Using high tech to move forward

JOINERS Magazine, March 2009

The family business of Dando Timber Doors and Windows has been making joinery products for some 18 years and is well known for its craftsmanship and friendly reliable service. The company manufactures a wide range of made to measure timber doors and windows from its factory in Auckland. They carry stocks of standard styles of joinery such as French doors, bifold, interior and exterior doors, and casement, double hung and bay windows. As well, the company which now has some eighteen employees, works with architects and homeowners, builders and developers to produce original designs. In more recent years this well known, traditional, joinery business has embraced the use of high tech machinery. It is a good example of what can be achieved.

Dando’s as it is known, is run by the Dando family headed by well known industry figure Bill Dando. Several years ago Bill made his first foray into the use of high tech machinery when he bought an SCM Superset XL moulding machine. This machine allowed Dando’s to very quickly and simply set the machine and run short or long runs of the stock as they required it leading the company to realize the benefits of investing in modern technology.

In 2005 their factory site in Stoddard Rd, Mt Roskill was extended to cater for increased demand. When Bill’s son Aaron returned from the UK where he was involved in investment banking he decided to join the family firm. He looked at the business with a fresh set of eyes and was encouraged by the improvements realized from the installation of the SCM moulding machine.

“We were rapidly outgrowing what the business was doing and needed to get smarter and technology was the way to go.” comments Aaron. “Modern computerised machinery (CNC) enables the user to quickly and efficiently produce complex house lots of joinery with the traditional methods of jointing which has until recently been a bit of a stumbling block for New Zealand businesses to embrace the new technology available.”

In June 2008 Dando’s bought an SCM Record 210 machine after careful consideration of several models of machine. The machine was installed in the new factory extension. Aaron took a somewhat different view from most traditional buyers in that he viewed the purchase of the machine as an investment in the business. “Of significance to me was the projected cycle times and labour savings we could achieve to calculate a return on the machine rather than the cost of the machine software and tooling. To date the machine has performed well with time or cycle reductions of some 75%.” says Aaron.

The Record 210 is a four axis machine with a 3600 by 1600 working field. Its table is operated with a tubeless vacuum and an 8.5kw liquid cooled electro-spindle along with 28 position tool changers. The machine has very specific advantages for a wooden door and window manufacturing operation. “It’s the only machine we know of here in New Zealand which can produce a traditional type of mortise and tenon joint through the use of a special head which is able to machine a square hole for the mortise.” explains Aaron.

The machine has a saw unit for cutting to length and squaring the solid timber rails and stiles and a horizontal milling unit for milling locks and hinges. It also has a square drive for mortise joints and integrated extraction conveyer. The large capacity tool changers allow Dando’s to carry on board the machine all the profile tools needed to run their standard profi les including a new double glazed profile.

The Record 210 has enabled the business to greatly improve its output but like many CNC machines it has resulted in a shift in the type of labour required to produce the same product. One skilled programmer/operator is able to produce considerable quantities of highly accurate quality joinery. These accurately processed components in turn reduce assembly and finishing times.

Aaron points out “The capabilities, speed and accuracy of the machines we are now using means we can meet customer demand both now and well into the future.”

For further information, contact Dando’s.