An Enormously Diverse Range of Presentations

On October 2, Burkhardt-Löffler hosted its first joint in-house exhibition with Weha. According to Weha Managing Director Stefan Deschler, 85 participants had registered for the event. At the in-house exhibition, which was organized on short notice, they were able to see new machine developments in person—as well as other innovations.

Featuring large machines from Burkhardt-Löffler across all segments of stone processing—all equipped with Weha tools—the open house perfectly showcased the synergies of the new partnership. In addition, Weha presented several small machines, transport equipment, and transport vehicles from its product range. Finally, Akemi, as the third partner, contributed to the event’s success with a demonstration of its product line.

In the October issue of STEIN 10/20, we had already reported that Burkhardt-Löffler had previously issued explicit invitations to machine demonstrations and plant tours in smaller groups at its company locations in Bayreuth and Langenaltheim. With the major event in early October, the machine manufacturer, together with its new partner Weha, has now provided an important additional boost to stimulate the capital goods business.

Particular interest was focused on the Powerjet 3D waterjet system with its newly developed cutting head—especially because the machine could be seen in action throughout the day. In addition, software developer Benedikt Maiser presented the company’s proprietary calibration unit, which can be used to determine the perfect Tool Center Point (TCP). The measuring device compensates for the wobble error of the C-axis and determines the exact distance to the focusing tube.

“We then know exactly how many millimeters we need to compensate in each direction—that is, along the X, Y, and Z axes,” explains Maiser. He uses this to set up the Powerjet 3D at the factory before shipment; later, the calibration unit will be needed at most one more time, if the machine is moved or if the customer has caused a crash.

In any case, customers appreciate being able to bring their materials in before purchasing a machine and have the process of cutting them demonstrated to them in detail. Based on the customer’s information and the material, Maiser and his colleagues can then make recommendations regarding a wide range of system parameters: from the focus tube and nozzle size and type, to the sand quantity and type, to the pump pressure.

Purchasing Manager Michael Hannweber adds, with regard to the waterjet machine, that the in-house-developed cutting head is particularly impressive due to its hollow-shaft gearbox. This allows the electrical system and high-pressure lines to be routed directly into the 3-D head, eliminating the need for a tubular spiral or a slip ring rotary feedthrough for the electrical signals.

Other major attractions for visitors included, on the one hand, the BAZ 2000 machining center, which, according to Burkhardt-Löffler, has revolutionized the concept of machining centers with its automatic suction cup positioning and loading, and, on the other hand, the KSL 80 automatic table-edge processing machine. Here, Weha showcased its magnetic clamping system, which has been tried and tested for more than 30 years; it now features three magnets and stands out from competing products in that the VA buttons of the very quick-release three-point clamping mechanism are attached to the base plate rather than to the tool.

In addition, Burkhardt-Löffler exhibited the LDZ 2000 K for the first time—a compact swivel-head saw with a monoblock design developed jointly with its partner Weha, which we had already introduced in STEIN 10/2020. This compact machine can be installed even in workshops with limited space. At the in-house exhibition, the machine was demonstrated with the 400/60 UNIV-2 natural stone diamond cutting blade.

In addition, Weha recommends its two new 400-series blades, Pro-Q and Weramic-yellow, which are specifically designed for quartzite and all types of ceramics. Visitors were not yet able to see the planned new KDL-B automatic belt edging machine in action, though according to Stefan Deschler, there have already been many inquiries about it. Thanks to its long-standing representation of Comandulli machines, Weha has strong industry contacts, particularly with stone processors interested in a belt-driven edge-grinding machine.

Many visitors were also interested in the Pantograph 1215 engraving machine presented by GTech owner Boris Malacko. And the Fuso Canter equipped with a Ferrari loading crane, as well as the compact tracked vehicle Roboman Junior—also featuring a Ferrari crane—on the outdoor grounds were surrounded by interested visitors all day long.

Exhibitor Akemi provided the icing on the cake of an eventful day. Application engineer Otello Piroddi and his colleagues demonstrated, among other things, the new Akepur 250 High Tack for the secure and temperature-resistant bonding of a wide variety of substrate materials beneath ceramic, natural stone, and artificial stone.

Another highlight from the construction chemicals manufacturer: the new color paste system, which is particularly well-suited for smaller businesses and highly intricate finishing work, and which, when used with the Platinum adhesive, enables a virtually inexhaustible variety of colors. The Spectrum Paste Case, which holds up to 60 coloring pastes in 45-gram tubes, can be purchased empty and customized with your own selection. Dry dust extraction systems from Weha, as well as the BSS 600 wire saw and the CSA 598 industrial band saw system from Burkhardt-Löffler, rounded out the extensive in-house exhibition presentation.