Homag : Two birds with one stone — cutting and element production in one machine

High level of processing accuracy, diversity and flexibility with the highest degree of efficiency and consistency in production: Josef Lehmann Holzbau AG required a new and innovative CNC solution in element production. The result: a system concept that is setting new standards by bringing together two processes on one work station and fostering interaction between hardware and software.

An article from the WEINMANN customer magazine Performance, Version 16/ 2017.
Here you can read the customer magazine Performance online.

For many years, Josef Lehmann Holzbau AG has been built on craftsmanship and extensive experience. Add to this a willingness to continuously adapt knowledge and infrastructure to technical progress and to use them to benefit the customer. 'That's why our business is state of the art and, over the course of time, has continued to acquire skills in new fields of activity,' states Marc Freiermuth, who is responsible for production and work preparation at Lehmann Holzbau.
'In timber work, the demand for more complex processing has increased significantly in recent years.' Freiermuth is convinced that 'both areas are now linked more closely than ever and have to be in terms of cost efficiency and accuracy. That's why we're aiming for a virtually uninterrupted flow of processes and information, from the work preparation stage right up to the finished timber construction element.'

Less is more

In order to achieve this goal, the number of processing stations is consistently reduced and rapid data flow along the production chain is increasingly established. This requires fewer individual machines and greater consistency in data. In CNC production in particular, the hardware and software must be intelligently networked. Lehmann is demonstrating how this looks in practice with their latest investment in the machine pool.

A CNC-controlled WMS 150 multifunction bridge from WEINMANN has been installed, combined with a WTZ 110/12 assembly table and an additional vacuum clamping table with a corresponding vacuum clamping system. 'This concept combines cutting with element production and bundles both onto a single machine,' Freiermuth explains. 'The new system significantly increases our flexibility in production. On the element tables for example, we're able to produce all possible wall and floor elements while processing the cutting jobs on the nesting table at the same time. This has worked perfectly so far in a highly economical and precise way.' The multifunction bridge is also used to process all of the solid wood panels that make up a large part of the Lehmann business.

Among other things, this is guaranteed by the new Cobus data interface. 'The interface enables us to utilize the unprocessed panels in a nesting procedure in the best possible way ,' Freiermuth says. Even small parts with round contours can be nested on the system and produced in a fully automatic process thanks to the integrated vacuum system. However, the decisive advantage is the direct transfer of data from the work preparation stage via the new interface. The interface processes BTLx or WuP files generated by CAD/CAM programs into machine-readable MPR files automatically, thereby making a further contribution to data consistency.
To allow this to happen, the interface transfers output data to Cobus NCAD where the assembly is first broken down into the individual production parts. By using an intelligent processing recognition, the interface automatically creates all the production data for trimming contours, bore holes, saw cuts, etc. and transfers this data to the multifunction bridge.
'In modern timber work companies,' Freiermuth says, 'design and drawing programs are the cornerstones of work preparation. They're used to work out every detail, issue lists for material orders, produce factory drawings and drawings for individual pieces, and write the machine data. To ensure that data transfer integrates perfectly in these processes, compatibility is essential.'

An all-round impressive result

A good, trusting relationship is always something special, and is particularly important for traditional business. Freiermuth says: 'We've had a carpentry machine from WEINMANN for six years and we're very pleased with it.' The WBZ 160 carpentry machine is fitted with a sawing unit, a main spindle, and a 12-slot tool changer. This optimizes previous applications and offers a diverse range of applications for beam processing and cutting in timber frame construction, construction of prefabricated houses, half-timbered constructions, and nail plate trusses.

The WEINMANN system has been in operation since April 2016 and Freiermuth, who is in charge of production, is very happy: 'We were surprised how quickly we were able to achieve our objectives in the area of procurement. Thanks to the system, we're killing two birds with one stone: element production and the task of cutting panels in large surface processing.' The 55-cm diameter saw blade required for cutting solid wood and the 2.5-m-by-5-m vacuum table guarantee that work is so much easier . The accuracy in cutting and joining has also increased significantly - partly due to exact nail and clamp distances. 'We are convinced that this advantage in precision will allow us to process more complex large-scale projects in the future. The market will take us in the right direction We're ready.'

Source: Innovation (HOMAG Schweiz) and holzbaumarktSchweiz
Image rights: Josef Lehmann Holzbau AG, CH-5425 Schnelsingen