Edgebanding, heat control systems and a surface cleaning product were among the woodworking products recognized at the Xia-Xylexpo Innovation Awards, announced during The Night of Xylexpo at the Xylexpo exhibition of wood and furniture technology and supplies in Milan, Italy, May 24-28.

Lorenzo Primultini, Xylexpo president, presented the awards for the panel processing category. The first prize went to SCM Group from Rimini, Italy, for the Stefani-branded edgebanding “J-Shape,” a softforming process for complex surfaces.

The justification for the award: “It gives an excellent response to market requirements for the edgebanding of ergonomic profiles within a small footprint, using polyurethane glues for applications involving narrow radii and thick edges”.

At number two, Biesse Group from Pesaro, Italy, was recognized for their heat control system device to monitor the temperature of glue spread onto a panel before applying the edge.

“The device allows to measure temperature in spots far from the application area, to support the proper adjustment of process parameters”.

At number three, Metal World from Pavia di Udine, Italy, was named for Turbo System, a device to clean surfaces during milling operations.

“The turbulence generated by compressed air ensures the effective elimination of processing scraps”.

The jury also jury assigned a special mention to the German company Baumer Inspection for ColourBrain Size, a modular measuring system for the high-precision optical control of finished panels.

Maurizio Riva, co-owner of Riva1920 awarded the winners of the Primary operation and solid wood processing category with prizes taken from his own collection, like all prizes selected by the organizers for the award winners.

The first prize went to Griggio from Reschigliano di Campodarsego (Padua), Italy, for Unica Safe, a blade retraction system with 5-millisecond reaction time, sensitive to human body conductivity for the effective prevention of accidents and injuries.

The justification states: “A significant concept for operator safety, applying more efficient alternatives to previous similar solutions, specifically designed for small and medium businesses.”

The second place was assigned to Imal from San Damaso (Modena), Italy, for Fbc200, a blister classifier designed to detect defects in different types of panels, especially particleboard, Mdf and Osb.

“Enhancement of an existing solution offering higher performance: expanded detection area, monitoring resolution, self-teaching".

At number three, Superangle 600 by Salvador from San Vendemiano (Treviso), Italy, a line for the production of sofas that integrates cutting, beveling and boring operations.

“In sofa production, an effective integration of optimization, bevel cutting and drilling operations, so far separated, controlled through very flexible software”.

In the Finishing section, the first prize went to Cefla from Imola, Italy, for iGiottoApp X2, a pair of articulated robots for automated surface coating, also for non-flat surfaces.

Justification: “Simple integration of mechanical and IT components to handle a continuous flow of parts in random positions, featuring a high level of operating freedom and robot interaction within a common area, with consequently high productivity.”

At number two again Biesse Group with Opera R, a Viet technology for unconventional automated sanding operations on 3D parts.

“Effective application of robot technology to sanding and surface finishing, designed to fill the gaps of manual processes”.

At number three, EMC from Imola for R-Evo, a sanding machine for multi-directional superfinishing with rotary system. Justification: “An advanced system that effectively integrates the belt’s cyclic motion with the rotation of its support, optimizing the efficiency of operations and the final result”.

The awards in this section were presented by Stefano Berti, president of the jury and director of Ricerca CNR at the IVALSA institute in Sesto Fiorentino.

The Night of Xylexpo, with an attendance in excess of 500 including exhibitors, industry representatives and media, opened with a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Acimall, the Confindustria member association that represents Italian wood technology vendors, founded in Milan in 1966. See Xylexpo.com.