After a ten-year absence, Finnish machinery manufacturers Finvac introduced their second generation automatic toggle dryer at Tanning Tech. At the show they had a video running of the prototype at work in the tannery of Viljo Viljanmaan Nahketehdas Oy in Ylistaro, Finland.
Many of the older machines are still operating and Finvac were able to consult their own customer base in order to address any problems associated with the older versions. As a result, the new machines have been simplified and take advantage of more advanced technology which was not available earlier.
The fully automatic Finclip toggling machine features a logical control system and advanced technology has made it possible to achieve goals set for it in the beginning of the engineering process. The main reasons for developing this new machine were:
Great savings in labour costs
Only one operator is needed for toggling small skins and sides. For whole hides two operators are recommended to utilise the full capacity of the machine.
Better quality
It is easy to choose the right settings for each type of leather enabling the machine to provide better and more even quality along the drying process.
Better yield
Because the Finclip stretches mechanically in all directions and the pulling force of each clip is adjustable up to 50kg, maximum yield can be reached.
Less maintenance
The need for maintenance is substantially reduced. The machine has been mechanically tested for over a year in the test lab before transferring to the tannery environment where it is being used to process sheepskins.