Visionary Awards recognize innovation

Ten exhibitors won Visionary Awards at the 2019 AWFS Fair. The awards recognize product innovation and leadership in the woodworking industry.

The winners were:

The pinless wood moisture meter has a built-in relative humidity temperature sensor that can calculate and display the equilibrium moisture content and absolute humidity of the environment. The device sends data through Bluetooth technology to both Woodshop MC and FloorSmart, free mobile apps for Android or Apple devices. For more, visit www.wagnermeters.com.

X-Matt, a line of ‘super power’ coatings for interior furnishings, is also a recent winner of the XIA Award (Milan, Italy) and Interzum Award (Cologne, Germany).

It is designed to create high performance ultra-matt surfaces in terms of their chemical/physical structure with self-healing properties, while maintaining a lower VOC content compared to UV conventional coatings, according to the company.

The highly resistant anti-scratch coatings are easy-to-clean and fingerprint resistant, have anti-glare surfaces, are soft to the touch and offered in a wide array of colors. For more, visit www.icaspa.com.

A panel saw with a Robotic Operating System (ROS) offers increased productivity with its innovative labor-saving features. Unlike saws that require an operator to move panels, rotate strips, press the start button to begin every cutting cycle and manually apply labels, the ROS does it all, the company says. The WN6 ROS uses the frame of a standard machine but replaces the air table and operator with a labor-saving robot that performs operations in the exact same way every time. For more, visit www.biesseamerica.com.

This double-end tenoner was developed for shaping and milling edges of furniture and interior doors of random sizes. Boasting a relatively short and compact design, the high throughput machine consists of a fixed left and a high-speed servo drive positioned right milling unit carrier, according to the company. Also included are a laser-based part measurement feature that automatically moves milling units into positions, HSK63 high-performance spindles for accurate shaping pattern, and a tool changer with six free spaces. For more, visit www.mb-maschinenbau.de.

The first cordless pinner that is similar in size, weight, balance and power as a traditional pneumatic 23-gauge pinner, according to the company. Light and compact at 3.75 lbs., the tool drives the finest pin nail possible while allowing the operator to achieve the desired precision for finish and trim work applications. It has a 100-pin magazine and fastener range of 3/8” to 2”. For more, please visit www.grexusa.com.

This leveling system requires just a few manual operations without the need for bending, crawling or stretching to level furniture and cabinetry during installs. The adjusting tool acts as an arm extension to reach the front and rear adjustment feet adjustment feet so the installer can easily see the top of the workpiece while leveling it. For more, visit www.hafele.com.

This touch sensitive fence eliminates the need to manually unlock and lock a fence. Mounts to any Northtech straight line rip saw as well as most competitor models. www.northtechmachine.com.

With the ability to exert up to 450 lbs. of force, these steel rail clamps feature an ergonomic gear drive design that allows one to work in cramped areas or up against another surface where hand clearance is limited. The user simply twists the two-component handle for fast, secure clamping action. Durable molded reinforced composite clamping arms have a throat depth of 2-3/8”. Available in four (6”, 12”, 18” and 24”) sizes. For more, visit www.besseytools.com.

This enterprise resource planning software program provides a solution to standardize, simplify and automate tasks for shops of any size, according to the company, EagleEye ERP. Information is organized into a single source, providing access to every step of the sales cycle from the initial customer contact through estimating, engineering, inventory, production, delivery and final invoice. For more, visit www.3erp.com.

A portable, 3D CNC router with a three-minute estimated set-up time, the SmartBench is ideal for precise machining on the jobsite, according to the company. It drills, pockets, mortises, carves or dados material. Features include a color touchpad handheld control unit that can receive jobs/cutting instructions via Wi-Fi or a USB drive. It sells for $5,995. For more, visit www.yetismartbench.com.  

This article originally appeared in the September 2019 issue.