9/14/2023
UDINE, Italy
1993 – 2023, THIRTY YEARS OF FLEXIWELD, THIRTY YEARS OF TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE
Back in 1993 AVM developed the world's first machine for the just-in-time production of special electro-welded mesh for the precast industry: Flexiweld.
Since 1989, AVM had already manufactured several semi-automatic machines to produce electro-welded mesh with windows opening for producing prefabricated panels, but these machines had some limits.
The first Flexiweld machine, on the other hand, was able to receive drawings and production data from an office and automatically generate an electro-welded mesh of various shapes.
Thanks to the patented transverse wire insertion system, the machine was able to create several openings in the electro-welded mesh, without scraps and at an astonishing speed. In addition, the new wire changer allowed the diameter of both longitudinal and transverse wires to be changed fully automatically.
This first version of Flexiweld was the perfect machine for slab manufacturers: the prefabricated slab is a simple product realized with a huge quantity of electro-welded mesh. Therefore, by reducing labour, costs were considerably lowered.
In fact, within a just few years, the main prefabricated slab producers in the Benelux had a Flexiweld in their plant: this machine perfectly met their production needs.
Initially, Flexiweld was a “stand-alone” machine: the outgoing electro-welded mesh panels were stacked and transferred in the pre-fabrication department. In the 1990s, to automate and integrate various stages of the production process, AVM developed several solutions:
-The first automatic crane capable of placing mesh directly on the carousel without the operator’s intervention.
-The first automatic bending machine (the BF4) was perfect for the German market and capable of bending longitudinal wires directly on the Flexiweld output table.
Flexiweld is also successful in the production of special mesh, with installations throughout Europe and even in the USA.
With Flexiweld Mark 3 in 2009, AWM addressed a more general market for the production of mesh for panels and precast concrete elements. In this version, the machine can process all diameters up to 16mm on both longitudinal and transversal wires. It presents an innovative inverter-controlled medium-frequency welding. Moreover, it allows single wires to be bent, even inside the opening windows, to realize 3D elements.
The Flexiweld Mark 5, the ultimate machine model, is today available both in the standard version “Flexiweld S” and in the high productivity version “Flexiweld SF”.
The machine is now more reliable and economical. It has been improved in every way to meet the changing needs of customers in a market that is now global.
It’s configurable in different versions (with single wire bending units, with automatic in-line bending units, with cranes, with free longitudinal wire pitch etc…), and can be supported by software for mesh design and production management.
AWM, joining the Schnell Group in 2022, focused on precast plants: today it offers the most complete range of machines in reinforcement wire processing for the precast industry.
