Cutting Stone Quickly

Editorial - Joiners Magazine NZ - September 2012




I have always been a machinery buyer - you are either employing more people or buying machines.

 

cutting stone quickly

Andrew Jakimiuk has been cutting stone at his Glenfeld Granite Workshop for 16 years, so when he decided to upgrade his stone cutting machinery he had a pretty good idea what he wanted. A machine that was faster with quick set up and change outs, a machine that was sophisticated enough to cover all the options required by his top end clients and a machine that was represented by a local agency. He found all these in the Intermac Master 33 from Biesse.

Granite Workshop on Aucklands North Shore specialises in cutting and shaping stone surfaces, most of their business involves benchtops but they also prepare granite and marble for a range of other uses including cladding, tiling, fire surrounds and anything else you might wish to build or clad in stone.

“Bench and countertops, whether in kitchens,bathroom, laundries or commercial applications comprise the bulk of our business,” says Andrew, “and we needed a machine that was fast and efficient for cutting and shaping one off designs.”

Andrew travels regularly to source granite and marble from countries such as Italy, Spain and India giving him the opportunity to also view what is available internationally in stone cutting equipment.

“Attending the major European trade shows enabled me to do plenty of research on what was available and suitable for my needs. I had seen the Biesse Intermac range demonstrated at various shows and liked what I saw. I also decide that I would only purchase a machine that was represented in New Zealand, for me local service and local commissioning was very important and the Intermac obviously falls into that range. I also liked the way Biesse was able to provide an all up price which included purchase, transport, installation and commissioning to our required set up. I found other companies were not as transparent quoting a price and then adding in extras later.”

Granite Workshop ended up purchasing an Intermac Master 33 in March this year.

“The difference between this machine and our previous is basically that it is more sophisticated and much faster. It is probably twice as fast as our last machine which means substantial savings in both labour costs and turnaround times. It also has laser positioning of the cups and stops which I love. You can see exactly where the cut is to be made and where the cups are, which eliminates the possibility for a number of mistakes, repairs and subsequent hold ups.”

“Biesse handled the installation and commissioning very well, it took a couple of weeks. Local Biesse technician Conrad Mincher began the install and then was joined by one of his Australian colleague with specialist knowledge of the Intermac range for final commissioning.”

“Our guys picked it up quickly - they are obviously pretty experienced in working with granite and marble so adapted to the new machine easily and love using it. It came with its own software which is very user friendly and allows programming for anything from standard cut outs to engraved drainer boards, and from high polish to leather and textured finishes to suit all needs.

Six months down the track Andrew is pleased with his purchase.

“It’s a great machine and we are all really happy with it. I have always been a machinery buyer - you are either employing more people or buying machines - you need to keep up with technology or you will regret it.”

View the entire September issue of Joiners Magazine online here:
http://www.netlineservices.co.nz/joiners/pdf/online.pdf 

209b Archers Rd,

Glen

field, Auckland

ph 09 443 1064

www.graniteworkshop.co.nz



Editorial - Supplier Magazine - May/June 2012

Biesse – The Right Choice for Custom Force.

The right router with the right software has dramatically improved productivity and expanded the manufacturing options of Custom Force Interiors Pty Ltd.

Brothers, Alfred (Left) and Joe (Right) Borg of Custom Force Interiors

with their Klever 1224 G Flat Table Router.

Custom Force Interiors is a family owned and operated business and was established in 2008. They design and build made-to-measure cabinetry for domestic and commercial entities. They manufacture 2 Pac cabinetry doors as well as design and make one-off face designs to suite the client’s specific requirements. 

Since its inception, the company has grown from strength to strength. Originally trading from the family's property, the business is now operating from a large factory premises in Laverton North, Melbourne. The new premises can accommodate the increasing demand for product and has the capacity to house machinery that their previous location could not.

With the company’s consistent growth and new premises, the owners decided that it was time to invest in new machinery to deliver sophisticated design and increase their production capabilities.

When it came to making a decision about the purchase of a flat bed router, the company owners didn’t hesitate in choosing Biesse Group Australia as their supplier. Their reputation for quality products and after sales service instilled a level of confidence for Custom Force Interiors that has not been misplaced.

“The addition of the Klever 1224 Flatbed Router to our business in November 2011 has already saved us money, we can now manufacture our products more efficiently and this allows Custom Force Interiors to be more competitive.” Alfred Borg explains.

"Before we purchased our Biesse router we were cutting everything on a panel saw and then boring all holes on a multibore, which was quite time consuming. Now with the Biesse we can machine a kitchen in a few hours with very little waste. Our production has increased and this solution allows us to produce all items in-house giving us the capabilities to manufacture anything."

The owners and designers at Custom Force Interiors were impressed at how their newly acquired machinery, and the software that was included, have supported their sales and production process. The process begins with an initial client meeting to determine their unique needs and specifications. All measurements are taken on-site and the design process begins. Designs are produced using state-of-the-art software to create 3-dimensional drawings. These drawings help clients visualise how their ideas can become a reality.

Once a design is approved by the client the drawing dimensions are transferred directly to the newly acquired BiesseWorks software. BiesseWorks provides commands to the Klever CNC Flatbed Router, ensuring accuracy of cutting and boring and resulting in cleanly-finished individual parts. This ensures that individual components fit together comfortably for a professional and quality finished product.

"BiesseWorks software is fantastic, you don't need any other add-ins, with the software you can program any design easily.” says Alfred, who is also the company designer. “I have used a lot of different CNC routers in my career and all kinds of software; I have found BiesseWorks to be the most efficient because of how easy it is to write programs in the fully parametric programming system. In cabinet construction and door making, parametric programming is very important. It saves time in writing program after program since there are a lot of odd sizes, one program can do all sections of that item. Also, you can transfer drawings from AutoCAD by DXF and with tooling set in AutoCAD."

BiesseNest, nesting software provided with Biesse machines, can also help minimise material waste. “Once the components have been nested, if you don't like the way it's placed on the sheet, you can move or rotate that item. It’s a great feature that other software from different suppliers doesn’t have. Nesting is done very easily as I transfer my designs straight to BiesseNest.”

“Biesse staff were very helpful, having lots of knowledge about their product. When the machine was commissioned Biesse technicians provided complete onsite training, but what impressed us most was the patience of the instructor; he made sure we understood each topic before moving to the next.”

The addition of the Klever 1224 G FT Router to the suite of tools at the disposal of Custom Force Interiors has resulted in a more efficient work process, increasing the capacity of the company to meet growing demand. The high standards of work finish expected by the company owners is better supported through the use of the flatbed router as poor finish resulting from inaccurate cutting is virtually eliminated. The company objectives of innovative design and superior quality are able to be delivered through the use of Biesse equipment.

Custom Force Interiors is looking forward to their continued association with BIESSE as their company reputation for innovative design and superior quality is enhanced by the advanced technology offered with BIESSE equipment.

Custom Force Interiors

Ph:(03)8360-3031 / 0431 567 587

Fx: (03)8360-3032

info@customforceinteriors.com.au

www.customforceinteriors.com.au

To download the current issue of Supplier Magazine, please click here: http://www.suppliermagazine.com.au/supplier/pdf/supplier_marapr2012.pdf

Paradise Goes Automatic to Improve Production

Editorial: AWISA Magazine, Autumn 2012

When demand was beginning to outweigh production, Wessam and Bassam Issa of paradise kitchens considered whether nesting was the solution they were after

Paradise Kitchens was founded by Alex Issa almost 24 years ago. They are manufacturers of kitchens, bathrooms, vanities and laundries. They supply direct to the public, builders and tradesmen as well as home owners and self-renovators.  The company is now run by Alex’s sons, Wessam and Bassam Issa, who took over from Alex a few years ago.

In October 2011, Wessam and Bassam found that demand was beginning to outweigh their production capabilities with their current factory equipment.  Their previous factory set up was comprised of a beamsaw and a point to point machine, which meant production involved staff manually loading machines and supervising them as they ran.  The brothers began to investigate their options and considered that nesting may be the correct solution for their factory to keep up with the market.

The evaluation process led them to research the factors that were most important to them and their production needs. These factors included an appropriate running speed, the size of the main spindle head, size of the working table, automatic zoning of the vacuum table, a large drill head and of course the price to quality ratio. They found that in all these areas, Biesse came out on top. In fact, Biesse was able to supply the largest spindle head on the market and a wide choice of table sizes.

In early December 2011, the Issa brothers made the decision to invest in a BiesseArtech numerically controlled machining center. The package they purchased includes the BiesseArtech Skill 1536 which has a 5’ x 12 table size, sweeping arm, automatic loading, outfeed conveyor and includes BiesseWorks, BiesseNest and spreadsheet software. 

 “We were impressed that the machine was fully automatic, all software was supplied by Biesse and was user friendly. Most importantly, it could be run by one operator who now does both programming and machining. This reduced our staff from 5 men to just 3 on the production floor, reducing long term costs.”

Now the operator can leave the machine to run on its own without supervision and in the meantime he can attend to other tasks, such as running the edgebander or writing programs for the next job.  The BiesseArtech Skill will nest and drill all in the one operation reducing the need for double handling.

When purchasing a new machine, another important factor is any delay the change will have on production, both during and after installation as well as after-sales service.  “The installation of the machine was a smooth transition even though we chose to do it in December; the Christmas period is one of the busiest times of the year for us. The operator received full training by the technician so there was very little disruption to production.”

 “Service was also a big deal to us; we needed to know that we could rely on the service department. From the installation of the machine in December, we have been very happy with the support and fast turnaround we’ve received from Biesse.”

The purchase of an automatic numerically controlled machining centre has resulted in a 60% increase in production within just a few months for Paradise Kitchens.  They are now running 70-90 sheets per day and meeting demand even in their busiest times.  Wessam and Bassam’s are positive that choosing to invest in a nesting solution was the right decision for their production floor.

Paradise Kitchens
70 Hassall Street,
Wetherill Park NSW 2164
Telephone: (02) 9757 4400

 To view issue 10 of AWISA magazine online click here: http://www.awisa.com/magazine.php 

Biesse Brings New Dimension

Editorial - Joiners Magazine - March 2012

A shift to bigger premises, some significant new business and ongoing issues with their router meant Dimension Shopf tter were in the market for a new CNC last year. After looking at the options the company settled on a Biesse Skill 1536 G FT. Production Manager Karl Clemm tells us why.

Karl Clemm with the new Biesse Dimension Shopfi tters recently installed at their Albany factory.

Last year was a big year for the Albany based shopfitters, involvement in the early fit out of the new Z petrol stations, a number of new Mega 10 cafes, the emerging trend of big brand pop up shops, Rugby World Cup activity and ongoing mall work ensured a constant flow of business throughout the year.

This activity and further potential prompted the move to a larger premises but left the company with one problem which had been with them for some years, their CNC router had ongoing performance issue - something which would influence them in their new selection.

After enduring several years with their previous machine Karl Clemm who runs the factory and production for the 45 staff company had a good idea of what he wanted and didn’t want.

“Price was important, technical capabilities were important and we knew from experience that good service and technical support was a starting point. Our machine works all day - we have 4 CAD operators feeding it and much of the work is pushing design boundaries. We cut a lot of different material from corian to acrylic to MDF much of it small runs a couple of panels at a time.

Because of the size of the operation and variety of work we need to be very systematic in our production flows or we can easily have staff sitting around waiting. We also need a machine that is going to operate trouble free and if we do experience problems we require a support service that is instant and keeps downtime to a minimum,” says Karl.

The company also had another issue - they had large contracts to process and needed a machine that could be installed now rather than being built in Europe and then shipped out.

Biesse fulfilled all of these requirements they had a range of machines that could be customised to the individuals needs and they had stock on hand that could be commissioned
straight away.

“We had recently purchased an edgebander from Biesse and had been impressed with its performance and the support from the Biesse team in NZ,” said Karl. “The Biesse Skill
1536 has a larger bed size which we required for working with larger sheets and the vacuum system allows us to change sheet sizes without adjusting the bed, reducing set up time. We were also able to add a sweeping arm which gives good feed and speeds up production.

The tooling set up is great when handling differing materials and our existing software didn’t need to be altered as it was compatible with the new machine. I was impressed by
Biesse NZ rep Dylan Staples, firstly when we were looking at our options, he had the answers to any question straight away - along with purchasing into a good solid international brand this gave us confidence - subsequently since our purchase he has been there when needed.

While they are only a few months into running with the Biesse Karl couldn’t be happier.

“Installation and operation was relatively simple we have experienced CNC staff on both the machinery and software side so that wasn’t an issue - what we have found since
its purchase is that we have confidence in it performance - something that has not always been the case in the past.”

Dimension Shopfitters
67 Arrenway Drive
Albany Auckland
phone 09 414 1173

Read the full Version of Joiners Magazine here: http://www.netlineservices.co.nz/joiners/pdf/online.pdf 

SAFETY ALERT - Working with sheet materials

WorkCover Authority of NSW

Working with sheet materials: Safety alert 

This safety alert provides information about hazards and the potential for serious injury when storing or handling sheet materials that are stacked on their edges.

 

http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/formspublications/publications/Documents/working-sheet-materials-safety-alert-3707.pdf 

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Production Line?

Editorial: Supplier Magazine - March 2012

Leno Andaloro, Oceanic Sales Director of Biesse Group, explains the importance of a well-designed factory layout and gives some advice on planning the changes that will maximise the efficiency of your production process.

Whether an organisation has been operating for 100 years or is only just finding its feet, it is important that a sound production plan is established and maintained in order to improve process flow, adhere to OH&S standards, utilize time, space and human resources, minimise stress, satisfy staff requirements and optimise equipment usage.

“When ideas begin to flow it can be too easy to rush into making rash decisions that may end up wasting time, money and upsetting staff for no logical reason.” says Andaloro.  “Strategic planning and consultation should be done carefully and completely before changes begin to roll out.”

He explains that a common mistake that business owners make when setting up their factory for production is that they try to plan everything on their own.  “Thinking that your opinion and your ideas are the only ones that matter is sure to set you up for problems. It’s crucial to involve staff from all levels in the organisation when planning, brain storming and problem solving. By doing this you ensure that you see all points of view, and more importantly, because they are involved, it’s easier to gain their support for the changes.”

Andaloro explains that it is imperative that an organisation has defined goals, objectives and standards that remain the focus throughout the planning process. “Over time, analyse the current flow of production and identify areas that are detrimental to achieving the company goals. All staff should understand what the common goal is in their working environment.”

“Occupational Health and Safety should be the number one priority in a work place at all times.” he stresses. “Make sure safety measures are carefully considered when purchasing and positioning equipment. Appropriate space should be allocated for safety equipment and first aid stations. Emergency exits should be clear at all times and signage and safety training shouldn’t be neglected.”

Another common mistake is that owners don’t put in enough effort when it comes to design and maintenance of the factory floor. “I like the saying ‘dress for the job you want, not the job you’ve got’ and it can be applied to the presentation of your factory as well. The look and design of a factory can be a powerful sales tool. A well-presented and functional factory may even help you land that dream contract you’ve been fighting for.”

Andaloro recommends seeking advice and help to ensure that all possible options are considered and the plan is executed smoothly. “It can be daunting just thinking about moving or re-evaluating a factory layout. So make sure you consult someone who can provide valuable information, tips and ideas that come from experience.”

The Biesse Sales team now provide obligation-free consultations and can assist you with planning your factory layout. Contact your nearest branch for more information on 1300 BIESSE or email info@biesseaustralia.com.au

Download the complete Issue of Supplier Magazine here:
http://www.suppliermagazine.com.au/supplier/pdf/supplier_janfeb2012.pdf

Rover A G FT Series...

Customizing your production

The Rover A G FT Series is a Biesse solution dedicated to nesting high quality components in a flexible production environment with options for full automation of material including labeling, loading and unloading systems.

The Rover A G FT series because of its modular design gives your business realistic, workable options. Purchase the machine today and add system components at a later date or increase your productivity with full automation by including the load and unloading systems.

Create a flexible production environment; load and label panels via the Biesse loading system, with the new vacuum loading system, ready for the machining centre to produce components ready for the assembly process. The sweeping arm with incorporated dust extraction will carefully remove you panel piece from the machining centre onto the conveyor table for your operator to remove in a safe environment, whilst simultaneously automatically loading and labeling the next panel for the Biesse machining centre to process more components in only a few minutes.

This Biesse solutions unmatched by any competitor and can be tailored to suit your production environment. The Rover A G FT range is packed with features:

• Customise your label functionality:
• Fully Automated System, or
• Touch Screen Label System
• Revolving tool changer with 16 places, installed on the X carriage giving you a multitude of available machining processes.
• Simple-to-use software included:
• Advanced BiesseWorks enabling multisite application (machine & office)
• BiesseNest, perfectly integrated with BiesseWorks makes nesting of any shape simple.
• 9 x NC Controlled Independent Vacuum areas - Multizoning means you don't need to control the vacuum area concentration' it's automatically decided digitally.
• The Matrix FT table can be utilised with special vacuum modules enabling horizontal machining, therefore giving you the flexibility to use it as a true machining centre.
• The operating unit has full coverage of the entire worktable utilizing all tools - No limits means no loss of valuable production capability.
• A wide variety of available aggregates to improve you machining process performance. Aggregate tools give you the ability to get the most out of your machining centre, such as floating heads for precision depth machining, V grooving saws for the processing of panels perfectly making 90 degree mitred join, and much more.

Whether you require a standalone solution or an automatic loading and unloading system there is an option for you. Call Biesse today and learn more about how the Biesse Rover A G FT series customize your production needs!

New Zealand office on (+64) 9278 1870

Australia (+61) 2 8787 5124 or E: info@biesseaustralia.com.au

Make sure you keep up-to-date on the latest Biesse and industry news by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Eblogger and Youtube, go to our website http://www.biesseaustralia.com.au/ and follow the links.