When you think of the International Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Supply Fair-USA® (IWF), the word wood undoubtedly comes to mind as that is the show’s focus. But while some may think this massive event only features items such as machinery for furniture and woodworking applications, think again. The show also targets door and window manufacturers, and features exhibitors who offer products geared toward this group. Additionally, show organizers have developed a slate of seminars geared toward this group as well. 

IWF, the largest woodworking technology trade show in the Western Hemisphere, is held every other year at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, and show officials say that it is ranked among the largest trade shows in the world. IWF 2008 will take place Wednesday through Saturday, August 20-23, 2008, and exhibit hall hours are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Organizers say the event attracts more than 43,000 visitors from every level of the industry and more than 80 countries.

“IWF 2008 will present more than 1,300 exhibits of machinery, supplies and services for woodworking and related industries in more than 800,000 net square feet of floor space,” says Charles R. Tomkins, IWF 2008 chairperson and president of Cresent Fine Furniture Co. in Gallatin, Tenn. 

It will feature an expanded technical and business conference program, including a new symposium the day before the show opens and 16 sessions during the show designed to educate IWF 2008 attendees with the latest information on technology, manufacturing and business techniques. Experts from a wide variety of industry segments will headline the educational program (see box on page 31 for a session aimed at door and window manufacturers).

DWM Sponsors Seminar on Going Green
Door and Window Manufacturer (DWM) magazine is sponsoring a seminar at IWF explaining how all segments of the woodworking industry can go green. Attendees will learn what specific steps to take toward becoming an eco-friendly plant or shop. Representatives from the door and window, furniture and cabinet industries will participate in a panel discussion regarding various aspects of “going green” including cost and logistical issues, benefits, items to consider when making this transition, and much more. Tim Petersen, LEED AP, of VT Industries is one of the panelists. Also speaking is Dennis Creech, executive director for the Southface Institute. DWM publisher Tara Taffera will serve as the moderator. The seminar will be held August 20 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Must-See Products
A number of products applicable to door and window manufacturers will be on display at this year’s show. If attending IWF, make sure you stop by these booths.

Booth #9040: 
Stiles Makes it Special for Door and Window Manufacturers
Stiles Machinery Inc. is now the exclusive U.S. distributor for Stegherr door and window machinery based in Germany. To celebrate this venture, the company will showcase some of Stegherr’s equipment geared toward door and window manufacturers.

Stegherr has been manufacturing door and window machinery for more than 30 years, according to Stiles. One of its machines, the KF-1 Sash Coping Center, features two vertical milling spindles that rotate in opposite directions for tear-out-free coping of profiled ends. The process is fully automatic with safe pneumatic work piece clamping to process work pieces accurately. The machine cuts length-wise but is also available with options such as a crosscut saw mounted on the fence or an additional drilling unit to drill holes of mill for connection elements such as dowels, clips, etc.

The KSF-2E Cross Joint Milling Machine is fully automated for producing cross-joints from wood, plastic or aluminum materials. The KSF is capable of producing high-quality parts and high output, according to Stiles. The machine control can be used manually or in fully online mode. The KSF also features an automatic CNC feeding system for fast and accurate positioning www.stilesmachinery.comBooth 

Booth #8262:
Multiple-Axis CNC
MAKA, distributed by JRM International of Rockford, Ill., manufactures three-, four- and five-axis CNC routers. The typical machine is supplied as a five-axis with a 16-horsepower spindle, an HSK 63F tool acceptance and a 12- to 32-tool magazine. While the machine has no table, it has support bars where the vacuum pods are mounted. The support bars move in the Y direction, the vacuum pods move in the X direction. Pneumatic lifting bars aid in the loading of stringers and larger winder treads. There are retractable pneumatic stops for locating parts quickly, pneumatic clamps for posts and handrails and a laser-positioning system. yyä www.jrminternational.com

Booth #5414: 
Multi-Moulder Offers Multiple Capabilities
Want straight, curved or elliptical mouldings? Charles G. G. Schmidt & Co. Inc. says this is no problem through use of the Mikron 652 Multi-Moulder with routing capabilities. Based on the original 645 design, this machine’s cutting head starts horizontal and tilts up to 52 degrees for making curved crown mouldings and lessening depths of profiles on knives, according to the company. Its variable feed system is adjustable from 0 to 30 fpm to ensure perfect cuts. The cutting head is also replaceable with a 31⁄4-HP router for doing edge details and other fine cuts. yyä www.mikronwoodworking machinery.com

Booth #1561: 
A Green Product
Timber Products Co.’s new GreenT™ line of hardwood plywood can be produced with a special no-added-urea formaldehyde resin, or other resins that meet specific performance requirements. GreenT Hardwood Plywood is available with an MDF, veneer or particleboard core. The GreenT line also includes a panel with a hardwood face and decorative overlay back, a two-sided decorative overlay panel, raw particleboard panels and particleboard door core panels. Because of its air quality benefits and sustainable components, GreenT meets or exceeds many green building requirements, including the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® program and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) formaldehyde emission requirements. It is produced from wood certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council. GreenT accepts all painted, laminated or printed decorative surfaces and offers excellent machinability for the most intricate profiles, according to the company. www.timberproducts.com 

Booth #6113: 
Get on Board with New Saw
Kanefusa USA Inc. will display its Board Pro Plus table saw blade at the show. According to the company, the blade is built on the company’s Board Pro III heavy-duty panel saw blade series. Board Pro Plus features vibration-damping polymer injected elements incorporated into the plate, reducing noise greatly during cutting and idling, according to Kanefusa. While the run out of Board Pro Plus is within 0.05 mm, other quality makes are within 0.1 mm. The company says this is especially important when cutting difficult materials. The product can cut board materials such as particleboard or MDF laminated with Melamine, HPL, foils and more. 

Kanefusa also will display its planer knife line-up with a new reversible Tungsten Carbide knife for the ENSHIN planer head. A company spokesperson says its goal was to develop a knife with a high value for the user but also use as little material and energy resources in the manufacturing process as possible. The knives are suitable to cut hard woods and tropical timber.

The company says it is also interested in completing a nationwide distributor network and welcomes the opportunity to meet with potential distributors during the show. www.kanefusa.net 

Booth #6435: A Cut Above
Wintersteiger officials say its new thin cutting technology achieves optimum results in the production of high-quality lamellas (the raw materials used for building wooden window frames) for doors and architectural windows.

A new drive concept, servo-controlled precision feed and increased drive performance make the Sonic one of the fastest thin cutting frame saws in the world.

The new tolerance-free saw guiding system gives companies the most precise lamellas and more yield than any other technology. As a new option, the Salt Lake City-based company offers a wet cutting model to cut green wood or antique heart pine and other species with high resin content. www.wintersteiger.com  

Booth #8362: 
Wrap Like a Pro 
As wood veneer for profile wrapping is growing in interior window frame applications, Nordson Corp. has developed its SF 300 profile-wrapping application head to accommodate use of wood strips in profile wrapping. This technique is growing as real wood veneer can be painted or stained, unlike vinyl or paper, according to the company. The company adds that strips are a specialty profile-wrapping application so incorporating strip processing into standard roll-fed profile-wrapping equipment is essential, as are quick changeovers between rolls and strips.

Additionally, precise metering and accurate temperature control allow significant adhesive savings with high-quality bonding.

The SF 300 application system integrates easily into the profile wrapper. Operators can switch quickly between roll and strip through parent machine controls. As part of a closed system, the SF 300 head is particularly well suited for reactive PURs as well as other hot-melt adhesives, according to Nordson. www.nordson.com 

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