MACHINING TECHNOLOGY
MACHINING TECHNOLOGY Digital, powerful, high precision: The new DSB Twinhead Pro XM thin-cutting band saw Wintersteiger AG from Upper Austria has made the powerful DSB Twinhead thin-cutting band saw fit for the future: with its digital solutions and a completely overhauled user interface, the new DSB Twinhead Pro XM heralds the start of the next generation of machines. The band saw has also been optimized for the softwood segment. The new DSB Twinhead Pro XM with two saw modules is a thin-cutting band saw machine for industrial use where a large capacity is required. The proven predecessor model has been optimized from various viewpoints. Andreas Ramsauer, Product Manager of Division Woodtech, explains: “This development project was all about incorporating advances in digitalization into a tried and tested machine to enhance it and exploit all available technical options for our customers. The result is the DSB Twinhead Pro XM, a future-proof band saw for high-quality thin-cutting of wood.” The basic version can be extended to three machines in total – connected in series. This amounts to a total of 6 saw modules in one system. Thanks to the dual design of each machine, the DSB Twinhead Pro XM is also a space-saving solution. Modern solutions for more efficient production processes Digitalization brings with it enormous opportunities and possibilities. With so much data available for the cutting process, such as feed speeds for different kinds of wood, it is possible to think in terms of saw blade optimization. Andreas Ramsauer explains: “The last few years have shown us that digitalization has also reached the woodworking industry. So the logical next step was to take up this engineering trend.” The following digital solutions have been implemented with the DSB Twinhead Pro XM: Digital saw blade detection The machine automatically detects and identifies the marked Wintersteiger saw blade at the start, and provides cutting process data, such as the feed speed. The machine and tool data are linked, and a simplified form of tool management can also be realized. Data no longer have to be entered manually – apart from wood type and customer-specific data. Automatic block width measurement The DSB Twinhead Pro XM uses optical sensors to measure the block width, and the customer receives reliable information about throughput, that is, the cut m 2 . Automatic bearing monitoring Bearing monitoring documents the condition of the bearings, and when sufficient data is available, can anticipate imminent bearing damage. Once wear is ascertained, the preventive replacement of the bearings can be arranged so that it does not interfere with production times. Connection to the myWintersteiger cloud Production output data (per shift, for example) and tool management are stored in a structured way in the myWintersteiger cloud, and clearly presented on the dashboard. This valuable information forms the basis for continuous optimization in the production process. The customer’s remote maintenance package automatically includes connection to the cloud. Specialization: Cutting softwood As wood prices rise, high-quality thin cutting is also becoming increasingly important in the softwood segment. This trend was taken up in the machine development, and the new DSB Twinhead Pro XM was optimized for this area of application. Technical improvements include extremely powerful chip extraction, and a faster feed with speeds of up to 45 meters per minute. Andreas Ramsauer on the engineering: “The DSB Twinhead Pro XM is even better at meeting the needs of the softwood sector, and subsequently achieves perfect cutting results. Even customerspecific adaptations do not cause a problem.” Complex machine, easy handling The machine was developed from the operator’s perspective. The user interface has been completely overhauled to make navigation as intuitive as possible. The thin-cutting band saw has a 12- inch multi-touch display and an easily understood menu to guide the operator through the program. It was extremely important to us that the machine was readily accessible for maintenance and repair work. As Achim Priewasser, an application engineer who was involved in the machine development, confirms: “The new DSB Twinhead Pro XM has gone even further when it comes to handling and cleaning. High precision cutting results are another major benefit of our new machine. The easy and intuitive operation offered by the touch display is a giant leap forward.” www.wintersteiger.com 20 No. 4 • October 2021
MACHINING TECHNOLOGY Entering the next round woodWOP 8 - New functions. Infinite options woodWOP, the CNC programming system from HOMAG Group AG, is entering the next round. Version 8 is fresh and up-to-date, with many new features and updates available for customers. The success story began in 1991 and now spans over 30 years. During this time, more than 30,000 machines have been equipped with wood- WOP and 60,000 licenses have been sold to satisfied customers. Since its launch, woodWOP has been developed in Germany. With woodWOP, there is an almost immeasurable wealth of experience that is unparalleled in the wood processing industry. At the heart of this easy-to-use software is the innovative large graphic area in which the workpiece is displayed in three dimensions. Trimming and drilling or saw cuts are programmed quickly and easily by entering the machining parameters and are displayed realistically in the graphic. woodWOP 8 - Further joint development with feedback from the field The upcoming version 8 offers a number of new functions that were developed together with carpenters. HOMAG has always excelled at involving customers and listening to the target group, and this has also been taken to heart in the further development of this software. The focus here is on practical wizards for convenient processing, which make working with woodWOP 8 even more convenient, user-friendly and ultimately faster. The most important innovations of woodWOP 8 at a glance Contour Wizard - Improved support for beginners New workpieces can be programmed here more conveniently in the future. For example, template files will be stored for circles, L-shapes or other curved components. This is a significant advantage in terms of time savings and a clear reduction in hurdles when starting out. Feature recognition - Automatic identification of holes, slots and grooves in a 3-D workpiece model Not only holes, but also grooves and slots are directly recognized in 3-D bodies and the appropriate machining macro is generated for automatic subsequent machining. This represents a significant acceleration in the conversion from CAD import to the machining program. The optimal use of existing data is ensured. Variable tables - Simplified operation thanks to Formular view and additional help graphics The variable table is extended and upgraded by some new possibilities. Minimum and maximum values can be defined, selection lists can be created and help graphics can be stored for illustration. New properties such as “Hide” (hide line) and “Boolean” (input via checkbox) but also two views, the list view and form view, make programming clearer. The process is faster and incorrect operation is avoided! Gluing Wizard - New tool for efficient programming during edge banding The gluing wizard is integrated directly into woodWOP with the release of woodWOP 8. All work steps for edge banding are generated automatically after defining the contours and corners. The revised technology database provides support for situation-dependent inputs, C-angles and heating power. The import of edge images from external CAD systems is also possible with the new Wizard. An even faster creation of programs with edge gluing is ensured. Formula Wizard with advanced options for advanced users The new formula wizard makes creating formulas extremely easy. The user has everything in view in the multi-line formula field. Building blocks such as mathematical functions, variables and conditions are at the user’s fingertips for assembling his formulas. The formula components are highlighted in color. In this way, even complex formulas are clearly displayed. Not only the formula result, but also partial results can be calculated. This comfortable added value during input supports the simple creation of extensive and variable programs. Mass changes make adjustments in the program quick and easy With the transfer of parameter values, mass changes to macros can be made quickly and easily in just a few clicks in four steps. 1. Make changes in a macro. 2. Transfer one or all parameters to the parameter clipboard. 3. Select all other macros to be changed. 4. Inserting the parameter value(s). Short, fast and efficient. Significant development leap Many new functionalities make operation even easier with woodWOP 8. This new development step has been well thought out and significantly supports the user in the design process. The new or updated functionalities bring great added value and, like all previous versions of woodWOP, are intuitive to use.Time savings with an increase in functionality characterize woodWOP 8. www.homag.com No. 4 • October 2021 21
