Following the success of Leitz’s RipTec ‘ripple technology’ in other tool types, the company unveiled its new planerhead application.
RipTec has already been used in a range of cutting applications, and is designed to minimise tear-outs and produce a smoother finish, making it particularly suited for use on higher quality, more expensive timbers, says Letiz.
Using the technology, the new VariPlan Plus planer head is claimed to produce a better quality, more consistent product and to be more efficient than its predecessors.
“It reduces pre-splitting when machining against the grain, roughness through twisted fibres and knot areas, and exfoliation in the softer annual ring area,” said a Leitz spokesperson.
As well as the RipTec version, the VarioPlan Plus also comes in Microfinish and Integral variants. The former uses HS or HW turnblade knives, the latter HW.
Leitz also debuted two router cutters in its polycrystalline diamond range, the Diamaster PRO3 and PLUS3, the figure 3 denoting that it has “three real cutting edges”. The company says these are the first real Z3 Diamaster cutters. They have diameters up to 20mm and achieve 50% higher feed speeds when sizing than their predecessors; 30m/min on chipboard and 35m/min on MDF.
For the future the company announced plans to “develop a complete plan of coated tools for solid wood-processing”. With metal prices rising, Leitz maintains that coating is the most cost-effective way of enhancing blade hardness and durability.
