Tecna 2022 was a success for the prestigious and timeless Rimini fair, which returned after 4 years of absence in a renewed version that received the acclaim of exhibitors and numerous visitors. And for BMR too, having materialized the constant research & development work dedicated to end-of-line technologies in an event appreciated and recognized for its high made in Italy value.
The innovation dedicated to finishing reigns: LeviCompact, an exclusive BMR patent dedicated to lapping, satin finishing and polishing of large slabs, with a maximum width of 1600 – 1800 mm. Its peculiarity consists in the two parallel and tilting bridges, with 10 heads each (20 total), which work on the different types of surfaces with more speed and more uniformly than traditional processing.
With a revisited and reinforced structure, LeviCompact has dimensions slightly larger than a traditional 10-head machine, offering the processing capacity of a 20-head solution (the traditional Leviga Plus): a saving of over 7 metres in length, equivalent to 45% less space.
The advantages of this new technology, wholly made in Italy and made in BMR, are therefore evident and undeniable: thanks to the innovative positioning of the bridges and the operating concept based on the division of the slab processing into two halves, allows the coverage to be expanded and, consequently, the removal to be increased. Furthermore, the short strokes of the bridges allow the belt feed speed to be increased considerably and, therefore, that of the overall production, while maintaining the high quality standards of the finished product. All in smaller dimensions than the traditional formulation, ensuring flexibility and adaptability even in those contexts where space requirements dictate the development of the process.
An explosive innovation that, however, certainly does not replace the consolidated value of the traditional Leviga, increasingly digital thanks to available new panels, and increasingly customizable with numerous and diversified options. Leviga innovations also concern: head pressure control, which is based on motor absorption; the possibility of creating new work cycles, in order to obtain irregularities; checking the abrasive change of each head, confirmed by the operator.
Another of the main technological musts present on the BMR Stand was Supershine, increasingly evolved, increasingly green, increasingly ultra-connected. First of all, new functions, patented by BMR, have been implemented that address product dosage control during all stages of processing.
But the real evolution must be identified in the new pumping system, made even more performing and with a decisive upgrade in the communication process. The precision peristaltic pumps allow different products to be dosed for each individual head, ensuring a manufacturing process that is increasingly customizable according to different needs.
A flexibility that also finds a valid ally in the improvement of the processing system’s functionality with mechanical stop: In fact, Supershine can be configured with the addition of inverters and jacks. In this way the machine can work on Matt, brushed or surface coating materials, fully deserving the qualification of super dry, flexible and complete polisher.
Among the “tops”, SquadraDry also stands out in front in its latest “Vision” version. SquadraDry Vision is the 4.0 model of the dry squaring machine par excellence, designed to ensure high performance, with considerable benefits in terms of respect for the environment, energy savings, consumption and tool costs. In fact, SquadraDry Vision is fitted with measurement cameras alongside each calibrating spindle and with a laser system at the line input and output, as well as with the inclusion of single inverters for calibrating motors and relative automatic feeds; the system intervenes by making an accurate automatic control of numerous functions and parameters: in this way a higher percentage of first choice production is guaranteed and, consequently, a reduction in labour and process costs, respecting the environment and the standards of eco-sustainability.
In addition to BMR’s technological evergreens, the “evolution” rosette also belonged to the cutting sector which, with Twin-Cut, put forward a dry machine for surface engraving with opposed pre-cut, ideal for thick materials.
BMR also featured the Brick division: a line for corner cutting; bevelling and brick slips packaging technologies; Multiblade, for cutting strips; Speed Corner, a patented machine for gluing corners; EcoBrick, the innovative squaring machine for grinding bricks.
Last but not least, BMR also brought to Tecna ShineVision and LappVision, two solutions by Italvision, a company specialized in quality control that is part of the group.
ShineVision is a revolutionary machine to say the least: installed after the lapping process and, in particular, after Supershine, it uses electronic equipment and a vision system to specifically check the result of the processing on the surface of the finished piece, thus carrying out a quality control of the tile.
This system with extremely innovative technology includes two distinct modules, which can be implemented either individually or in combination:
· the Gloss module carries out a precise measurement of the gloss at intervals of 50 mm over the entire surface, creating a gloss map that defines the more or less glossy areas;
· the “Graffi” (Scratch) module detects imperfections (even very small ones) and aesthetic defects (grooves, holes, shadows) over the entire surface of the tile and signals them to the operator. Then, the operator can also decide to programme the machine so that, again in the event of defective surfaces, it automatically stops the line.
Therefore, by using the ShineVision technology, it is possible to carry out functional checks to reduce costs and increase the first choice percentage.
The automatic inspection function, on the other hand, is entrusted to LappVision, a machine fitted with a vision system that checks the quality of the surface processing after the first lapping module. The vision system is made up of two optical groups that inspect the edges of the slab in order to highlight “the correct coverage” of the processing tools on the surface.
Each unit frames a portion of the edge about 20/30 cm wide: it is the most critical area of the processing as there is a reversal of motion of the traversing bridge.
The system then proceeds to carry out its tasks:
· checking correct coverage: the entire edge must be as matt and uniformly machined as possible, without there being unmachined areas;
· checking the correct spacing of the head impressions: the marks made by the heads must have well-defined and constant spacing, which do not show evident marks between one spacing and the next;
· analysing grooves: the marks must not be too noticeable or not very evident; otherwise, it is possible to alter the pressure or the granulometric scale of the heads.
Therefore, BMR faced the new edition of Tecna 2022 with a dynamic and evolved approach, looking to the future with an overall project that increasingly embraces the process in its entirety, integrating the best made in Italy technological evolution with the principles linked to protecting the environment and energy saving.