Sawmill opts for Vollmer machine

The Holzwerk Baur sawmill, based in Wain, Upper Swabia, processes around 180,000 solid cubic metres of wood each year and exports its products across the world. Sustainability is a key priority for the sawmill, which sources its material from the local region and puts every last shaving to use.

To ensure efficient wood cutting, Holzwerk Baur runs around 250 saws every day, kept sharp using machines supplied by Vollmer. Among many machines in the grinding shop is a Vollmer CHD 270 grinding machine for carbide-tipped circular saw blades, set up with an automated system to run around the clock.

The Vollmer CHD 270 offers eight CNC-controlled axes and measuring equipment able to machine carbide-tipped circular saw blades in a single set-up. It can sharpen even complex tooth geometries, including chip-breaker grooves, chamfers on the pre-cutting and finishing teeth, and Braunschweig tooth or chip-guide notches. Every circular saw blade is loaded into its precise grinding position automatically, regardless of diameter. A measuring sensor then determines the tooth geometry, in other words, the hook angle, radial and tangential clearance angles, cutting width, blade thickness, and side projection. The automated Vollmer ND 320 handling system uses two loading carriages, each of which can be loaded with up to 50 circular saw blades.

For Holzwerk Baur, the Vollmer sharpening machines are the key to sustainable wood processing. Able to process 80 metres of material per minute, the profiling line cuts the logs into clean squares, which are then processed by up to 10 saw blades into boards, frames and floorboards. Every last scrap of wood is used, with wood chips going to the paper mill, sawdust to chipboard manufacturers, wood shavings to the filler industry, and bark to gardening and landscaping firms (or the company’s own heating system).

For further information
www.vollmer-group.com

Nuclear AMRC to support SMRs

The Nuclear AMRC will work with Rolls-Royce on the next phase of its small modular reactor (SMR) development programme, and help prepare critical components for commercial production in the UK. In unison, the pair will develop the manufacturing capability for a variety of advanced processes, using the state-of-the-art machining, joining and testing facilities of the Nuclear AMRC’s research factory in Rotherham. The centre will also support the design of a new UK factory for large SMR components.

Following this development, the Nuclear AMRC will continue working with Rolls-Royce to create a fully integrated pre-production proving facility for SMR manufacturing. The proving facility will produce large-scale prototypes of the reactor pressure vessel and its closure head.

For further information www.namrc.co.uk

Suppliers return to Hurco open house

Hurco’s UK and Ireland subsidiary will stage its traditional Christmas open house at its High Wycombe headquarters on 7-8 December. Visitor numbers at these end-of-year events are always high because, in addition to having 12 machines cutting metal in the showroom, supply partners will exhibit for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year there will be 16 specialist stands covering tooling, work holding, CADCAM software, metrology, automation, mist extraction, rotary tables, angle heads and machine tool finance. As a result, visitors to the event will be able to discuss a wealth of auxiliary items to extract the best from their Hurco machine tools.

For further information www.hurco.co.uk

Multi-million aerospace contract

ÉireComposites, a design, manufacturing and testing company based in County Galway, has signed a new multi-million euro contract with Spirit AeroSystems to provide structural components for commercial airliners and business jets. The contract will enable the creation of 40 new jobs over the next three years, while securing 60 existing positions. The new jobs will be a combination of engineering, quality and high-tech manufacturing roles.
Awarding this contract highlights the continued commitment by Spirit AeroSystems to Irish suppliers following its recent acquisition of Bombardier’s Belfast operations. The scope of the contract involves complex composite component manufacturing, including assembly, part trimming and non-destructive testing services for a number of key business and commercial aircraft programmes.

For further information www.eirecomposites.com

Automated steel storage and processing

Steel stockholder Weser Stahl, based in Stuhr-Brinkum, Germany, has automated its operation to meet increasing competition from international suppliers. The key element of its in-house logistics is a recently installed storage, sawing and robotic handling system supplied by Kasto. Weser Stahl’s new system provides unattended material flow through the facility, from storage of the raw stock to provision of the sawn sections for shipment. The system has proved so successful that plans are in place to install another at Weser Stahl’s site in Plettenberg.

Weser Stahl relies on modern machinery and equipment, and has a number of bandsaws and circular saws supplied by kasto over many years.

The new KASTOcenter varioplus 4 measures almost 8 m in height, providing 1398 storage spaces for material up to 7 m in length. Each compartment has a usable loading height of 50 to 430 mm and can take a maximum material weight of 4 tonnes. A storage and retrieval machine (SRM) moving at speeds of up to 60 m/min handles the bar. Two KASTOvariospeed circular saws (150 mm diameter capacity) and one KASTOtec FC 4 bandsaw (430 mm capacity) are connected to the storage facility.

Weser Stahl relies on automation for material removal. The KASTOtec saw is equipped with a turning and stacking system, while the two KASTOvariospeed saws each have an industrial robot that automatically removes sawn sections and stacks them on to pallets, as required for each order.

“In this way, we have created a continuous material flow that can function fully unattended if necessary – and around the clock,” says sales manager Stieven Harder. “The result is an enormous increase in efficiency and performance, as well as more ergonomic working conditions for our employees.”

For further information
www.kasto.com