Q+A with Glaziers Center and DeMichele Group | Solutions for Today’s Glazing Fabricators

Above: The Next-Gen RHINOFAB 5500 extrusion machine. Photo courtesy of Glaziers Center and DeMichele Group.

With glazing contractors and fabricators focused on future-proofing their businesses to help them stay competitive in a challenging economic climate marked by inflation, supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, customizable machinery and software is essential in helping fabrication shops stay profitable.

Backed by nearly 80 years of industry experience combined, Glaziers Center Inc. and the DeMichele Group are committed to transforming fabrication shops into profitable, high-productivity centers that can sustain business growth even during economic downturns.

A software and machinery company specializing in enhancing the fabrication of architectural aluminum for curtain walls and storefronts, Glaziers Center and the DeMichele Group integrate innovative ideas with advanced software technology and RHINOFAB machinery, delivering customizable solutions tailored specifically to the glazing industry. Their offerings streamline critical processes such as cutting, fabricating, labeling and inventory management, helping glazing contractors improve accuracy, increase efficiency and reduce labor costs.

In July, the two companies held online demonstrations of their Next-Gen RHINOFAB 5500, an advanced extrusion machine redesigned from the ground up to enhance speed, precision and versatility in fabrication. Glass Magazine sat down with Glaziers Center President Bill Cole, DeMichele Group President Brian Hefner, and DeMichele Group Chief Design Engineer Walter Luckenender to discuss how customizable machinery solutions are helping contractors to handle complex storefront and curtain wall jobs efficiently using one automated machining center, eliminating the need for multiple machines or extra handling steps.
 

Glass Magazine: What are some of the key technological innovations in the RHINOFAB 5500 compared to previous models?

Walter Luckenender: Our RHINOFAB 5500 features reimagined design with a top-mounted, five-axis fab spindle capable of fabricating profiles on the front, back, top and at any XY angle, paired with a three-axis spindle on the bottom for drilling, routing, countersinking, tapping and notching. What truly sets it apart is its innovative saw system— dubbed the “all saw”—that can execute 90-degree, bevel, miter, and compound miter cuts with a unique open cutting window that prevents material part binding and enables efficient chip management. Its high-powered, liquid-cooled spindles and rapid tool-changing capabilities enable faster turnaround times, and it integrates a vacuum chip collection system, ceramic-coated precision rollers to protect parts and easy maintenance access. Importantly, it operates with a familiar, fully automated, data-driven interface compatible with existing software and workflows, allowing precise handling of complex aluminum extrusion fabrication, including curtain walls and door frames.
 

GM: What motivated you to release an updated version of the RHINOFAB, and why was this the opportune time for its introduction?

Bill Cole: The RHINOFAB 5500 offers several key benefits that glaziers and fabricators need in today’s highly competitive and fast-paced environment. Speed and throughput to meet tight project timelines and high volume demands; precision and complexity handling for modern architectural designs requiring complex miters, angled holes and compound cuts; automation and operator ease-of-use to reduce reliance on skilled labor and minimize human error; flexibility to handle a variety of size materials and job types; and reliability and clean operation to maximize uptime and minimize maintenance. This new generation builds on successful features, customer suggestions, and adds smarter, easier-to-use capabilities tailored for glazing fabricators—essentially, we kept what worked and fixed what didn’t.

GM: How do the advancements of this new version offer practical advantages to glazing contractors in their daily operations?

Brian Hefner: This next-gen version enables contractors to handle and deliver more complex storefront and curtain wall jobs with confidence, while still being efficient on common storefront and curtain wall. Using one automated machining center eliminates the need for separate machines or extra handling steps—all fabrication steps are done with one automated machining center, so you save on valuable shop floor space, eliminate handling material multiple times and improve productivity. The system is easier and better, yet remains reliable and easy to learn, use and maintain.

GM: What were the key takeaways of the RHINOFAB 5500 machine’s online demo in July, and what can we look forward to in Orlando from the DeMichele Group, Glaziers Center and RHINOFAB?

BH: The demo was very well received, generating more interest from participants than all the other demos we’ve done, except for GlassBuild.

There were a number of technical questions brought up by attendees at the conclusion of the demo, including the capability for door version milling and drilling, single-pass door processing, and combined drilling and tapping in one step to optimize speed and reduce tool changes. Our Next Gen Rhinos will be showcased live at GlassBuild America for all attendees to see up close and personal. It’s a great opportunity for our customers to experience the machines firsthand during a live demo; it offers a whole different experience, seeing it in person.

GM: What is Glaziers Center’s long-term vision for the RHINOFAB product line? Are there future enhancements or complementary machines in development?

BC: We’re always looking to help fabricators save time, reduce waste and improve overall productivity and quality. We are releasing the next-generation RHINOFAB 5100 Dedicated Doorfab, 5700 Combo and standalone 5000 cutting center. For glaziers and fabricators, we look to offer everything needed to be efficient, accurate and adaptive in a fast-moving, detail-oriented market, enabling them to take on more complex jobs with faster turnaround and less labor-intensity.

Learn More

Visit us at glazierscenter.com and demichelegroup.com or contact us at sales@glazierscenter.com or call 607/968-1620 to learn more. 
 

Request a demo replay of the Next Gen RHINOFAB 5500.