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Give it to 'em Straight

Ashton Industrial's latest and fully automatic SeamMaX-X™ arrissing (seaming) lines are being despatched from the new Harlow, Essex facility at a rate averaging one every three weeks.

 

Lines have already left for Holland, Canada, UK, USA (5 lines) and South Korea, others are in process for India and the far east. Fully automatic batching is a major feature offering capital pay-back in well under 1 year for 3-shift operators.

And now there's a new twist.... or rather there isn't!

A cleverly conceived straight-thru transfer conveyor between the two SeamMaX-X stations means factory layouts requiring the whole process to be in one straight line can now be accommodated. The overall footprint is little different from that of a vertical system, yet offers all the obvious handling benefits of horizontally linking direct from the cutting and breaking table, thru seaming, automatic (or manual) batching, directly into the furnace with effectively zero labour costs!

Email: sashton@ashton-industrial.com
Web: http://www.ashton-industrial.com

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They Came, They Saw, They Recycled

CK International Ltd, manufacturer of waste recycling machinery, was so well received by those who attended Glassex '07 that the company sold 60 of its CK51 Mini-Compactors over four days. The knock on effect from its attendance has been great, seeing the company secure a strong footing in the fenestration market.

Not only did the company have a great response to its recycling initiatives, it also came away with the award for ‘best new machinery product’ for the CK51 Mini-Compactor which has been specifically designed with fabricators in mind as it compacts both polythene and cardboard packaging waste to help reduce ever increasing waste disposal costs.

With energy efficiency becoming an ever-growing concern amongst the fenestration fraternity, CK International's timely arrival into the market could not have come at a better time for the company. The industry as a whole is notorious for its excessive waste levels and with landfill charges on the rise (set to rise to £100 per ton in 2011), more and more companies are starting to act responsibly in terms of reducing their environmental impact and looking for alternative waste disposal methods...and this is one niche area that CK International is sure to monopolise within the industry.

Since its appearance at Glassex, business is booming for CK International, but what makes the company unique? Simon Wells, National Sales Manager explains:

‘Being environmentally responsible is so very important in today's business management, and with the government bringing out more pieces of legislation to govern our activities, if companies do not start to comply now then they open themselves up to potential problems in the future. In October The Environment Agency is bringing into force a bill that requires waste producers to treat all non hazardous waste before it is landfilled and this means that they will have to have appropriate systems in place to identify and separate waste that can be recycled...and this is where we step in!’

CK International Ltd not only manufactures a wide range of recycling machinery the company also arranges to take the compacted recyclable waste away free of charge.

‘In our experience we have found that approximately 50% of the content in fabricators' skips tends to be recyclable cardboard and polythene. Our sales have increased greatly since attending Glassex, which can mean that the industry is keen to play its part and that there is a genuine interest in not only helping reduce the impact their businesses have on the environment, but also reducing their costs when it comes to waste disposal.’

If you are interested in finding out more about the benefits CK International has to offer or require a no obligation brief waste management audit then please contact Simon Wells on 07779 713 725 or email simon.wells@ckinternational.co.uk

Web: http://www.ckinternational.co.uk

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New Machine Boosts Martindales' Woodworking Pace and Capacity

Martindales, the specialist supplier of replacement doors and window frames to the insurance industry, has introduced a high-efficiency woodworking machine.

The new plant means raw material now makes just one pass through one machine compared to four or more passes previously.

'This means a huge part of our woodworking production is now 100% automated when it was previously 100% manual,' said Phil Martindale, founder and Managing Director of the Bolton-based business.

'We have created massive efficiencies, and are able to push through far more wood preparation and production volumes at a much faster pace. It also means a consistently high quality of product,' he added.

The £20,000 investment is timely: timber door and window frames are making a surging comeback as more architects and designers specify wood for new-builds and refurbishment projects.

'We are in a demand-driven world, and while people are becoming more and more conscious of our declining levels of natural resources, our understanding is that using timber to create door and window frames does less damage to the environment than the consequences of emissions from the plastic manufacturing process,' said Phil Martindale.

'This growing demand for timber products is down to a combination of circumstances: architects don't like PVC frames, wood is becoming more available - and there is a growing body of feeling that using wood is far more environmentally friendly than manufacturing plastic.

'We have carefully researched this issue with suppliers, and our belief is that growth of forests around the world for the purposes of sustainable timber products is actually catching up and overtaking demand for wood,' added Phil.

Current projects include boxed sash windows, complex patterned or moulded doors and windows, including those with stained glass inlays and leaded frames.

Web: http://www.martindales.ltd.uk

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Lancashire Trade Frames gets more from Promac

Lancashire Trade Frames has made a further machinery investment thanks to the product range and Service Centre at Promac in the form of the very latest Urban SV800 corner cleaner. This new machine is the first of its kind in the UK and can increase productivity over the older model by up to 15%.

The Bolton-based Spectus fabricator has already invested in a BJM machining and cutting centre last year along with an Urban 4-head flat bed welder. The new SV800 will increase capacity, provide a better quality finish and is the next step towards full automation in the company’s factory. This new corner cleaner benefits from 4 stations for speedy machining of PVC windows and frames (4x90°) and very short throughput times will be achievable thanks to systematically placed tools and software controlled operation.

Mark Rowland, managing director of Lancashire Trade Frames comments: ‘This new investment will take us one step further towards full automation in the factory and I fully expect us to achieve this goal in the next 18 months. Without the expertise of Promac we would not have had such a seamless transition from new fabricator to one achieving in excess of 1,000 frames per week in just four years.’

The investment at Lancashire Trade Frames has amounted to over £1m over the last four years with further investment planned. But the company is quick to pay compliment to Promac as Mark adds: ‘There are other machinery suppliers out there, but they lack the depth of support and knowledge of Promac. Promac’s Service Centre has consistently proven a valuable tool for my business and I would advise others to make the same decision.’

Derek Bonnard, managing director of Promac concludes: ‘The story of Lancashire Trade Frames makes great reading and we have been delighted to play our part in their success. We are not just a machinery supplier but one that has the engineering expertise to make machinery acquisitions more of a successful investment and that's why we've named it our Service Centre. Fabricators should consider the service element when purchasing their machinery, it's a fundamental part of the implementation process.’

Web: http://www.promac.co.uk

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Makita Deltagon Drill Bits make Round Holes Round

The new Makita Deltagon SDS+ drill bits have three cutting edges rather than the traditional two and this simple formula delivers far more accurate holes, even in the toughest materials.

A traditional two-edge drill bit suffers from poor directional stability, especially where the drilling of a pilot hole is not possible or practical. The drill bit tends to 'wander' making the finished hole oversize and often actually triangular rather than round.

The Makita Deltagon three-edge drill bits have a more stable tri-axial cutting performance, the three edges keeping the bit firmly in one position. The result is a hole exactly where positioned and a far better quality of 'round' hole, especially important when using adhesive or tension fixings.

Makita Deltagon drill bits have solid tungsten tips, the tungsten brazed onto the carbon steel bit which is then finished by rotary grinder to total accuracy. This formula gives a very long working life, easily justifying the cost investment. Deltagon bits should be the preferred selection for any drilling into brick, block, concrete, reinforced concrete, mortar or stone. A Deltagon bit will drill through steel cladding up to 1mm thick and then into the concrete section all in one process.

The re-enforcing bars in concrete castings can cause serious accuracy problems as well as the risk of the two-edge drill bit snagging with risk to the machine and the operator. Here again the three-edge Deltagon bit proves valuable. The three cutting edges will keep the bit rotating whereas a two-edge bit will either snag beside the rebar or be forced away from the rebar elongating the hole. The three-edge bit will always deliver a round hole, safely.

Tel: 01908 211678

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FUX Launches Single Profile Lamination Machine

The new FUX machine now makes it possible to laminate one single profile first time in the colour of your choice with foils from Renolit and Hornschuch.

System companies have been slow to respond to the demands of fabricators for coloured profiles due to the long set up times and stock holding issues. Fabricators can often wait up to six weeks for coloured profile to be delivered. The new FUX machine now makes this a thing of the past allowing profile suppliers to respond without having to interfere with their normal lamination production schedules.

This machine would also suit the larger fabricators who want to control their own requirements in house.

Advantages of the FUX ‘single profile’ Lamination Machine
• Single profile or small runs
• Easy set up
• 1 man operation
• Free up main machine for long runs
• Coloured profiles in short runs
• Increase profit from small runs

For more information on the new machine call FUX.

David White
FUX UK & IRELAND
Tel: 01455 209333
Email: fux-uk@btconnect.com
Web: http://www.fux.at

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Machinery Investment for MD Joinery

Southport-based REHAU fabricator MD Joinery has invested in a substantial amount of new machinery from Promac designed to increase the speed and efficiency of its production.

The company, which fabricates in the 70mm S706 system, has made its name since 1991 manufacturing high quality, externally beaded windows but has recently also added the internally beaded option to its range.

With professional help and advice from Promac, MD has purchased new machinery to fabricate internally beaded windows with integral gaskets to the same exacting standards including an Urban SV430 CNC corner cleaner, a new transom groover, an automatic bead saw, single headed welder and a variable angled water slot router.

The company has also installed new custom-made workbenches and storage racks to optimise its manufacturing space and efficiency.

Lee Durkin, Factory Manager at MD Joinery said: ‘We are a fairly small fabricator producing between 100 and 150 windows per week and our focus is very much on the quality and level of personal service which we can deliver to our customers.

‘The investment in new machinery means we can retain the quality whilst increasing our turnaround speed and keeping our prices very competitive. This is great news for us and our customers and I am confident the investment will prove worthwhile.’

MD Joinery supplies trade customers throughout the North West who value the company's attention to detail and continuous focus on quality.

Web: http://www.mdjoinery.co.uk

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Unique Position with Elumatec

In just two years of trading, Unique Window Systems of Leicester has managed to achieve an impressive turnaround of over 1000 PVCu and aluminium door and window frames a week.

To cope with demand from the ever increasing aluminium market, the company recently invested in an SBZ140 profile machining centre from Elumatec, an investment that joint MD, Sunil Patel, readily admits has already made a big difference.

‘We were previously using a manual system,’ he explains. ‘We learned of the efficiency and quality of the 4-axis SBZ140 machine and looked into the possibility of purchasing one to accommodate the demand from the marketplace. As suppliers to both the trade and the commercial sectors, we have seen aluminium rise in popularity and the installation of the SBZ140 is instrumental in helping us to serve this market.’

Priding itself upon the quality of its extensive product range, the company is delighted with the reliability of the new machine to produce perfect profiles every time. ‘The system is ideally suited to our needs,’ continues Mr Patel. ‘Although this is the first Elumatec machinery that we have purchased, it has significantly helped us to provide more efficient productivity for our product range, which includes not only doors, windows and conservatories but also aluminium curtain walling. We are currently working on over £1million worth of aluminium orders which represents the growth of this sector.’

As for the future, Unique Window Systems will react as the market dictates as it did with the purchase of the SBZ140, which has already proven its worth in the short time that it has been installed.

Web: http://www.elumatec.com

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Senator Chooses Stuga ZX4 for Factory Modernisation

Senator Windows of Wexford in the Irish Republic chose the Stuga ZX4 for the first phase of the company’s modernisation and two of these high output cutting and prepping centres were ordered for delivery in May and July 2007.

Senator is a supplier of windows throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland with a successful network of over twenty five fabricators. The company was formed in 1985 and was acquired by the Gowan Group in November 2006 due to the strength of the brand.

Quality of product and service together with commitment to market development and product innovation are the basis for Senator Windows’ strength. In 1989 Senator became the first window company in Ireland to be awarded the Irish Agrément Board Certification and in 1991 was the first Irish company awarded the ‘Q’ mark and ISO 9002. In 1998 Senator was awarded the B.S.I. Kitemark for white uPVC windows, once again being the first company in the Irish Republic to achieve this award. In 2005 Senator became the first and only window company to have its window certified by the British Fenestration Rating Council to a 'C' energy rating, another remarkable achievement and at the time of going to press Senator remains the only company in Eire to hold an 'A' rating. Senator also holds a PAS24 certificate for its doors.

Given the success of Senator the company decided it was time to review its production methods in order to improve quality and consistency still further and release valuable labour to be utilised in the further expansion of the business. Having researched the market Managing Director Kevin Richards decided thatthe Stuga ZX4 was that it was much faster than its competitors and Stuga was prepared to guarantee the output of the machine as part of the contract. The ZX4 is capable of producing between 800 and 1,200 windows in a standard week depending on styles and preps.

Having recently installed the first ZX4 Stuga received a call from Kevin Richards to say that he was delighted with the machine and its installation.

Kevin said: ‘You have a fabulous machine and top rate people making the installation of the first ZX4 seamless and totally painless. I had doubts about how well we would cope through the installation and training period but everything went to plan and my staff have taken to it like ducks to water. I believe Stuga not only delivered its promise of a painless installation but even exceeded my wildest expectations. I believe we have purchased the best cutting & prepping centre from the most professional of machinery suppliers; thank you Stuga.’

The ZX4 is the top of the range model from Stuga which also produces the ZX3 for medium to large fabricators and the Microline for small to medium ones. The machine comes with an impressive array of features including a 'U' style footprint for more efficient operating ergonomics and a shorter length, the facility to rout on both sides of a profile simultaneously, profile recognition, total offcut measuring and control, profile width measuring and compensation for variations, laser measuring throughout and the tooling flexibility to programme every profile suite in the country in the unlikely event that this may become necessary. The automatic tooling system allows for corrections to everyday problems on a piece by piece basis because the cutters can be programmed individually to any angle or position on an ad-hoc basis.

For more information please call Steve Haines at Stuga on 01455-55203 or Kevin Richards at Senator Windows on 00353-539-141522.

Web: http://www.stuga.co.uk

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Quicker, Safer and Easier for Promac with Combilift

Promac Window Machinery Sales has improved and speeded up the loading and handling of large pieces of machinery by ditching its old counterbalance forklift and replacing it with a Combilift 4-way truck.

From its headquarters in Rugby, Warwickshire, Promac supplies PVC, glass and aluminium machinery to major names in the extrusion and glass and glazing sector in the UK and Ireland. It also offers a total solutions package creating factory layouts, commissioning and installing machinery and after sales service. Due to the increasingly large volume of machines passing through the Rugby site each week, the management decided to scrutinise handling and storage procedures, and found the weak link to be the counterbalance truck.

Finance Director Scott Haslingden explains: ‘Machines such as mitre saws or PVC welders can be 10m long and weigh over 2 tonnes, glass washers are almost cube shaped, 2.5m high by 4m wide. These are all very problematic loads, as their uneven weight distribution makes them badly balanced. They were therefore extremely tricky to offload and get through the relatively narrow entrance into the building using the limited forwards movement of the counterbalance truck. The whole procedure entailed complicated and potential hazardous manoeuvres involving a number of personnel, and was hampered even more by the gradient outside the entrance.’

Promac was familiar with the 4-way Combilift, having seen it in action at some of its customers' sites, and realised that its ability to travel sideways whilst safely supporting long loads would make it the ideal replacement. Following advice from its materials handling supplier Abex as to the best specification, a C4000 LPG 4-tonne capacity Combilift is now in operation. This has streamlined offloading, improved health and safety procedures and eradicated the risk of potential damage to loads. Scott explains some of the benefits: ‘With the Combilift we can rest the load on the platform rather than balancing it on the forks, the gradient is no problem as the load and truck are both so stable. As visibility from the cab is excellent we only need the one driver, and the whole operation is more efficient and much safer.’

Having moved the loads inside, the Combilift's manoeuvrability enables exact positioning of the machines where required for unpacking, running and checking, before they are rewrapped for final dispatch to the end customer - once again, the flexible Combilift is used to load onto Promac's own fleet of delivery vehicles. Working in counterbalance mode, it is also very useful for moving smaller loads around in the storage area. Darren Wade, who is in charge of the warehouse is a Combilift fan: ‘The truck is great for us here, I would never have believed one forklift can do so much, it's spot on!’

All Combilifts are manufactured by Combilift Ltd in Monaghan Ireland. The current range now encompasses 12 different models with capacities ranging from 2.5 - 12 tonnes. LPG, diesel or electric power is available, and Combilift's reputation for customised solutions means that each truck can be tailored to individual customer requirements. In Promac's case, Abex recommended longer forks due to the dimensions of the loads typically carried. A team of design engineers at the Monaghan factory in Ireland will also draw up free warehouse layouts to illustrate the best possible use of available storage space using the Combilift system.

Tel UK: 07968 490051
Email: info@combilift.com
Web: http://www.combilift.com

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Elumatec Assists Apic UK Limited

When setting up any business, the right equipment and machinery is crucial to future success. Apic UK Ltd was established in August 2006 as architectural aluminium system supplier to the commercial industry, and, having used Elumatec machinery for the past 22 years, Operations Director Mike Jones had no hesitation in specifying the company's products for the new venture.

‘As a specialist in aluminium, we need our machinery to be as up to date and efficient as possible in order to produce quality components on a consistent basis,’ he says. ‘I have always found the Elumatec equipment to offer reliability in terms of both cutting accuracy and performance and so it was an easy choice when it came to equipping our new factory.’

So far Apic UK has taken delivery of an AKS134 notching saw, a DG104 double mitre saw and a single compound saw. The largest investment is the SBZ140 CNC profile cutting machine centre that was recently commissioned. All the items have been developed for the aluminium market, and are designed to offer maximum performance and accurate cutting ability.

Apic UK is already ahead of its projected first year trading targets. ‘We manufacture completely bespoke architectural aluminium fenestrations to our customers' requirements, ranging from high rise office/residential buildings, to storefronts and glazed facades,’ continues Mike. ‘The commercial sector has very clearly defined standards of quality and we pride ourselves on supplying this quality through our product range. Elumatec's equipment and the company's service backup are second to none and with this support behind us, we are confident of a very bright, productive and profitable future.’

Web: http://www.elumatec.com

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Keeping up with Demand with Inagas

Clayton Glass has long been considered a one stop shop for the glazing requirements within both the domestic and commercial sectors. Providing leaded, Georgian, bevelled, triple glazed and shaped glass units for the domestic market and high performance thermal, solar and noise control units for commercial use, Clayton has recently invested in a Krypton gas filling machine from Inagas to meet increasing demand.

‘The industry is constantly changing, particularly with legislation concerning the thermal properties of glazed units under Approved Document L of the Building Regulations,’ comments Ken Armstrong from Clayton. ‘There is definitely a future for Krypton gas filled units and being a very proactive company, we want to ensure that we are fully equipped to meet the expected demand. Hence we have invested in a IGA10KR Krypton gas filler to complement our existing Argon gas filler. We also have an Inagas IGA30 gas testing facility which gives us the capacity to manufacture and non destructively test over 7,500 units per week.’

Clayton Glass prides itself on the high quality of its units, all manufactured and tested to BS EN 1279. All standard units are manufactured using a continuous spacer frame providing improved integrity, greater corner strength and better butyl adherence. ‘We wanted a machine that would offer the same efficiency of gas filling as with our Argon units and being familiar with the reliability and efficiency of the Inagas range, it was a natural choice to commission the Krypton version,’ concludes Ken.

The Krypton gas filler from Inagas combines the most modern and easy to use controls with proven design features, with advice and full after sales support part of the package.
All Inagas filling machines are designed for efficiency, reliability and ease of operation, providing gas flow rates up to 180 litres per minute and consistently accurate gas percentage fill rates. Krypton gas filling has become a viable option within the glazing industry, with an ever growing number of companies seeing the benefits of this gas as infill as an alternative to argon.

‘IGU manufacturers who invest in Krypton gas filling facilities have the potential to increase profitability with this relatively new concept,’ comments a spokesman from Inagas. ‘With our range of machines, we can offer manufacturers the most comprehensive and state of the art range of gas filling equipment available on the market.’

Web: http://inagas.com

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Kombimatec EV470 PVC Weld Joint Cleaners Available

Due to customers of existing owners of the Kombimatec EV470 2 Axis CNC Cleaners upgrading to the new super fast EV475 6-Axis CNC Cleaner Kombimatec now have a number of pre-owned 2 Axis machines available.

They have been completely refurbished and updated to the latest specification of the popular EV470 CNC Corner & Transom Cleaner manufactured at the Kombimatec factory in Luton, Bedfordshire.

These upgrades include the fitting of production reliable three phase drilling & routing motors.

Three phase induction motors are by far more reliable than single phase series wound or air motors, sometimes preferred by machinery manufacturers for economy.

Good quality routing motors are important because of them playing an increasing role in weld cleaning with the introduction of profiles being welded with gaskets.

Also fitted with the new patented joint location system to help cope with less than perfect welds.

The EV470 comes equipped with a special milling blade to clean the outer corner profile edge that copes with more than 70 different profiles. Angled internal and external bevel knives that achieve a superior finish to conventional cutters. Plus groove knives for white and flat knives for woodgrain and other laminated profiles.

Further expansion of the memory to 270 programs is available.

The EV470 also has an enhanced automatic profile recognition system with the introduction of new capacitive sensors. These magic devices enable the machine to detect if a transom or cruciform is present and pick up specific detail on the profile.

When combined with the measurements of the profiles widths the machine has an accurate picture of the profile to be cleaned. The program is then selected and cleaning is executed automatically.

Kombimatec is constantly improving its products and upgrades are available to existing owners. This service becomes practical and cost effective because Kombimatec is in the position of being a UK manufacturer of machinery for PVC window fabrication.

Kombimatec has an extensive partner reference list and invites all window fabricators & profile suppliers to visit the design and manufacturing plant in Luton, England to see machines being built to high exacting standards. Please call 01582 455 934 to arrange a visit or alternatively view products on-line at http://www.kombimatec.com.

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NWL and GED Team Up with Lead Application Machine

North Western Lead Co (Hyde) Ltd and GED Integrated Solutions are spearheading the decorative lead market with the introduction of a patented automatic leading machine and a specially developed 100 metre reel of lead.

The new machine - the Decorative Application System (DAS) - from GED automatically applies self adhesive lead to glass in straight lines to improve production efficiency and minimise error. The 100 metre reel of lead, which has been specially designed for the machine by North Western Lead Co, is double the length of industry standards, to significantly reduce machine downtime and help to reduce production costs in decorative glass.

The machine perfectly applies squares, rectangles and diamond patterns and virtually eliminates the misalignment of leads. As well as applying standard self adhesive lead, the machine can also accommodate Antique lead and 18mm white Decra Led® to simulate a Georgian Bar effect.

The decorative lead can be used with either a paper liner or a plastic liner depending on the needs of the customer.

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

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