Boosting Stone Fabrication Efficiency with FANUC-driven BBM Routers
Southern Stone Surfaces boosted output by replacing four old CNC routers with three Paladin cutters, improving precision and increasing throughput.
Challenges
- Legacy CNC stone router machines
- Needed increased production
- Limited labor resources
- Could not increase footprint
Results
Increased production by 33%
Optimized efficiency decreased costs by 15%
Reduced operator training time and reduced footprint
Improved cut accuracy and quality
Story
Southern Stone Surfaces prides itself on delivering top-quality countertops for its customers in and around Nashville, TN. When looking to replace four older CNC stone routers, the company reached out to Better Built Machines (BBM) to inquire about the Paladin slab cutting machines.
Driven by FANUC servo motors and the CNC Series 0i-MF Plus, BBM’s Paladin machines deliver seamless multi-axis precision and unmatched reliability, making them ideal for high-efficiency automated stone cutting. Southern Stone found just three of the Paladins outproduced the four machines they previously had, thereby reducing the operational footprint while increasing throughput. The intuitive front-end software, integrated into the FANUC controls via the FANUC iPC, significantly reduced operator training time and improved job consistency. Maintenance time was minimized due to improved machine reliability, and toolpath optimization led to faster cycle times and less material waste.
The BBM machines enable Southern Stone to achieve exact dimensions and meticulously detailed cuts, ensuring each countertop fits flawlessly at installation. Due to the increase in production rate and efficiency from their updated automated stone cutting solutions, Southern Stone now has more capacity to take on additional work and new customers.
As our client base has become a lot more custom, we have had to increase our precision tolerances and this machine has done a great job at that. The motors on these machines are a lot stronger and able to cut through (the material) better.
Jonathon DeJong Operations Manager – Southern Stone SurfacesFANUC Products Used
0i-MF Plus
FANUC 0i‑MF Plus CNC delivers efficient, high‑quality milling with reduced cycle times, smooth surface finishes, customizable functions, and flexible HMI.
Meet Better Built Machines, FANUC Authorized System Integrator
Better Built Machines’ mission is to improve the CNC machine experience through quality customer service and innovative design, setting new standards for ease-of-use, durability and performance in automated stone fabrication.
About Southern Stone Surfaces
At Southern Stone Surfaces, we are proud to offer a vast and dynamic selection of countertop options. Our streamlined process guarantees quick turnaround times, backed by the extensive capacity of our large-scale facilities.
