VERSATILE MASTERWOOD MAKES LIGHT WORK AT ALAN HEAVISIDES

Alan Heavisides Purpose Made Joinery Ltd is a typical example of a small joinery which is obtaining enormous benefits from a Masterwood CNC machining system, even though it had excellent manual systems in place.

Housed in workshops on a 30-acre farm amidst the rolling hills of Upper Teesdale, near Barnard Castle , it has bought a Project 415L. The 5m long bed machine is equipped with an array of work-hungry features plus a suite of specialist joinery software programs developed by Masterwood.

Like many small joineries it manufactures a mixture of bespoke items including internal and external doors, windows and stairs. Its customer base is split evenly between the general public and building contractors.

The arrival of the Masterwood has radically transformed the way the business is run by Alan Heavisides and his partner Doreen Lowe. They have a staff of 16, including eight joiners, with three apprentices at various stages of their training.

Alan Heavisides (left) and Masterwood area manager Mark Lawrence with a window frame made on the Project 415L CNC machining centre.

Before they bought the machine in January the joiners used a range of labour-intensive, hand operated traditional machines. Despite their skills, in order to get the work out on time extensive overtime had to be worked on a regular basis, which adversely affected the firm's profitability.

Said Alan: “We used to work a 10 hour day throughout the week plus five hours every Saturday. Because of the output of the Masterwood the overtime has now been done away with. All of us, including me, really appreciate having Saturdays off.”

He first looked at a CNC machining centre about 10 years ago but at the time they cost around £400,000. “They are now much more affordable so it made sound sense to go down the CNC route, particularly with the problems of getting skilled staff. The Masterwood is so easy to use and is always totally accurate. I reckon I could soon train a youngster leaving school to operate it.”

Alan Heavisides with a curved door frame, with spaces for side lights, produced on the Masterwood Project 415L.

The 415L has a C axis and 14kW router with a standard 12-post tool changer plus an additional 10-post tool changer. There are also two more tool changers at the other end of the machine for large diameter tooling, which is used for tenoning, plus a drilling head.

The CAD/CAM facilities are used to design doors, stairs and windows and process their components, and the results are proving highly impressive.

Said Alan, who with Doreen and machine operator Richard Green carry out the programming: “We have made curved door frames and screens with side lights, saving an amazing amount of time. I am now considering adding the MasterTraditionalDoor software to make it even more productive.”

The MasterWindow program is proving a particular success. It's used to make box sash, standard units and windows for shop fronts, with impressive time savings being achieved. For example, it can produce a complicated casement window in about two hours, including all the beading work. This was a job that used to take around 12 hours.

The specialist windows program incorporates MasterSlidingSash, which Alan plans to use to design and make boxed sash windows.

Alan Heavisides shows off the Project 415L's comprehensive tooling.

The Project is also being used to make staircases, using the MasterStair software program. Said Alan: “We usually get asked to make the difficult winder flights that no one else wants to make. Again, the speed and accuracy of the machine is amazing. A few days after I had the initial training I made my first kite winder set. This was a miniature display unit for a local builders' merchants and I finished it in just two hours. It would have taken around three days to do it on the bench.

One of the main reasons he chose Masterwood for his first CNC machining centre was that they provided the total package, supplying and installing the machine, the purpose-designed software and sourcing the tooling, a true ‘one-stop-shop' service.

He said: “As a first time user it took away all the worry about getting a machine from one company and the software from another, with all the problems that could happen if something went wrong in the future. The training we received from Masterwood was very good and soon got us working.”

Moving from traditional methods to a CNC machining centre has meant a tremendous leap forward for the business.

Said Alan: “Although we have only had it a few months we are already reaping the benefits. It has led to a significant increase in turnover and with the all overtime that is being saved I expect the pay back period will be about two years"

“I didn't think that it would be so easy to grasp the new technology as I had very limited computer knowledge, but the Windows-based programs are quite simple to understand and use.

"As well as letting us take on larger contracts we will now be able to enter new markets, such as making patio sliding doors. I also plan to use it to make complete door sets, rather than making the door and frames separately, something which customers are now demanding. It was definitely a worthwhile investment.”

Sales enquiries to Masterwood UK . Tel 01436 675 000. Fax: 01436 678 999. email: masterwooduk@aol.com

Editorial enquiries to Stephen Barry Publicity. Tel: 020 8341 6660. Fax: 0870 135 7143. email: stephenbarry@clara.co.uk

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