HOMAG Group AG

With the “Digital Entry” workshop concept, HOMAG is presenting simple entry-level solutions that allow the user to increase transparency in their production, recognize potential for optimization and improve existing production processes.

HOMAG offers the following digital assistants to support the production process:

Configuring furniture easily: cabinetCreator

This furniture configurator allows users to quickly and easily configure the furniture they want using their tablet, laptop or desktop PC. As part of a step-by-step process, they can draw on a selection of pre-defined basic forms, which adapt intuitively to construction parameters entered by the user. Users can also create their own libraries consisting of their cabinet models. They can also save their own design rules and use them later for new models. Once the furniture has been designed, cabinetCreator creates an appropriate selection of fixtures based on the fixture data from all established manufacturers. The furniture can now go into production: all digital data required for production, such as drawings, parts lists and CNC programs can be created directly from cabinetCreator and can then be exported.

All production data at a glance: productionManager (digital job folder)

Many businesses still use handwritten parts lists and drawings in paper form. The productionManager—the digital job folder—is used to ensure that the data is used consistently from the foreman's office, through production and up to the bench room. It summarizes all production-related data and replaces the individual paper documents.

Optimizing cutting patterns: intelliDivide cutting

This optimization software creates cutting patterns based on different criteria (e.g. low waste, optimal use of offcuts or simple material handling) and issues a parts list—regardless of the type of saw. For HOLZ-HANDWERK, HOMAG has integrated further features that allow even simpler and more efficient processes and better handling of the software.

Label printing at the manual saw too: productionAssist Cutting

With this cutting assistant, carpenters have a digital assistant that supports them directly at the saw in the workshop. The assistant can be used flexibly in conjunction with circular saws as well as upright and horizontal panel saws—irrespective of the type, age and manufacturer.

In the first step, users transfer their cutting patterns from the intelliDivide optimization software into the productionAssist Cutting app. They then select the specific cutting pattern they need at that precise moment. When users are cutting the parts, the productionAssist Cutting app gives them a continuous, precise overview of the status of the cutting pattern (even for manual saws): which parts have already been sawed? Which part is suggested next?

Users can then print the labels for each part at the click of a button using the label printer provided in the set. As a result, every part can be clearly identified.

There’s a slot for every part: productionAssist Sorting

productionAssist Sorting is the carpenter's digital assistant for sorting furniture and components at the workstation in the workshop. The assistant has two decisive benefits: it ensures that all parts for the assembly in the bench room are complete and avoids time-consuming searching for components. The prerequisite for using this sorting assistant is a special sorting rack.

At HOLZ-HANDWERK, HOMAG will showcase these new features in a workshop with the following machine technology:

• Precision saw: SAWTEQ B-130
• Edge banding: EDGETEQ S-200 (MODEL 1130 FC)
• Comprehensive CNC processing: CENTATEQ P-110

Networked, digital workshop

In the “Networked digital workshop” concept, each machine is operated by one employee. This concept is organized so that the work preparation, machinery and bench room areas are separate from one another. Some of the job data is available to machine users in digital form.

HOMAG has a range of digital assistants to support the production process:

HOMAG iX: Easy. Efficient. Impressive.

HOMAG iX offers precisely the flexibility that is required to implement customer wishes quickly, individually, at a high quality and cost effectively. The 3D software developed for constructing furniture and interior fittings connects all important work steps—from sale, through design and up to production—into one integrated and efficient process.

HOMAG iX is the optimal data supplier for the digital HOMAG products productionManager and intelliDivide.

All production data at a glance: productionManager (digital job folder)

Many businesses still use handwritten parts lists and drawings in paper form. The productionManager—the digital job folder—is used to ensure that the data is used consistently from the foreman's office, through production and up to the bench room. It summarizes all production-related data and replaces the individual paper documents.

Optimizing nesting patterns: intelliDivide Nesting

Optimization of cutting patterns is worthwhile for more than just panel dividing on saws. With the right optimization, significant cost savings are now also possible in the nesting process in particular. With the intelliDivide Nesting digital assistant for dividing panels in the nesting process, carpenters can get optimized nesting results for their CNC machine with just a few clicks. Above all, this saves time and personnel: optimization starts directly after the data is uploaded.

All edges at a glance: The Edgeband Management Set

How can I store my edgebands in a way that is clear, clean and tidy? This is an issue that concerns a lot of woodworking shops, regardless of size. The solution is the Edgeband Management Set, which gives users a complete overview of all the information about their edge material. To use the Edgeband Management Set optimally, carpenters need the materialAssist Edge app and a special edgeband rack.

There’s a slot for every part: productionAssist Sorting

productionAssist Sorting is the carpenter's digital assistant for sorting furniture and components at the workstation in the workshop. The assistant has two decisive benefits: it ensures that all parts for the assembly in the bench room are complete and avoids time-consuming searching for components.

Support in assembly: The productionManager

The productionManager—the digital job folder—supports employees in the assembly of the furniture. In the first step, users can easily see which parts belong to the next cabinet they want to assemble. With the productionManager, they also have access to the required exploded-view drawings and part drawings and the 3D drawing of the furniture. In an additional overview, the assistant also shows the fixtures required. All information concerning any assembly job is therefore always at the users’ fingertips.
 

At HOLZ-HANDWERK, HOMAG will showcase these new features in a workshop with the following machine technology:

• Everything except edging: Nesting with the CENTATEQ N-600
• Horizontal drilling, trimming and dowel-driving: DRILLTEQ D-510
• Easy adjustment to all customer wishes—enhancement of the technical equipment of the EDGETEQ S-380 model 1660 E
• Sanding machine: SANDTEQ W-200
• Assembly assistant for pressing furniture bodies: CABTEQ S-250
• Cardboard cutting machine: PAQTEQ C-250

Previously, users of a CNC console machine had to decide whether they preferred the flexibility of a manual table with a display system or the convenience of a table with automatic positioning. The new A-Flex table from HOMAG combines both benefits in one solution. It positions clamping equipment and consoles automatically, while at the same time allowing users to switch freely between manual and automatic setup, place any number of vacuum suction units on each console and use special clamping devices with ease.

The clamping equipment can be placed in any position on the consoles. A shuttle searches for the clamping equipment, determines its current position and moves it to the correct position automatically. The clamping equipment is raised using compressed air and thus "floats" on an air cushion above the console. This design makes it robust and durable. Integrated blow-off series at both the front and rear of the suction unit fixture clean the surface of the console with compressed air, thus ensuring a clean travel path.

Extended dynamic shuttle operation can be achieved by assigning individual consoles to another field. Therefore, on a table with six consoles, it is possible to start a program with two consoles on one side and, in shuttle operation on the other side, run a program with four consoles that is entirely program-controlled and does not require any manual intervention.

LED strips are also available as an option. These round off the operation of the table: Although the table automatically positions the clamping equipment at the correct point, the operator must still use the operating monitor to determine which clamping equipment is required and how it is to be set on the machine. This is no longer necessary thanks to these optional LED strips: Elements that need to be replaced move to the changing position and the LED strip shows at a glance which suction units have to be set in which orientation.

The powerEdge Pro Duo unit raises shaped edge banding on CNC machines to a new level. The "all-round" unit is based on 30 years of experience in CNC edge banding.

Thanks to new components and an intelligent control system, with the new powerEdge Pro Duo edge banding unit, users get the perfect result more quickly and easily. The easy programming, without lots of parameters, usually produces the desired result from the very first workpiece. This means that fine adjustment or multiple test pieces are generally not required. The speed, the temperature and the contact pressure are defined at every point on the contour.

Exact tracing and a feed roller with direct travel measurement guarantee that the start and end of the edge are applied precisely — allowing 360° gluing, even for the smallest components.

The unit also allows a free switch between conventional gluing with hot-melt glue and precoated edges with a zero joint. The combined operation is possible without any changeover because the hot air nozzle for reheating the hot-melt glue also activates the functional layer of a zero joint edge.

Further development of integrated windows — even more daylight!

Apartment modernization and construction often have the same objective: to flood rooms and houses with light. Daylight is good for our health, promoting wellbeing and concentration in the long term. A nice side effect are lower energy bills and environmental protection, as having natural light eliminates the need to create artificial light.

The development of the integrated window is aimed at precisely these trends. Narrow visible widths, slim profiles and the largest possible glass area.
With its partners tesa, Würth and Gutmann, HOMAG has further developed the prototype of the integrated window first presented in 2018 and proven its suitability for use. 
Tests have shown that the profiles can be reduced by a further 10% to obtain an even larger glass area. With wood/aluminum windows, the sash has become so narrow that it disappears behind the aluminum cover. The result is an integrated system.
However, producing narrow profiles to allow more daylight in also presents challenges to machine manufacturers and suppliers: How can the narrow profiles be clamped? How can high processing quality and precise connections be guaranteed? How does the window gain the stability it needs? How can such products be produced economically?

The perfect combination for meeting these requirements is the interaction between tesa gluing technology + the CENTATEQ S-800/S-900, as well as an innovative adhesive tape application. Here (in contrast to other types of windows), the process is the prerequisite for production. Profiling the frame parts is easy and requires less machining and lower quantities of wood, thereby reducing tool costs too.
Another key success factor is the creation of the adhesive bond between the pane and the frame. The gluing secures the statics of the sash, and the corner joint can simply be held in place.
The screwed corner is the perfect complement: The single parts can be processed with a full-surface finish and the frame can be fitted without a press.

Automatic application of the adhesive tape

Nowadays, window construction businesses that already use this technology employ various different solutions for creating the adhesive bond between the pane and the frame. In many cases, the adhesive medium is applied manually or using complex machinery. To simplify and accelerate this process, as well as ensure reproducibility, HOMAG has developed TapeLine. A simple and reliable production solution for the window market.
The core of the new process is the application of an integrated adhesive tape, tesa^® ACX^plus, which is inserted into the window frame immediately after planing. After CNC processing, the window—including the adhesive tape—can be painted, ensuring that the color of the joint is identical. The protective film on the adhesive tape can then be easily removed. The result? The adhesive surface of the tesa tape is already in the painted window and the window manufacturer simply inserts the glass pane. The adhesive tape ensures a secure bond between the pane and the frame. The pane no longer has to be sealed with silicone, as the adhesive tape takes over the sealing function.

In comparison with other common processes on the market, HOMAG is offering a production-optimized solution that can be easily integrated into the production process. The adhesive strips can be applied easily and efficiently regardless of the ambient atmosphere or other external factors.
The process can be integrated into a wide variety of window production processes (including the production of wood/aluminum windows, the production of windows with narrow sash frames, break-in protection, the use of adhesive rails or cover strips, etc.).