Ligna takes flexible approach
26 November 2012Versatile, multi-functional machines, capable of undertaking a range of different timber processing requirements,will be a core focus at the next Ligna next May.
According to the show organisers, the trend towards multi-role equipment, particularly from small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is market driven.
"There is rising demand for customised products and today's processing solutions have to cope with scenarios from mass to single lot production," said a show spokesperson. "At the same time, manufacturers have to find new ways of compensating for productivity losses from increasingly customised production."
Among the flexible technology on show at Ligna in Hannover from May 6-10 will be the latest generation of machines capable of sizing, profiling and applying a surface to raw panels in a single pass, and solid wood processing equipment that can create a range of surface finishes and be programmed to reproduce 3D structures without expensive upgrade kits.
Other highlights will be automatically-fed machines combining panel, rip and docking saws in one unit and new six-axis CNC machining centres, designed to provide even greater flexibility in more compact units.
A new generation of horizontal panel saws at the fair will feature an extra pusher, to allow multiple simultaneous cutting cycles, while through-feed drilling machines will be on show with both horizontal and vertical spindles.
