New ranges of edge polishers have been introduced to the market by GMM, best known for their innovative bridge saws, following their acquisition of fellow Italian company Cemar. One of the new edge polisher ranges is the Costa series, introduced at Marmomacc in Verona last year. NSS takes a look at the development.

Main features of the Costa Series edge polisher:

General: GMM have been major innovators in bridge saw technology for the stone industry for many years and now they have expanded into edge polishers with the take-over of Cemar, their innovative approach is being seen on the polishers. At the Marmomacc exhibition in Verona last year new ranges were shown for the first time, including the Costa Series.

Capabilities: The Costa Series edge polisher is for polishing flat edges and bevelling. It has micro-oscillation for achieving a fine finish on flat edges. It comes in three versions, the 52, 64 and 84. The 52 comes as standard with five heads and two bevelling heads, but has the option of four bevelling heads. The 64 has six heads with four bevelling heads, although it can be used with only two, and the 84 has eight heads (with the option to go up to 10) with four bevelling heads. Stock of 10-80mm thick (100mm for the 84) can be processed at widths down to 120mm.

Physical configuration: The 52 is 4.5m long and weighs 3.8tonnes, the 64 is 5.5m at 4.6tonnes and the 84 is 7m long and 7tonnes (7.7tonnes for the 10-head version). Normally a 1m long table either end will be used for feed-in and out. The steel body is machined after welding then thermally treated to unstress the steel. The body is grit blasted, hot galvanised and given an epoxy paint finish to combat rust. The belt is aligned with a replaceable stainless steel wear strip. Covers at the front and sides are heavy-duty glass fibre. 

Spindles: There are double joints and a slight internal positive pressure to prevent water ingress. Overall power requirement is 28kW with the spindles governed by separate 2kW motors. They have individual pressure guages. Production rates are said to be high. Water consumption is around 200L a minute on the 64 model.

Control: Touch screen programming has some nice touches such as shamfering to start and stop at any points on different lengths of stock and non-slip strips to be added where required to the edges of steps

Price: The first Costa 64 has already been sold and there are several more enquiries in the pipeline, but there are still attractive introductory packages available for customers in the UK and Ireland.

More information: All GMM products are now being handled exclusively in the UK by Roccia Machinery based in Westerham, Kent. 

Tel: 0844 335 0991. Fax: 0844 335 0992