Some regions are defined almost entirely by the products that are made in them. For instance, Bordeaux is known for its famous wines, the Black Forest for its ham (and cuckoo clocks!), while anyone partial to a nice cigar might think of Cuba. Known primarily as a mining region, the Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains, also have another tradition that is deeply rooted in the minds of many Germans - and that's the local folk art. Most of the artwork is made of wood and mainly explores motifs closely related to mining and the lives of mining communities. Classic products range from miner figures, nutcrackers, and Christmas angels and pyramids to candle arches, turned wooden animal figures, incense smokers and music boxes. The region surrounding the village of Seiffen, also known as the "toy corner", is the epicenter of Ore Mountain folk art. In fact, several of its local manufacturers have joined "Dregeno", an association for lathe workers, sculptors, and woodware and toy makers. Of course, there are plenty of family-run businesses here, too - including STEINERT, which has been manufacturing turned wooden products for 90 years. STEINERT took over the machine manufacturer WEMA in 2018, acquiring a rich source of relevant specialist mechanical engineering expertise.

With this know-how at its disposal, STEINERT is at LIGNA 2019 to unveil the WEMA Minimat 65 CNC, a fully automated CNC lathe for the series production of turned wooden parts up to 65 mm in diameter. The lathe features two turning supports that are both CNC-controlled - just like its feed. It is also equipped with a pneumatically controlled drilling and parting support. The turning supports can be fitted with either profile blades or copying turning tools, meaning operators can work with the traditional arrangement of two profile blades facing each other. However, it is also possible to combine a copying turning tool with a profile blade or to use two - or, if necessary, three - different copying turning tools. This flexibility allows for a wide variety of workpiece geometries. Positioning the turning supports directly behind the steady rest ensures outstanding turning quality. Finally, the WEMA Minimat 65 CNC is extremely cost-effective, whether it’s handling large or small batches. This means even individual pieces and samples can be produced quickly and economically.