Corghi’s Touchless balancers, changers demonstrate Rema Tip Top ‘added value’

Rema Tip Top Automotive UK’s fourth consecutive Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year Tyre Industry Award was a testament to its “great working partnerships and mutual value added benefits and expertise,” according to group CEO Mark Insley. In its capital equipment portfolio, the company supplies Corghi garage equipment, including the brand’s latest Touchless line of wheel service equipment for all ranges of tyre changers, wheel balancers and wheel aligners, demonstrating such added value partnerships. Rema Tip Top states that Corghi’s latest products “guarantee extreme professionalism”, as they concentrate on the wheel alone without touching the rim and/or the tyre, depending on the product line, during any procedure.

The objective is the significant reduction of manual work, the elimination of the physical effort as well as avoiding expensive damage to the rims and tyres. Corghi technology is facilitating the rise of machines that are easy to use, fast, safe, simple and efficient.

The touchless range is also enhanced by the community of highly skilled professionals now using Corghi equipment; they have access to Corghi specialist programmes, maintenance contracts, extended guarantees and Touchless workshop branding, offering added value alongside the world of robotic efficiency offered by the brand’s equipment lines.

Tyre changers

Corghi’s Touchless tyre changers line include the Artiglio Master Code, Artiglio Master Jolly and Artiglio Master 26, all of which utilise Smart Corghi System technology. The tool never touches the rim in any working phase thanks to the fixed distance from the rim. Furthermore, all tyre tension is eliminated during the fitting/demounting phases thanks to the synchronised movement between tool and rim.

The Artiglio 5000 is the latest “Leva la Leva” automatic tyre changer with LITE Smart Corghi System technology. The new automatic positioning header based on a new and patented concept, allows demounting and mounting the tyre in a very simple way, without ever coming into contact with the rim and reduces the tyre pressures in the most demanding phases.

Wheel balancers

Like the tyre changers, the top line Corghi wheel balancers come from the Touchless line. Industry workshop favourites, including the CORGHI EM9550C, 9580C, 9780C, 9980C and Eyelight, have all been given design upgrades, with the new Plus classification distinguishing the traditional models from the new incarnations.

The competitively priced, Corghi EM9980-C Plus features a high-end specification suited to large tyre depots undertaking a constant stream of work. The new Plus features include “fully automatic” operation, Rema Tip Top states, which guarantees high productivity and high profitability. Spin and diagnostic times are also improved by 40 per cent compared to the previous generation and a Hidden weight feature which is now fully automatic. The new Hidden weight programme automatically identifies without contact the number and position of the spokes in hidden weight balancing mode.

The EM9980C ‘Touchscreen’ interface both simplifies and speeds up operations and work programme selection. Furthermore, wheel dimension measurement is undertaken by a Touchless system (zero contact when taking the rim dimensions), which is enabled by high precision laser sensors that automatically measure all wheel dimensions in a few seconds during the measurement cycle. At the end of the spin cycle, the wheel is stopped and brought automatically into the balancing position (RPA). The integrated LED light illuminates the work area to facilitate rim cleaning and application of the counter weights. The internal point laser pointer indicates the correct position for applying the adhesive counter weights with absolute precision.

The EM9980C also features a new automatic electromechanical wheel clamping system, which cuts operating times and increases centring precision.

The range topping EyeLight Plus DiagnosticLine Corghi is one of the most technologically advanced wheel balancers on the market. The machine is equipped with an industrial personal computer and is totally automatic; the operator isn’t asked to carry out any manual operations. In addition to the 4 centring cones, Eyelight Plus is equipped standard with the “High Precision Collets” kit for optimal wheel centring. The kit includes 8 double-faced low conicity collets made with high mechanical resistance steel. The new cabinet now includes side housings for the kits so the work area is always kept in order.

The latest additions to Rema Tip Top Automotive UK’s range of Corghi equipment was displayed earlier in 2017 at Automechanika Birmingham, including the new Artiglio Uniformity diagnostic tyre changer and EM 9980C wheel balancer.

The Artiglio Uniformity has been in the headlines for winning both the Equip Auto 2015 Golden Trophy and the Reifen 2016 Innovation award. Bruce Somerville, UK sales manager at Rema Tip Top: “the Uniformity is set to revolutionise tyre bay working practice. Countless man hours today and in the future will be saved through CORGHI technological efficiencies. Uniformity makes tyre bay workloads more manageable and all the operations, even the most demanding ones, are automated to make operation quick and effective. There are no intermediate steps, so the overall job is quicker and risk-­free for the operator and the rims. The overall effect of these features produces a competitive advantage in terms of cost, time and practicality.”