Solutions for a smart workshop

We live in the digital age and it's everywhere, from telephones and watches that take your blood pressure and tell you you're eating too much sugar, to the most sophisticated machines that can reproduce sculptures identically. Computer programs are everywhere in industry, increasing productivity and reducing labor. Even the woodworking and furniture industries couldn't stay away from these modern conveniences. The advent of CNCs has made operations such as cutting, milling, drilling, boring, and nibbling much easier to perform and precision has become in the micron range. Sophisticated equipment first appeared in large factories, where identical reproduction of an item tens and hundreds of thousands of times was essential and productivity mattered. Over time, however, machine manufacturers also developed programs for small factories or even workshops, "softwares" for flexible, adaptable, small or, why not, high volume production. One solution for such small factories is Smart Workshop at East European Trade (EET).

Why would you be tempted to have a smart workshop? Because:

• saving on material and labor,
• Everything is interconnected - the handling system, the circular, the CNC, the canting machine,
• is perfect for custom production,
• board placement is optimized with minimal losses,
• the leftovers can be processed back in the warehouse,
• smart storage automatically prepares your material when you're not working.

The system comprises a Store-Master automatic plate warehouse with handling robot. In addition to the fully automated procedures, the system offers a very efficient use of storage space. With it you will know at any time what the situation is in the warehouse, the existing stock, the plates scheduled to be processed and the leftovers left over from processing.

Here are some of advantages of the system:

• control of plate separation by weight monitoring also for thin plates;
• recording operational and evaluation data;
• software-ul ce teaches himselfi optimizes always the routes în warehouse  
• efficient use of low headroom;
• the possibility to store your material even above ground, in a spațiu 
  tiered;
• plate separating device;
• electronic plate measurement;
• low energy consumption;
• suction with automatic size adjustment and more.

The plate magazine is interfaced with the circular cut-to-pack, canting machine and/or CNC. Connection with these machines is not mandatory, but is possible. If connected to them the CNC can be equipped with state-of-the-art Nesting CNC software, which is a new and complete solution for individual furniture. Using this software everything becomes much simpler, from board to furniture is only 3 steps.

Why is this system suitable for custom furniture production? First of all because the program modifies the dimensions of a drawing stored in a database - a digital library - adapting it to the end user's requirements. In other words, it is possible to make 1000 identical wardrobes, but what's more, the program can adapt the design to the needs of each client, the wardrobe can be taller, wider, longer, whatever the client wants. Basically, from the digital library you choose the model, make the size changes according to the new requirements, choose the number of pieces you want to produce, then the Better Nest software does the optimization completely automatically.

The second step is to position the plate on the CNC to start machining and start the program. If you chose a Store Master plate magazine the plate will be automatically transported and positioned. The program will then do all the necessary machining: formatting, vertical drilling and grooving, plus all the milling for the LAMELLO-P system, an ingenious, removable, re-assemblable, strong and elegant Swiss joining system. It's all automatic, computer-controlled, your role is to adjust the operations to be carried out.

At the end, all you have to do is take the parts off the CNC table and apply the chamfer or the joining elements for which the machining has been done.

The machines of this management system, minus the plate warehouse, could be seen in action at the International Furniture, Equipment and Accessories Fair BIFE SIM, which took place at Romexpo Bucharest on September 13-17, 2017. I recommend everyone to visit it even if you are not planning to make any immediate purchase. It's all about accumulating information about what products are on offer to you and which suppliers you can work with.

NEXTEC was also presented in Brasov at the Expowood, on 20 April 2018. On Expowood facebook page There is also a video from the machine presentation.