Industry: Timber.
Application: Printing variable length markings on timber.
The Customer: Setra Wood Products are a distributor of high quality Scandinavian planed goods, structural timber, and primed MDF mouldings.
Requirements: As a longstanding customer and user of our IP9000 system, Setra Wood Products approached ATD for an upgrade when they purchased a new moulding line. They were looking for a printing method capable of integrating with their tally beam system to mark the end-grain of their timber cuts with the relevant lengths.
The Challenges & Solutions:
In order to fulfil this application, we recommended the LEIBINGER JET2NeoS due to its connectivity options and high-speed printing capabilities. To integrate the printer, we developed a comms box to convert the protocol given by their tally beam to LEIBINGER protocol.
As the timber leaves the outfeed of the moulder, it is measured by a sensor array that sends signals to the tally beam system cabinet. These signals are then sent to the comms box, which interprets the protocol before sending it to the LEIBINGER, allowing the printer to generate the correct message based on this data.
One challenging aspect of this project was the data transfer speed, as the protocol needed to be sent to the LEIBINGER and interpreted via the comms box in the time it took a 1m length to move along the line, or else we would miss the opportunity to print on shorter lengths. This gave us a very specific window for the required data transfer, with connection between each point taking a matter of milliseconds. Therefore, spacing and positioning of each component was critical to achieve the data transfer.
Once this was all figured out, Setra Wood Products were pleased with the seamless nature of the process, as well as the minimal maintenance required for the LEIBINGER. ATD have installed a number of these tally beam marking systems throughout the UK, and we are able to provide engineered solutions for a range of other timber printing applications. If you are looking for a printing solution for a new project, hoping to upgrade an existing system, or simply wishing to explore your options, contact us today to learn how ATD can improve your printing process.
