An entry-level four-spindle planer from Weinig of Germany has helped boost productivity, quality and safety for a leading shopfitter, in the UK which has fitted out numerous well-known hotels, high-street retailers, supermarkets and restaurants across the globe.

The company MVS Contracts that started off with a surface planer and spindle moulder to process solid wood, has switched over to the Quattromat 23P from Weinig, a manufacturer of wood working machines.

The Quattromat is an entry-level four-spindle planer that also moulds, in one pass.
'The Weinig Quattromat 23P was the moulder that best met our requirements. It was solidly built and produced a super quality, even on deep profiles', says Tim Scott, managing director of MVS.

Since the installation of the Quattromat MVS has attracted many orders. Because of its impressive performance, MVS landed a big contract for doors and doorframes for a Holiday Inn hotel. 'It is the high production capability, finish quality and precision of MVS that brought in the order. And as orders poured in, the Quattromat played a key role in meeting the higher production requirements. MVS could not have taken on the Center Parcs contract without it,' says Scott.

The benefits of the Quattromat over the previous machines became clear when it went into production. Says Scott: 'The Quattromat moulder is 10 times faster on par and 15 times faster on linear profiles. There were four passes on the surface planer to par and two, at least, on the spindle moulder. Now it does all profiles in one pass. Setting up time too, took a lot longer before.'

'MVS tailor-makes every job to the customer's needs, so there are very few standard sizes and profiles and this means that setting up time becomes an important factor. This is where the Quattromat scores over other entry level moulders.'

The Quattromat is safe and easy to set up as the operator does not have to go anywhere near the cutters on the machine, says Weinig. All the adjustments are done out of harms way on digital readouts at the front of the machine - precisely and quickly.

'By sharpening the knife on a Weinig Rondamat grinder, the axial adjustment remains constant, reducing setting up time further by 50 per cent,' says a spokesman for Weinig. 'The axial adjustment on the Quattromat allows up to 30 mm for machining complicated profiles, thus optimising the use of tooling and giving greater flexibility.'

There is only one central adjustment for the left and top spindle on the digital readout for different tool diameters. And feed rollers and pressure elements are positioned simultaneously - saving more time.
Says Scott: 'Repeat orders are even more easily set up. Previous recorded settings can be used on the digital readouts to provide simple, fast, exact repeatability and superb finish.

'By using the Quattromat for setting up, one avoids all the previous hazards, such as 'kick backs' on the surface planer and spindle moulder. There is no comparison and previous dangers are out of the equation. What's more, the first piece through is perfect, so there are no trial and error settings and no wastage of timber', says Tim Scott.

MVS now machines in one hour what it previously took 10 hours to produce. In addition the quality of work, both in terms of finish and accuracy, is also excellent. A service contract with Weinig has secured its investment and guaranteed a reliable service to customers. Its solid wood processing facilities rate among the best and it has spare capacity to take on more work. Everything points to further steady growth and it expects to continue its penetration and success in the shopfitting industry.

The Weinig Group, focuses on products for the solid wood industry, namely Weinig moulders, planers, tool grinders, tooling and mechanical handling systems; Waco high-speed moulders and planers; GreCon Dimter optimizing crosscut saws and fingerjointing machines and Raimann rip saws.