As the world's leading trade fair, LIGNA not only stands for the global range of tools, machines and systems for woodworking and wood processing, but with its theme setting it is also regarded as a driving force for industry development. The Bad Oeynhausen-based sanding machine manufacturer Heesemann will be presenting a whole host of innovations and solutions in Hanover to mark the 50th anniversary of the trade fair.

Focus on Results

Automation, digital networking and intelligent product features that are geared towards customer requirements are the key themes at this year's LIGNA. Ultimately, however, it is all about the results that customers can achieve with them. That's why Heesemann is focusing on solutions and customer references this year. High-quality floor coverings, exclusive pieces of furniture or individual applications from renowned manufacturers will find their place on the stand and invite visitors to discover the world of sanding. The whole thing will be rounded off with an automation example, which should also be feasible in smaller companies at manageable investment costs. After all, according to Heesemann, in addition to efficiency, the shortage of skilled workers is also one of the issues of our time. The sanding experts from East Westphalia will be demonstrating how the skilled trades can also automate their production simply and cost-effectively and thus position themselves efficiently and sustainably.

Sustainable and future-oriented Development of Germany as a Business Destination

"Changing conditions in the global economy, the ubiquitous shortage of skilled workers, cost pressure and international competition pose major challenges, especially for traditional businesses and smaller craft enterprises. At Heesemann, we develop forward-looking solutions for our customers that they can implement easily and cost-effectively. This is our contribution to the sustainable and future-oriented development of Germany as a business location," explains Christoph Giese, Managing Director of Karl Heesemann Maschinenfabrik.

Processing components of different thicknesses in the same pass

Heesemann's latest technology is celebrating a world premiere: high-speed height adjustment. The height of all units in the machine can be adjusted individually and independently of each other using separate drives. This individual height adjustment makes it possible to process different workpiece types and thicknesses in the same pass. The whole process takes place at a high speed of 25 millimetres per second, which, according to Heesemann, is eight times faster than with conventional machine height adjustments. The advantage is that parts such as fronts, frames and carcasses no longer have to be processed separately by the sanding machine and downstream painting systems, but can be processed in the same pass. This eliminates time-consuming and costly sorting work, as parts of a complete kitchen, for example, can be picked together. This technology, which was first developed for an American kitchen manufacturer, is said to reduce the throughput time from two minutes to twelve seconds, which enables high production efficiency.

Uniform Edge Breaking on all Edges

The RUL flap roller unit is another innovation from Heesemann, which is designed to enable absolutely uniform edge breaking on all edges and the processing of very deep profiles. The RUL unit consists of six rotating satellites, each of which carries a 300 millimeter wide sanding flap roller. Due to the orbit of the satellites in conjunction with their rotation around both their vertical and horizontal axes, workpieces are processed equally intensively from all directions, which, according to Heesemann, no other brushing process on the market can achieve. Thanks to the unique kinematics, it is possible to use pressure rollers in addition to the vacuum to fix the workpieces on the conveyor belt. According to the East Westphalian company, this is a unique advantage, especially for long, narrow parts and workpieces with distortion.

Great Potential for European Furniture Manufacturers

With OSR (Orbital Scratch Removal), Heesemann has another technical innovation up its sleeve that is of particular interest to overseas customers. When sanding frame parts or other workpieces with different grain directions, sanding against the grain direction cannot be avoided. The resulting sanding marks are clearly visible, especially when using dark stains. The OSR effectively removes all sanding marks. The stationary, vibrating sanding belt of the OSR unit removes the sanding marks from the upstream sanding machine. According to Heesemann, the result is an absolutely smooth surface, so that there are no differences in color impression depending on the grain direction after staining. To date, the OSR has mainly been used in machines for the American market, as the demand for so-called 5-piece doors is very high there. The technology holds great potential for European furniture manufacturers who want to differentiate themselves from the competition with this application, which is not yet widespread on the domestic market.

For high-quality Trade and industrial Companies

Equipped with a calibrating roller, a longitudinal and cross unit and the DB-S disc brush unit, the MFA Impression solves every conceivable sanding task according to Heesemann: solid wood, veneer, lacquer and 3D surfaces can be processed with it. The MFA Impression is flexible and versatile and is intended to appeal to both upmarket craftsmen and industrial companies. According to Heesemann, the tried-and-tested DB-S disk brush unit ensures perfect sanding without oscillation marks and is flexible and versatile. The processing of three-dimensional surfaces such as kitchen fronts with fillings or workpieces with radii on the edges as well as structuring are easily possible with this unit. Another advantage that saves time and money: sharp workpiece edges are broken in the same pass, eliminating the need for additional manual work.

Clever Service Products support Users

In addition to the technological innovations, Heesemann is presenting a revised service portfolio at LIGNA that goes far beyond installation and spare parts. For example, customers can have existing systems retrofitted so that they can bring old machines up to the latest state of the art with the help of an electrical rebuild or open up new applications by replacing a unit without having to purchase a new machine. Virtual service calls should also enable problems to be solved in real time and application and technician training courses should optimize the use of the machine to help customers get the best out of their system.

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