Rover CNC proves a solid investment for Multi Surface Fabrications

A tale of two markets
The Rover K Plast machining centre is supporting MSF in servicing two markets with contrasting needs.

Work surfaces, counter tops, vanity units and wash troughs that often require precision and uniformity, account for the lion’s share of its workload. Strong working partnerships with designers and installers as well as all the major solid surface brands, including Corian, Himacs and Durasein, have helped to establish MSF as one of the UK’s leading fabricators in this field.

Complex one-off pieces with the ‘wow factor’, such as bespoke two-tier feature fountains and Minbars, both of which can be found in Mosque internal fit out projects, feature delicate, intricate fretwork which represent a much smaller amount of the company’s output. These attention-grabbing pieces are nevertheless an important showcase for the company’s expertise, and an area where the Rover K Plast has made a dramatic difference to productivity.

“This was very much an under-exploited niche for us. We didn’t dare target it too much in case it impeded our ability to process other, more profitable work. This is no longer a problem as what used to take two weeks with our old machine takes four or five hours with the Rover K Plast,” said Shaun.

Ready to invest
It was in spring 2022 that MSF embarked on its search for a new CNC with the aim of enhancing its productivity and design capabilities. The solid surface fabricator looked at various brands and attended an open day at Biesse’s Daventry Tech Centre, where would-be buyers can simulate and test the performance of the machine that interests them - in this case the Rover K Plast series.

“We looked at all the major manufacturers and it was immediately obvious that Biesse’s user-interface was by far the simplest. I know my way round a CNC but I am no expert, yet I was able to programme the machine in just 15-20 minutes,” said Shaun.

You’ve gotta have faith…in the back-up
Ease of use was important, but the deciding factor was Biesse’s warranty and maintenance programme, he added.

“We had found a company that had so much faith in the reliability of its technology that its standard warranty and service package went far beyond what anyone else was offering. As a small company making a big investment decision, we have full confidence that if anything does go wrong down the line, there will be a support network in place.”

MSF opted for a 4m x 2.2m bed that can accommodate two sheets of solid surface, enabling it to work in pendulum mode.

“Rather than having to pause production between cycles to swap workpieces in and out, our operators can load and unload parts on one side of the bed while the machine works on the other. This is a gift as it means the machine is constantly working, allowing more parts to be processed in a shorter space of time,” said Shaun.

Cutting out manual intervention
The multi-tool changer on the Rover K Plast, which enhances efficiency and safety by automating tool changes, has been another game-changer for MSF.

“Previously we often ended up compromising with a ‘one tool fits all’ approach to avoid having to carry out frequent manual tool changes. If we were drilling a 3mm hole for a rebate, for instance, we would have to put the rebate in with a 3mm diameter cutter to avoid a lengthy tool change. The multi-tool changer automatically swaps over to the right tool within seconds, and no-one has to touch it. This is a major benefit from a safety standpoint, and the additional flexibility this feature has given us has driven down production time,” said Shaun.

Blown away by dust removal solution
Dust is a major issue when machining solid surface materials as they generally consist of mineral dust mixed with a variety of plastic resins and pigments, which produces very fine dust. Therefore, effective dust removal was a key requirement of this project.

Shaun recalls being “blown away” by a demonstration of Biesse’s sweeping arm with extraction manifold, which cleans the bed once machining processes are complete.

“Biesse cut some samples for us while we watched and as they removed them from the bed there was hardly any dust thanks to the extraction unit doing its job. The sweeping arm then cleaned the bed and we could immediately see that this would be a great time saver for us,” he said.

Sure enough, MSF reports that this targeted dust removal system has “transformed” the working environment.

Game-changing and life-changing
But it is not just the elimination of dust that has made for a “fantastic” working environment - everyone on the factory floor agrees that the Rover K Plast has made their lives much easier from a planning and production point of view.

“Before, there were always compromises - our fabricators couldn’t put rebates or draining grooves on the front edge, so they ended up doing a lot of finishing by hand, which took time and put them under pressure,” said Shaun.

He continued: “We couldn’t keep on top of our workload and were sometimes having to turn work away or outsource it to avoid disappointing good customers. Now, we can handle the work we have coming in, we no longer need to run two shifts and thanks to the efficiency gains we have made, we have been able to enlarge our team and find the time to train people up.”

No back-up needed
When MSF bought the Rover CNC, the idea was that it would handle the bulk of the work, with the existing machine as a back-up. However, Shaun admits that in reality, the old one has ended up being “used as a shelf”.

“When Biesse came to install the Rover and the engineer asked if we were scrapping the old machine, I said we were keeping it as a back-up. His response was that he would give us a month before we changed our mind. He was exactly right. We don’t need a back-up.”

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