Automation in the production of disc or cylindrical brushes

The new Z.SCORP production line from ZAHORANSKY sets new standards in terms of output, flexibility and automation in the production of disc and cylindrical brushes. Thanks to the integrated trimming unit, the compact machine design enables fully automatic production of technical brushes directly after the tufting process. Compared to the usual combination of a boring and tufting machine with a trimming machine, this saves space in the production hall and significantly increases both efficiency and process reliability.

Full automation ensures up to 30% higher output compared to conventional brush production and effectively eliminates operator error and quality variations. The Z.SCORP also demonstrates its strengths in flexible and fast changeover to other brush types. Both the trimming and drilling units as well as the brush length can be adapted to produce different brush designs in just a few steps. Programming and visualisation of the desired trimming contours and brush designs is then carried out directly on the machine via the intelligent ZMI 4.0 machine control system.

In addition, the Z.SCORP is currently the only machine on the market that can be converted for the fully automatic production of disc brushes as well as cylindrical brushes thanks to the easy changeover of the carriage and the infeed system.

Efficiency through automation

As a 3-station, 5-axis carousel, the Z.SCORP offers maximum productivity in the field of technical brushes. The machine is configured to produce disc or cylindrical brushes, depending on the customer’s requirements, but can be converted by the customer at any time if necessary – for example to expand the product portfolio. The highly efficient and safe manufacturing process is as follows Brush bodies made of plastic or wood are fed into the system either manually or fully automatically by a robot. The machine then drills the required holes with high precision, up to a diameter of 8.5 millimetres, and tufts them.

Plastic and wire filaments can be used, as well as natural fibres and natural hair with an unfolded length of up to 260 or 320 millimetres. With up to 600 tufts per minute and the option of using up to three different coloured filaments at the same time, the Z.SCORP is extremely productive. The brushes are trimmed immediately afterwards. The integrated trimming unit works with millimetre precision according to the stored contours and brush designs. Cylindrical brushes can be produced up to a maximum length of 600 mm and a diameter of 320 mm, and disc brushes up to a maximum diameter of 610 mm and a total height of 170 mm.

Quick and easy adaptations

If the machine needs to produce a different type of brush, the changeover is extremely quick and easy. Thanks to an ergonomic operating concept with easy access and the highest safety standards, any necessary adjustments to the trimming unit can be made in less than 3 minutes without tools. This alone saves around 15 minutes of production downtime. Adjustments to the brush length and drilling unit can also be made in a few simple steps. Adjusting the trimming contours is just as easy.

These can be programmed easily and flexibly in less than a minute using the ZMI 4.0 machine control system. The brush can be visualised at any time to get a direct impression of the final product. The finished design is then stored in the system and can be recalled at any time. The final removal of the finished brushes is either manual or fully automatic. But it is not only in the manufacturing process that efficiency and well thought-out design play an important role.

For clear visualisation of the current operating status, the machine has vertical LED bars with a traffic light function, allowing the operator to see immediately whether material is missing, there is a problem or everything is running normally.