Emplas has announced a multi-million pound investment in its shop floor, including half-a-million pounds spent on a state of the art Schirmer saw centre, alongside new welders and a digital measuring system.
The Schirmer, delivered to Emplas earlier this year, automates profile cutting and machining, with profile scanning technology to introduce ‘pin prick’ accuracy to positioning of cuts and routs to within 0.3mm.
Able to convert a 6m bar length into a fully prepped frame within seconds, the machine also massively increases Emplas’ production capacity.
Jody Vincent, national sales manager at Emplas, said: “Our shop floor has always been pretty good and the quality of what the team pushes through has always been high but mistakes do still sometimes happen and we do occasionally get mis-measures. The cost of remaking that single frame is less significant than the potential disruption it can cause downline to a delay in getting the customer order away on time so accuracy is very important.
“Because the Schirmer is so accurate and positions each cut with absolute precision, it eliminates mis-measures almost entirely and if one does slip through, we can remake it far more quickly, heading-off any impact on the customer ahead of time.”
In addition, the Schirmer brings new accuracy to straight and angled cuts; ‘V and Y’ notching; drainage channels; night vents plus screw location pip holes; pressure equalisation holes; window handle and lock routing and keep and hinge prep holes.
It also increases precision of preparatory holes for various locking mechanisms, including the defender restrictor door lock; handle and keep routing; door hinge preparation; and low aluminium threshold options in addition to gasket relieve milling.
Earlier in the summer, Emplas announced that, in partnership with Pilkington, it has now integrated the manufacture of glazed units within its factory management system.
The company is also currently going through planning to increase the size of its shop floor by more than a third, including a new logistics centre and office space.
