Parts for seating and upholstered furniture, toys, children's beds or, for example, tables and chairs - the company, founded in 1844 and based in Marktleugast in Upper Franconia, manufactures a wide range of products. The company markets furniture items such as comfortable reclining chairs and solid wood tables itself. Löffler produces toys for Haba, for example. The fourth-generation family-run company attaches great importance to sustainability. In the 3,000 square meter production hall, it only processes local woods. Sufficient raw materials are supplied by the nearby Franconian Forest. Löffler does not use plastics or lacquers. If necessary, the company finishes the wooden products with environmentally friendly, high-quality oils.

As down-to-earth as the wood experts are when it comes to raw materials, they are just as progressive in technical terms. "We use state-of-the-art, fully CNC-controlled machinery that is operated by well-trained employees. This enables us to manufacture very competitively and a strict control system ensures high product quality," says Managing Director Josef Löffler, describing the strategy. The latest acquisition in the machine park is a modern five-axis CNC machining center, for which, however, a suitable clamping solution was still required.

Purchase decision at the trade fair stand
The first choice in the search for a suitable partner for the right clamping system was Schmalz from Glatten. The two companies have enjoyed a trusting business relationship for many years, as Schmalz suction cups are already in use on other machines at Löffler. The Bavarians struck at a trade fair: While still at the Schmalz stand, they opted for vacuum block suction cups on the one hand and the VCMC-K1 mechanical clamps with fixing lug on the other.

The VCMC-K1 does not allow the workpiece to slip even under strong lateral forces. © Lard

Schmalz has developed the VCMC-K1 for a wide range of applications. They are an effective alternative if the necessary contact surface is not available for clamping with a vacuum. For example, even narrow parts such as window frames up to 100 millimetres thick can be securely fixed.

No compressed air required
Compressed air is not required for either the suction blocks or the clamps. Both components are controlled by vacuum. The mechanical clamp sits on the machine table and is secured by its own vacuum connection on the console. The clamping mechanism of the VCMC-K1 is also controlled by vacuum. The clamping plates are lowered and hold the workpiece reliably. Löffler decided to retrofit the system with the fixing lug from Schmalz. This absorbs additional lateral forces. Because the counterpart to the locating lug remains firmly mounted on the console, the clamps can always be positioned with pinpoint accuracy - there is no need for new measurements.

The lateral fixing lug enables precise positioning of the clamp during repeated processing operations. © Lard

For the wood experts, the investment in the Schmalz solution has paid off. Even with high lateral forces, such as those that occur during lateral milling, the workpiece always remains in position. The fixing lug provides additional reinforcement for the clamp, which makes the machining process particularly safe.

In everyday carpentry work, workpieces of different sizes and surfaces are constantly being processed, which places particular demands on handling technology. With thin parts, the surface area for vacuum is often no longer sufficient for stable fixing. This is where the mechanical clamp comes into its own. "It can be easily adapted to different dimensions and can therefore be used flexibly. This is particularly important in our company," explains Josef Löffler. The vacuum solution from Schmalz saves costs and pays for itself quickly. As there is no compressed air supply, there are also no additional connections. Changing between the vacuum block and mechanical clamp is done without tools, which significantly reduces machine set-up times compared to other clamping systems. as