
of the fact that most extruders supply over length profiles. The ZX3
also routs on both sides of a profile simultaneously to speed up trickle
vent and door production, has profile recognition, 'V' and 'Y' notches
on front and back and measures the width of profiles to allow it to
compensate when this varies.
As with all Stuga machines every single component used in the manufacture
of the ZX3 is held in stock in Great Yarmouth where the machines are
built and Stuga is always happy to show potential customers round
the company so they can see the barcode controlled stores in operation.
As Stuga puts backup at the top of its list of priorities the company
employs seven engineers for external service work and these engineers
are not involved in installation or training, which is carried out
by a separate team of specialists. The engineers mostly work from
their homes and are spread throughout the United Kingdom to look after
the nearly two hundred Stuga cutting & prepping centres currently
in the market place in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The ZX3, like its sister machines, comes with three onboard full colour
cameras working with the onboard diagnostics system to ensure the
absolute fastest possible return to service in the event of a breakdown,
with a team of analysts always available to look into a problem using
software and visual evidence to spot the cause. The camera system
records all movements of the machine on an ongoing basis so that Stuga
can look back through the archive to see a particular event take place.
The cameras are strategically placed to be able to see the key areas
where problems can occur on any cutting & prepping centre.
For further information on the ZX3 or any other Stuga product please
call Steve Haines free on 0800 169 5444. Stuga also supply Sturtz
welding and cleaning lines.
Web: http://www.stuga.co.uk
Range
of Sand Blasting Equipment for Flat Glass Decoration
Guyson
International offers decorators of flat glass a range of
newly-styled sand blasting cabinets specially designed to handle most
sizes and weights of flat glass.
Typical
usage could include frosted windows, internal glass panels, door panel
decoration, decorative insignia and corporate branding. Decorating
techniques range from frosting and simple line work to the most specialised
etched designs and images created by using stencils of vinyl, metal,
silk-screen and other materials. Variable blast gun air pressures
allow for the finest of shading and deep cut work using fine to coarse
abrasives.
The Guyson Euroblast 'GL' range incorporates three models the 4GL,
6GL and 8GL. All have common features but have interior blast chambers
of varying dimensions - from the 4GL which is 700mm high x 800mm wide
x 540mm deep, to the 8GL which has a chamber 1350mm high x 1070mm
wide x 740mm deep.
The 8GL is also ergonomically designed to provide hand access for
the operator at two different levels - invaluable when decorating
the largest of glass sheets.
A continuous self-sealing felt buffer around the top and sides of
the sand blasting cabinet allows the flat glass sheet to be safely
loaded and held at the correct angle for blast etching. Horizontal
movement through the blast chamber is achieved by standing the glass
vertically on a series of rubber-covered -rollers and moving it manually
in either direction as required.
All Guyson GL cabinets have been built to meet recognised industrial
health and safety standards and come supplied with an efficient dust
collector which not only assists in maintaining a-clean working environment
but also continuously removes dust from the illuminated blast chamber,
to provide constant good visibility for the operator during the decorating
process.
Access doors are fitted with safety interlock switches as standard
and an effective sealing system allows the operator to work in clean
and safe conditions. New rapid change blast media facilities have
been introduced and there is a choice of two blast guns plus an air-wash
gun for cleaning off after decoration.
Variations on this standard machine are available where the cabinet
can be equipped with the dual facility to etch flat plate glass and
via a separate removable turntable also allow larger items of glass
or stone sculptures to be blasted in a conventional manner.
This dual facility gives enormous flexibility for colleges, universities,
schools and even industry to gain maximum opportunity for a varied
client base and customer mix to make use of the same blast machine;
art, craft, engineering and maintenance groups can all benefit from
the one machine installation.
Critical buying points in these days of justifying expenditure in
hard pressed markets.
Prospective users of its manual or automated blast systems are encouraged
to submit sample components for free feasibility testing to the company's
extensive development workshop at Skipton, England.
Tel: +44 (0)1756 799911
Email: info@guyson.co.uk
Web: http://www.guyson.co.uk