FOR THE FIRST time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ligna exhibition will be returning.
Considered the world-leading trade fair for woodworking and wood processing plant, machinery and tools, Ligna attracts approximately 75,000 visitors from around the globe with its array of technology showcases and industry expert talks.
The 2023 event will be held in Hannover, Germany, between 15th and 19th May. After a three-year absence, there is heightened interest and anticipation for what will be shown off and revealed.
Alex Dalton, managing director of Daltons Wadkin, a long-established UK distributor and manufacturer of industrial woodworking machinery, gives his thoughts on what we can expect from the 2023 instalment of Ligna.
“After such a big delay, it’s easy to expect that there will be more shown off at Ligna than usual,” says Alex Dalton. “From a hardware perspective, the woodworking industry has reached a point where revolutionary changes are getting rare. Instead, more emphasis is being placed on improving the capabilities of the accompanying software. And I expect it will be software that takes centre stage at Ligna this March, particularly within the areas of automation and digital fabrication. The automatic processes with these machines have been well developed over several years, to a standard in which they cannot drastically get much better.
“However, the biggest changes we tend to see come with the software, particularly with how operator safety can be improved, how labour-intensive jobs can be deskilled as much as possible, and how user interfaces can be made more functional, both for the vendor and the user.
“Another important factor in improving software is how it makes the machines we operate more intuitive. There tend to be different levels of input when it comes to software, but increasingly the industry is manoeuvring into a position where machines require as little input from operators as possible. By making our machines more intuitive we’re freeing up our operators to apply their skills in other areas of the business, including managing and optimising the cutting lists and working to get the most yield out of products. That information is then fed back into the machines and, depending on its manufacturer, the hardware is often linked up, talking to a central control brain and working in tandem. With more intuitive software we get more intuitive machines. And one would believe that the more intuitive our processes are, the more efficient they will increasingly become.
“When analysing technology development broadly across multiple industries, it is very rare that we see anything revolutionary. Instead, we see a greater focus put into making tweaks and changes that make the technology at our disposal even better. Take the Apple iPhone as an example. With each annual release, we do not get presented with a product that is wholly different from the previous model. But we do get just enough minor improvements that make a difference to the consumer and continually elevate the standard of performance in line with consumer expectations. Speaking specifically about woodworking, there are two classes of machinery in our industry: there is automated and manual and not too much in between. And similar to Apple, the approach in the woodworking industry is to take the machines and products and make small but noticeable changes that will help companies become more efficient. At the core of that is a focus to make machines safer but also easier to use due to the increasing knowledge and skill gap facing the industry.
“Sustainable manufacturing is undoubtedly the biggest area for improvement right now and the upcoming Ligna exhibition could give us a deeper understanding of the way our sector is going to become more focused on this area. Greater strides are starting to be made with ESG — Environmental, Social and Governance — in mind. The industry is taking steps to reduce waste, utilise sustainably sourced materials, and implement efficient manufacturing processes. But more can always be done and this coming May’s Ligna exhibit is as likely an event as any to showcase what further action can be taken to reduce our environmental impact and produce products that retain quality but are also less harmful.
“Whether it takes centre stage, we will have to wait to find out.”
All images credit: LIGNA.de
For contact details, see page 16 of our April/May 2023 issue on our Back Issues page.
