Full line CNC router and storage system double production and decrease lead times.
Cuisi-n-art, of Gatineau, Quebec, with an eye to the future, undertook a large construction project to double the size of their manufacturing facility and increase their production capacity. The centrepiece of their manufacturing plant expansion was implementing two Anderson Stratos Pro Full-Line CNC Routers and Schelling material storage system.
Offering personalized design services along with quality materials and expert advice, Cuisi-n-art has grown its business over the past 15 years through its loyal customer base and word of mouth. In the winter of 2020, Cuisi-n-art moved into their new manufacturing facility, which increased their production floor space from 20,000 to 38,000 square feet and showroom from 5,500 to 9,000 square feet. They added a 2,000 square foot “ready-to-go” store with ready-to-install boxes and a hardware section.
Typically, when you’re trying to make things last, you take it easy on them. As you can read in our blog series – CNC Series: How does cutting speed affect your cutter life? – the common belief is the harder you push it, the faster it will decline. However, the opposite is true for CNC routers and tooling. With the RIGHT machine & increased feed speeds, you significantly reduce the friction, leading to the cutting edge’s premature decline. When it came to researching a new CNC router solution, the increased feed speed capability of the Anderson Stratos Pro was seen as a major advantage for their business.
Before building the new facility, Cuisi-n-art operated two CNC routers with a scissor lift full line system. Each time they needed to add a new job, it was a real challenge, requiring them to stop the entire process. Mr. Real Fortier, founder and General manager of Cuisi-n-art, mentioned that they used to have a lot of quality issues, like label printing and trouble getting it repaired properly. “Speed and quality of cutting were also an issue, where the number of sheets possible with a single cutter before it needed to be replaced was much less and unpredictable,” says Mr. Fortier. So why Anderson Stratos Pro Full Line CNC Router? “The cutting speed of cutting 45 meters/minute, the machine’s overall speed, and possible daily sheet count were important factors. Also, non-stop and uninterrupted production with ideal speed was crucial, something that other manufacturers didn’t offer the same way”, complete Mr. Fortier.
Maximum throughput with high volume nesting CNC router solution. The Anderson Stratos Pro Full Line CNC Router System is a fully integrated automatic Nesting CNC router line that greatly reduces cycle times not only by the high processing speed but also by shortening the loading and unloading time. While the router is processing one sheet, the next is labelled and put into a cue. After the machining cycle is completed, it will offload the cut pieces while automatically loading the next sheet and cleaning the spoil board COMPLETELY. It is equipped with a unique ONE STEP loading system which LIFTS THE PANEL and loads it onto the machine bed in a SINGLE OPERATION. All of this is done without any handing by the operator.
As part of the project and installation process, the Akhurst team worked with the Anderson factory on LOGIC programming modifications to improve the CNC machine’s material flow. The solution allowed up to 5 sheets of material to be in the process flow, which shortened the machine wait times. When Mr. Fortier talks about how this was advantageous for its operation, he says: “Considering the already proven speed of the machine, we could increase about 4 extra panels a day, over a year, that’s over 1,000 additional panels for only one router line. This was made possible because the machines were not causing idle or waiting times, and the next panels were being loaded as soon as the last one was completed.”
At Akhurst, we work with our clients to ensure their machine is running at an optimal level. Our team knows how important it is for your equipment to keep operating at a high level, producing quality products. We have the support team to make this happen for our customers and have done so successfully for over 80 years. Working with Cuisi-n-art was no different in finding further ways to improve their production capacity. “The Akhurst service and support team was extremely reliable and available to address the growing pains of a new installation. Either by phone, remote access into the machines or in person, they have it covered”, says Mr. Fortier.
With its state-of-the-art 49,000 square foot facility, Cuisi-n-art has established itself as one of the largest cabinet manufacturers in the province of Quebec. With their new production capacity, Cuisi-n-art is well-positioned to satisfy the growing demand for their custom cabinetry as they have been able to reduce lead times. As for plans for the future, Mr. Fortier adds: “We are planning on getting more Anderson Stratos Pro Full Lines to increase our production capabilities and reduce our lead times even further because we know that producing quickly and efficiently has increased our market share due to this new system.”
Working together with our customers to solve today’s manufacturing challenges is why we are here.
Building Trust. Creating together.