Volpato: a “smart” solution for solving several issues
We had already had the opportunity to write about this solution from Volpato of Campodarsego (Padova): a “smart” sander, which includes a series of operations and has been the subject of a continuous improvement process over the years.
“A solution that is giving us a lot of satisfaction and that continues to attract growing interest both in small and medium-sized businesses and among the big names in the production and distribution of furniture worldwide”, Gianni Volpato, owner of the Veneto company with his son Giacomo, tells us with evident delight.
We meet him to see up close the latest, updated version of the “LBO60ASTS”, a machine that since its debut seemed to us to be an intelligent solution, able of bringing together a series of often problematic processes in a single machine of compact dimensions. A belt sander in which two groups are integrated – one for sanding, the other for brushing or for polishing – which make it a real complete “finishing center”.
“Ultimately, with the “LBO60ASTS” we show our way of approaching problems, always trying to find a practical, comfortable, simple solution but able to give the performance that the user requires. And there are really many who come to visit us because they appreciate this philosophy and the machines that derive from it: this sander is an example of this, because in a few square meters it allows those who choose it to be able to sand, brush and polish to obtain high gloss surfaces, but it is enough to change the brush or abrasives to obtain all the desired results, even rustication and other processes to obtain the desired surface structure. Those who choose our solution can easily avoid expensive investments, in the order of hundreds of thousands of euros, by equipping themselves with an extremely versatile and flexible machine with can obtain any kind of finish not only on panels, but also on already assembled furniture, because it has a working height – a “light”, as we say – of just under 700 mm. The fact of having then equipped it with two controlled axes has transformed it into a real “finishing centre”, also guaranteeing a high level of automation, a quality that is much appreciated in times when all over the world it is difficult to find workers interested in certain kind of work”.
A solution that allows you to overcome the times and difficulties of jobs that are often done manually or that require the adoption, as we mentioned, of much more demanding solutions, by combining machines that each perform a specific function (sanding, brushing, polishing) with much greater investments and spaces.
“With the “LBO60ASTS” we are achieving significant success in many sectors that have high-quality requirements for the final result, such as in the world of “high definition” loudspeakers, as well as in small and medium-sized businesses that need to produce a certain number of elements with a bright glossy finish, numbers that are not such as to justify the purchase of a dedicated line. And, as I was saying, there are quite a few “big names” who have understood how our idea can be perfect when it comes to out-of-size or some piece to be reworked and, more generally, whenever there is a need for an “off-line” intervention. Not only that: we have had several experiences in which we have integrated our machine with work centers, arriving at defining real production islands thanks to which we can produce perfect semi-finished products, ready for painting or for the final finishing phases”.
A product born after several years of research and investigations carried out with the retailers through which Volpato operates in many markets around the world, who have repeatedly expressed the need expressed by their customers to be able to have an inexpensive machine that would allow them to obtain excellent finishes, up to mirror finishing.
“We worked on it – continues Gianni Volpato – starting from our skills in finishing but trying to think in a new way, in a different perspective that ultimately led us to the “LBO60ASTS”, which we patented in 2018. A project that has its roots in our history: we were born almost eighty years ago with traditional machines but little by little we focused on finishing, on special machines for sanding and processing surfaces, whether they are wood, plastic or metal: just mount the right abrasive and the flexibility grows exponentially, also allowing us to move away from our “core business” which has always historically been in the world of wood but which for about twenty years has seen us engaged in many other contexts”.
Three generations of passion and expertise, a story that began 77 years ago, in 1957, and which is still synonymous with quality and reliability in the world of finishing solutions, “… an international reputation that sometimes surprises us, because we are approached by companies and groups from all over the world which are looking for specific, tailor-made solutions, capable of solving problems intelligently and above all with investments that are adequate to the objectives”.
Because this is Volpato’s vocation: to be among the first to be contacted when there is some very particular need, when the potential customer is looking for a solution for specific production processes, for which it would be unthinkable to work with standard machines or “ad hoc” lines that would require very, very significant investments.
“It is in these territories that we express ourselves best, when it comes to showing all our experience by conceiving, designing and building machines that are almost always unique specimens, which we supply to customers who want maximum confidentiality from us, because these are simple, intelligent, “custom” technologies that exponentially increase their productivity and that they are certainly not willing to share with their competitors…”, concludes Gianni Volpato.
THE NUMBERS OF THE “LBO 60 ASTS”
WORKING TABLE: 2500x1000mm
MAXIMUM HEIGHT: 700mm
BRUSH MOTOR STROKE: 2100mm
BRUSH DIAMETER: up to 250mm
BRUSH THICKNESS: up to 200mm
BELT SIZE: 120-150x8200mm
BRUSHING UNIT TRANSLATION SPEED: from 1 to 5 m/min
BELT SPEED: from 3.6 to 18 m/min
BRUSHING UNIT MOTOR SPEED: from 300 to 1,500 rpm
WEIGHT: 1,000kg
DIMENSIONS: 4,400×2,000×2,200m