Titus Quickfit TL5 Dowel
Easy furniture assembly is an important aspect for the end user of the furniture . An easy and quick assembly significantly improves the user experience in furniture assembly and thus the satisfaction of the end user . In the Internet age , this aspect is becoming extremely important for RTA furniture manufacturers . End users of furniture can make a review of product satisfaction on the manufacturer ’ s website . Poor reviews have , of course , a negative impact on the decision of potential customers . This means that increasing ease of assembly is a key ambition for virtually every furniture manufacturer . But what ’ s the best way to transform this admirable ambition into reality ?
Titus Steel Quickfit expansion dowel brings two key novelties to the field of userfriendliness and quick assembly . First , the number of assembly operations is reduced from a few dozen ( classic expansion dowels ) to only 3 to 4 operations . Secondly , with its design and expansion technology , the dowel allows the installation into the furniture panels already in the furniture factory . Titus offers a complete solution in the form of a prefabricated FastFit insertion machine for Quickfit TL5 . The final customer receives furniture panels with built-in fittings , which significantly reduces the time of furniture assembly .
High productivity in the RTA furniture industry brings limited flexibility in manufacturing processes . Any replacement or modification of the type of drilling of furniture panels means a serious barrier for the industry , which in most cases is not acceptable . Using Steel Quickfit expansion dowels does not require drilling changes . The product is useful in panels designed for use with conventional expansion dowels with thread .
PROCESS INNOVATION
The RTA furniture industry faces the challenges of increasing competitiveness . One way to increase competitiveness is to offer additional functionality . The most important of these is a simpler and faster assembly . To achieve this , the RTA furniture industry uses the most advanced connections and other fittings and preprepared furniture panels . The latter allow very fast assembly of elements , significantly reduced possibility of errors and complaints , reduce the assembly time and increase satisfaction as well increase the chance of a positive online review .
Pre-prepared panels have an exceptional competitive advantage that , despite the high cost of labour force in the EU and America , forces manufacturers of RTA furniture to pre-prepare panels by hand . Most often , 3-5 workers per shift are needed to pre-prepare one panel , which means production of 1100 panels / shift . Each cabinet has two panels with inserted fittings . Such organized production can produce up to 400,000 cabinets per year . With the use of Titus FastFit insertion machine for Quickfit TL5 , the capacity rises up to 1,200,000 cabinets .
WHAT IS TITUS INNOVATION ABOUT ?
The first innovation concerns the much improved product characteristics and performance . The high-performance Quickfit TL5 ‘ Full Metal Jacket ’ has exceptional pull-out load capacity and provides optimum strength and performance in MDF , chipboards and solid wood – even without using wooden dowels . Its expanded steel body ensures reliable span in holes for 5 mm dowels , which makes it possible to use Quickfit expansion dowel inserting technology without tools ( screwing ) in a wide range of applications . Its structure allows high tolerance to drilling errors ± 1mm from the centre to the hole , which still provides for the establishment of a reliable and high load capacity connection .
The Titus Quickfit TL expansion dowel family allows for manual insertion into the furniture panel , which provides for a unique solution for intuitive and quick assembly of the cabinet right at home . For maximum efficiency , it is possible to automate the process of insertion of connecting eccentric cams and expansion dowels TL using its own Fast fit insertion machine for Quickfit TL5 .
The second innovation is about improved process . The advantage of the FastFit machine for automatic inserting of expansion dowels , connecting eccentric cams and wooden dowels into furniture panels is in the extremely short inserting time of these semi-finished products into the chipboard panel , the quality of the finished product and , consequently , the reduced working force . The insertion time of the semi-finished products is thus approximately 3 seconds for smaller panels and up to 7 seconds for larger multiinserting panels . The final time of panel assembly is reduced by approx . 85 %.
THE RESULT ?
Titus was able to achieve thousands of satisfied customers since the implementation of the solution into their processes lowering the manufacturing costs , time and customers ’ claims resulting into improved quality of life for many people .
For more information about the Vector , visit www . titusplus . com / int / en
Issue 52 PECM 129