 Earlier
this year we received an enquiry from a major Saddlemaking Company based in
Walsall, West Midlands. This company makes traditional plywood saddle trees
for their own use and the trade. The saddle trees are constructed from six layers of 1.5mm birch plywood and the usual method of construction is to laminate the layers on a hot aluminium former each one using up to ten "G" cramps holding cast aluminium top plates. The quality achieved is high but the accurate setting of the cramps is time consuming and requires a great deal of care and attention. To gauge the best solution for the customer, we invited their managing director to our showroom in Downton. Here we could demonstrate the process of vacuum laminating with our Vacutherm machine using the customer's own former. it was clear that there would be considerable savings in time with increased quality and consistency. To shorten the cycle time, the machine would be fitted with our new overhead infra red heater hood with adjustable wings for wrap around heating. We would also write a computer programe to enable the machine to operate fully automatically as well as in manual mode. We delivered the press in June and after one day's commissioning and training the company had reduced the preparation time to 10 minutes and the pressing time to 8 minutes - a saving of about 45 minutes. In addition the symmetry (important in the fit of the saddle) and the quality of the product was more consistent as the stresses caused by the ten "G2 clamps no long applied. To see full specifications of the ThermaWing - click here |