Technology might have made life easier for people but it is also polluting the planet. Now technology is being used to tackle that as well – and saving users money into the bargain.

Intermac, familiar for their CNC workcentres, have decided to acknowledge the importance of green issues and have started to create a new generation of intelligent machines to cut down energy consumption and so reduce CO₂ emissions, as they showed at the Marmomacc exhibition in Verona this month.

When not operating for a certain period (determined by the user) a stand-by system is triggered that shuts everything down, including the compressed air system and vacuum pump.

And when they are in use, the Intermac machines recover the surplus kinetic energy from the electrospindle motors or the axes movement and convert it back into electricity.

For stone processing, the system has been added to the Linea Master and Primus 184 waterjet cutter so far. No doubt other machines will follow.

And because they save energy, you could be entitled to an interest-free loan from the Carbon Trust to help you pay for them. To find out more go to www.carbontrust.co.uk/loans.

Intermac had a 400m² stand in Verona on which they showed: the Master 45 Plus, a five-axes machine with a 4m work area largely used in mainland Europe for making memorials and stone features such as fireplaces; the four-axes Master 33 Plus with a 3m table used for a wide range of CNC machining activities; and the Master 30 three-axes workcentre with a 3m table, which is favoured by the kitchen worktop sector.

They also had a five-axes Primus 184 waterjet cutter on their stand. As well as producing cut-out and inlays, it has a tilting head that can cut at 45º for making kitchen worktop joints.