Odnova

Reduced to allrounders

Article by Gerd Ebner, translated by Susanne Höfler | 10.04.2019 - 12:54

For ten years now, Odnova has been joining in-house produced construction timber as well as laminated timber bought in addition with a Hundegger machine. "Repeatedly, we have been lacking special laminated timber dimensions and types that would have been necessary to deliver everything just in time," owner Jacek Smetek remembers. With the turn of the year, however, this changed: Since then, a unique allrounder system by Ledinek is taking care of the production of KVH, glulam as well as duo- and trio-lam in the new, bright laminated timber production hall.

Compact with minimal staff requirements

The Slovenian machine manufacturers have already installed similar systems elsewhere. What is special about the system at hand – apart from its compactness – are the implemented customer specifications: "Any redundant piece of wood in the system must be avoided – only what is really necessary should enter production." This calls for several feed-in options, omittance of redundant buffer storage as well as two discharge stations, amongst other things.

Smetek, however, not only reflects the developments of Polish timber construction; furthermore, two pan-European phenomena have reached southern Poland: shortage of skilled workers as well as rising personnel costs. This is why the system currently runs with only two operators. In full operation, there will only be one per shift. The employees are supported with machine sorting and optional automatic operation.

All functions in the smallest of spaces

What enjoys top priority in other contexts is merely a side issue here: highest production output. In return, the production system had to fit into a space only measuring 60 by 20 m – which was achieved almost to the centimeter.

"Hasslacher, Ladenburger, Abies, Hüttemann" – daughter Rozalia Smetek is listing all Central European suppliers collaborating with Odnova's purchasing department. In the future, their standard products are to be complemented by laminated timber produced in-house.

From 2020, the system will output around 10,000 m³ per year and shift in a one-shift operation. Main assortment is KVH, but glulam, duo- and trio-lam can also be produced. All volumes that the company does not need for its own timber construction and roof truss production will be marketed to the Polish domestic market.

Up to large dimensions

During Timber-Online's visit in Spytkowice, warehoused KVH raw products were being fed into the facilities. The products' dimensions are enormous. For KVH, dimensions up to 16 by 30 cm can be processed. For glulam, the maximum width is 40 cm, and maximum length 15 m.

"Distances in the plant should be extremely short, but change of dimension still very quick – and this is something we were able to realize," Branko Mlinarič summarizes the situation. He was responsible for designing the plants at Ledinek. There was one task he dedicated a lot of attention to: Two spots have been created where goods can be fed in and discharged. Since one spot can take care of both, three stations for raw product handling suffice.

Strength grading included

A Joulin vacuum lifter is charging a total of three spots. Immediately downstream of the lifter, the sorting station follows. The Brookhuis moisture and strength meter makes a suggestion to the operator with regards to the potential purpose according to the quality at hand. However, the operator can overrule this sorting suggestion.

"A strength grading is unusual in plants of this size. However, this way the customer kills two birds with one stone: It relieves operators and could, if wanted, even produce in automatic operation," Mlinarič explains.

After the sorting station, yet another special feature awaits: A measuring wheel is counting the running meters that have already been fed into the system. Mlinarič: "Once the required length is reached, surplus goods are immediately sorted out. Due to this concept, buffer storage does not need to be big. In fact, it is hardly existent at all."

Everything – the concept of the system, all machines, electronic engineering and controls as well as the entire project management – comes from Ledinek. However, also local suppliers were sought out: For producing the mechanization, for instance, M-Tec from Martin/SK was hired.

Six cycles, but large cross-sections

After sorting and marking, the X-Cut S190L with a cutting height of 180 mm follows. It is implementing the marking decisions of the operator. Subsequently, the optimized pieces are joined with a compact finger-jointing machine. For Smetek, six cycles per minute are enough. What is more important to him is that heights of up to 320 mm can be glued. "In the timber harvesting area, heavy timber accruals are increasing – Odnova must be able to process these dimensions," Mlinarič knows.

For gluing, Jowat PU adhesive is used – in finger-jointing as well as surface gluing.

After a two-level intermediate buffer, the 6-spindle Europlan is finishing the KVH. Here, Mlinarič highlights the splitting unit. Where splitting is executed, these edges can also be chamfered. The main volume up to 15 m is stacked automatically. Two Rialex overhead cranes allow for complementing picked orders or destacking the press.

When producing glu-, duo- or trio-lam, the Europlan ensures optimal surfaces and calibration of the lamellas. The press cylinders of the glulam press can be adjusted manually. "Smetek's model allows for 50 cm increments in length of the maximally 15 m long glulam trusses. The smallest press enables the utilization of very quick adhesives."

An order picking station could be the next step. Currently, a forklift is transporting the finished goods to the adjacent joining hall where customer orders are completed. Following the market trend, Odnova will focus even more on processing parts lists for large-scale timber construction projects: by means of the imported standard products and now augmented by the glulam produced in-house. Surplus goods will be marketed in Poland.

Odnova

Location: Spytkowice/PL
Managing director: Jacek Smetek
Sawmill: 10,000 sm³/yr (spruce)
Products: Lumber, timber trade, timber construction (CAD construction), contract joining
Laminated timber production: 10,000 m³/yr (from 2020)
Laminated timber: KVH, glulam, duo-/trio-lam

Ledinek

Location: Hoče near Maribor/Sl
Managing director: Gregor Ledinek
Products: Timber processing machines, patented Rotoles system, Stratoplan, Superplan, Superles, Europlan, Multiplan, Kontizink, rotary press, Eurozink, Flexipress, X-Press, X-Cut, complete KVH/glulam/CLT production solutions, engineering