Moulder FAQs

The moulder is a workhorse in the rough mill area. Here are three frequently asked questions about the machine.

Q: My production requirements for my moulder have increased by 30%, and I am at the maximum capacity of my machine even running overtime. Due to limited floor space, I don’t have room for another moulder. Do you have a solution to my problem?

A: Most conventional moulders’ spindle speed is 6000 RPMs. The simple solution is to replace your moulder with an 8000 or even a 12,000 RPM. The increased spindle speed will allow you to increase your production feed rate without sacrificing the finish quality.

Q: Due to the market demand for smaller batches of mouldings, I spend more time setting up the moulder for the next profile than I do running production. Is there a better way to tackle this problem?

A:  Operating a “manual set-up moulder” requires a lot of time even for a veteran operator. The best solution is to make the set up more automated and take the human error and labor out of the equation. Different set-up features like electronic read-outs for spindle and pressure elements position, and even CNC spindle positioning will help automate the set-up process. There are also systems available where the tool room can measure and assign each tool to the required set-up. When the operator is ready to change the profile, each tool is identified on the moulder set-up screen and ready for the operator to change and move into position.

Q: We have the opportunity to make flooring with the “hand-scraped”  pattern on the face of the flooring. Are there machines that can do this?

A: There are machines that can control the oscillating movement of each tool axis if needed. This allows for the tool to move while the wood is being fed through the machine. The tool can move in either the radial axis direction, axial axis direction, or both. The timing of the tool movement can be adjusted so it is random, with no “pattern” on the finished wood. With multiple tooling in sequence, and with added variable frequency drives controlling different tooling RPM’s, the rustic patterns you make with your custom knife designs are only limited to your imagination.

Source: Weinig Group. For information call 704-799-0100 or visit WeinigUSA.com

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