Any furniture maker, sooner or later, is faced with the fact that the edge falls off on the finished product. This happens mainly when a number of factors are not observed. The quality of edge bonding depends on: right choice hot melt adhesive, correct setting machine, compliance with the conditions of application, high-quality edging material. When choosing an adhesive, it is necessary to take into account the feed rate of the workpiece on the machine and the density of the hot melt adhesive (degree of filling of the adhesive). According to the feed rate of the workpiece, the machines can be conditionally divided into low-speed with manual feed of the workpiece (up to 8m/min) and high-speed machines (from 8m/min and above). The principle applies here: the higher the feed rate, the higher the working temperature of the hot melt adhesive and vice versa. This is due to the fact that the adhesive must remain liquid during the period from its application to the edge until the edge is pressed against the workpiece. On low-speed machines, this period is longer than on high-speed ones, which means that the time at which the glue remains liquid should be longer. The time at which the hot melt remains liquid and ready to be bonded is called the open time. To work on low speed machines, the open time must be long. The increase in open time is achieved by lowering the melt temperature of the hot melt adhesive. So: to work on low-speed machines with manual feed of the workpiece, it is recommended to work with low-temperature adhesives, the operating temperature of which is 120-160 C. 180 C, these adhesives are suitable for machine tools with a speed of 8 to 14-18 m/min. When choosing glue, many, trying to reduce the cost of the product, are guided by a low price per kilogram of glue. Reducing the cost of hot melt adhesive is achieved by adding fillers to the adhesive composition. With an increase in the proportion of fillers, the density of the adhesive increases (g / cm3), it has a decisive influence on the consumption of the adhesive. In practice, it has been calculated that the consumption of pure glue (density 1.00-1.03 g/cm3) is ~150 g/m2. With one kilogram of such glue, 250 linear meters of 25 mm thick edges can be glued. And the consumption of filled glue (1.35g/cm3) is ~250g/m2. One kilogram of filled glue can glue 160 running meters of 25mm thick edges. So, when using the same amount of hot melt adhesive, 65% more edges can be glued with pure (unfilled) glue. Accordingly, the cost price of the glued linear meter in the product is reduced. Pure glue has a number of advantages: improved wettability, as a result of increased adhesion, transparent, thin, inconspicuous glue line. Bonding of edging material in different colors and decors - without changing the hot melt adhesive. Reduced consumption - due to low density, cost-optimized. Unfortunately, furniture manufacturers very often have to work with wood-based panels. Bad quality: very loose and porous. In such cases, you may encounter the problem of overspending pure glue (to fill a large number of pores). It is in such cases that it is advisable to use filled adhesives, where cheap fillers fill the pores. The German company JOWAT, founded back in 1919, supplies Russian market the following hot melt adhesives: low-temperature for machines with manual workpiece feed and processing of curved surfaces Yovaterm 282.20 (filled glue (1.35 g / cm3) with a working temperature of 120-160 C) and Yovaterm 282.40 (pure glue (1.03 g / cm3 ), T 120-160C) Yovaterm 282.30 (1.31g / cm3, T 160-180C) and Yovaterm 282.70 (1.45 g / cm3, T 170-190C) for medium-speed automatic machines for working on automatic high-speed equipment - unfilled Yovaterm 280.30 (1.03 g/cm3, T180-200C), low-filled Yovaterm 280.50 (1.10g/cm3, T 180-200 C), Yovaterm 284.00 (1.45 g/cm3, T 190-210 C), Yovaterm 288.90 (1.50 g / cm3, T 190-210 C) for softforming Yovaterm 288.70 (1.45 g / cm3, T 180-200 C) for Holz-Her machines hot melt adhesive in cartridges Yovaterm 286.60 (1.3 g / cm3 , T 180-200C) and Yovaterm pure 286.30 (1.03 g/cm3, T 180-200C) a wide variety of hot melt adhesive colors - beige, brown, black, white. In 2010, Follmann launched own production hot melt adhesives. Filled low-temperature adhesive Folcomelt 1542 (1.3 g/cm3, T-140-160 C) for work on machines with low feed rates. Folcomelt 1750 (1.48g/cm3, T- 180-200 C) for medium speed machines - 190-210 C) for high-speed machines.
The Vega company offers high-quality equipment for the production of furniture from scratch. In our catalog, you can choose a complete set of equipment to perform any operation in production efficiently and quickly, including edge processing. Our edge banders are reliable lines and machining centers that can work reliably and for a long time for you.
The modern consumer will not be surprised by cheap furniture, and the choice today is diverse, so buyers are looking not only for affordable furniture, but also for high-quality furniture. Furniture industries of various sizes have to switch to new technologies and purchase high-tech equipment, otherwise production will become unprofitable.
Features of furniture production
In Russia, furniture production mainly uses two types of materials - various types of chipboard and MDF. These are ready-made slabs that are produced at factories and represent a variety of color solutions, since they can be lined with veneer, self-adhesive film, and polymer plastics.
When buying such boards, furniture manufacturers are faced with the task of cutting them and facing the edges, i.e. edges. Edge banding equipment is an expensive machine with a complex "stuffing", the choice of which simply cannot be mistaken, so it is worth considering them more carefully and more closely.
What is an edge banding machine
On the edge banding machine, you can close the sides of the workpieces with special edging material. It can be different in thickness, width and other parameters (up to 3 mm in thickness and up to 25 mm in the thickness of the layer itself). Veneer, slats, impregnated paper, and acrylic are most often used as edging material. Recently, rolled aluminum for edge processing has also appeared.
It is from the choice of edging material that it is worth starting. By choosing it, you can more accurately select the machine and not be mistaken. If there is only one material, you will not need to equip the equipment with special units, and if there are several, then you should take care in advance about choosing additional equipment.
There are two types of edge banding machines: single-sided and double-sided. They can work with straight edges. Curved edges are processed on complex machining centers equipped with special units.
At the beginning of their journey, many furniture productions do not acquire the most powerful edge processing machine, and when expanding, they have to buy another one, and another, and a third. A situation arises when a separate workshop for edge facing appears in production, in which many workers work.
Thus, the purchase of a powerful productive machine at the beginning of the production activity will save both on the wages of new employees, and on the workshop space, and on the cost of excess equipment. After all, the main thing in production is high-performance, high-quality and reliable equipment that can guarantee growth and expansion without expenses.
Machine tools, as a rule, are equipped with various components necessary to perform a variety of operations while the workpiece makes one pass through the machine. Auxiliary components and parts are not the main ones, and in principle you can not buy them so as not to spend money and save money, however, it is likely that you will not only have to send lined parts for revision, but also create jobs for their processing.
Edge banding machine
The machine has basic and additional components that are necessary for work. The main ones include:
- formatting unit (joiner);
- edging material supply unit;
- glue station;
- clamping unit;
- trimming unit;
- milling units for removing overhangs;
- cycles
- polishing unit;
- grooving unit;
- spray system.
The formatting unit on the facing machine is a saw segment and a crusher assembled on a spindle. The saw sets the size and the crusher sets the allowance. This node is associated with a joint. It is necessary to obtain the exact size and geometry of all furniture parts. The result is a regular rectangle.
Jointing is an operation during which defects on a part are removed. These can be chips, irregularities after a scoring saw when cutting, etc. Jointing allows you to use less glue in the future, to get a thin seam.
There is a special unit on the machine for supplying edging material. Depending on the type of material, this unit can be equipped with micro-prongs, a bar without them, etc. The equipment of the machine with a knife also differs depending on the power of the machine. If it is designed for thin edge material, then the knife will no longer cope with other edges, for example, plastic ones. Length allowances are also given by different machines. It is worth noting that the larger the volume of production, the greater the overrun of the edge can be, since the allowance increases.
A feature of the machine is the presence of a magazine for quick readjustment. It allows you to change the edging material by color or size.
The glue station on the machines can be made in the form of a tray (possibly removable for quick replacement of glue) or in the form of a cartridge. The adhesive is either spread onto the edging material from the roller or squeezed out from the nozzles of the cartridge.
The sizing system can also be combined - it is something between a tray and a cartridge, i.e. there is both. The glue is heated in the nozzles, and from the container it is applied to the part.
One of the most important elements of an edge banding machine is the clamping mechanism. Very often they do not pay attention to it when choosing a machine, but the final quality of furniture parts depends on it. The strength of the joining of the edging material and the workpiece depends precisely on the clamping unit. It is good if the machine is equipped with several rows of rollers that provide long-term pressure until the glue hardens.
A device that affects the overall performance of the machine is the end assembly. It removes the remnants of the edge from the ends of the workpiece. The workpiece approaches a special saw, and in the process of its movement saws off excess pieces. Then the saw carriage returns back to “wait” for the next part. Sensors regulate the operation of the unit, plus there is a device that determines the size of a suitable workpiece at the beginning of the machine (processing line). From this sensor, the computer reads information and transmits data to various devices at the time of processing. It is also important that the saws have an adjustable angle of rotation, as the adjacent edge must not be damaged.
The milling unit serves to remove excess edge overhangs along the workpieces. He also profiles the part, if it is necessary to glue a thick edge. Two milling cutters on both sides cut off unnecessary parts of the edge from above and below. The cutter angle can be adjusted to smooth two surfaces: the edge and the part.
If a thick edge is used in production, then there is a need to mill the joint of its two parts. For this, there is a profile milling unit. He is also able to process the radius edge on the parts. The profile of the part is rolled in by a copy roller, then it is processed.
A profile knife or radius scraper removes defects after milling. The fact is that after processing with a cutter, a wave is formed, which the cycle will remove. Adhesive residues from some equipment manufacturers are also removed using a flat scraper. After such processing, the edge of the edge turns white, which can also be called a defect. To remove it, a thermal edge alignment unit is used. It melts part of the edge, darkening its color and, as it were, restoring it.
The polishing and grinding unit is necessary for the final processing of the edge and part. They remove minor defects, glue that has come out, etc. Leading manufacturers equip the polishing unit with a device not only for rotational movements, but also for reciprocating movements, in order to improve the quality of processing and make the wear of the unit (fabric wheels) uniform.
The sanding operation is carried out for further edging of the edge with solid wood or veneer.
To create grooves in workpieces, the machine is equipped with a grooving unit. To prevent glue or chips from sticking to the workpieces, a release fluid is used, which is sprayed with an anti-adhesive system. The blank heating system allows you to heat the edge during the cold season so that the glue does not harden on it. Thus, the bonding quality is maintained.
The adjustment of all nodes on the machine can be done manually or automatically. The first option is simpler and cheaper, but requires the participation of qualified operators. The second is more expensive, but more functional, as it allows you to diagnose errors and malfunctions.
High-quality edge banders are always equipped with a route control that monitors the position of the part and its size. The final result and accuracy of each operation depend on these parameters. It is better when at the entrance there is a size reading system that transmits data to a computer and includes one or another node. There are fewer sensors on the machine, which means that the probability of their failure also decreases.
The bed on which all the nodes are attached can be of different lengths, and some manufacturers sell their machines with free space on the bed so that another node can be installed there. The bed should not accept the vibrations of the nodes.
An important element of the machine tool system is the supply of workpieces. The parts are pressed against the conveyor belt by means of a V-belt or rollers. If the feed rate is high, a belt is preferred.
What to look for when choosing a machine
When choosing an edge banding machine, it is important not to make a mistake. The equipment is not cheap, it must perform many operations, complete the processing of parts, while maintaining their quality and appearance.
What is worth paying attention to? For example, if you settled on computer-controlled equipment, do not forget that its elements are sensitive to voltage drops in the network. Machine controllers can suffer due to network failures. To prevent this from happening, install a voltage stabilizer. As a rule, the installation of a stabilizer is a prerequisite for warranty service of the machine by the manufacturer.
Also, the machine is selected according to productivity, and in order to calculate it, you need to know many parameters: feed rate, distance between parts, number of parts, their dimensions, assortment of edging material.
The productivity of the equipment is directly affected by the feed rate of the workpieces. The higher it is, the higher the performance. Plus, it is worth taking into account the distance that can be between the workpieces during the passage. The smaller this distance, the higher the performance. This parameter is especially important if the machine will mainly process small parts.
Machine changeover time also affects productivity, but it all depends on the operator. There are models of machine tools with programmable controllers, thanks to which the reconfiguration of equipment is faster. If the production is going to work with boards of different thicknesses and different edging materials, it is worth considering models of CNC machines or buying several machines for individual types of boards in order to maintain production speed.
Finally, I would like to say that before buying, you need to consider several models of machine tools, compare them, consult with experts, see the equipment in operation in order to find your best option.
You can see all the presented woodworking equipment, we also suggest that you familiarize yourself with large-format printers for printing on wood, chipboard, MDF and other materials.
With edgebanding equipment, the material can be glued to the edges of workpieces using a special superglue. In the absence of this apparatus, not a single woodworking enterprise will be able to function. Manufacturers from all over the world can recommend a different range of these machines. The system of this device is simple, so you can make a portable edge bander by yourself.
Nowadays, this special equipment acts base for the manufacture of products at furniture factories. Edge banding is a bonding process finishing material in order to guarantee an attractive appearance of the product. This method has become widespread in the manufacture of furniture, where the limited edges of plates or panel elements are subject to a beautiful finish. To date, there is a huge selection of patterns and colors, which forces designers to create new machines.
Paper, melamine, veneer, ABC, PVC, 0.4 - 3 mm thick and 2 - 6 cm wide can be used as the used material. The "blank - glue - material" system is considered the basis of the technology. Due to the compression and rearrangement, the cladding is firmly fixed on the edge.
Many machines are guided by the use of glue, which melts when heated, and solidifies rapidly when cooled. Such a technique requires a strict adjustment of the order of temperature and pressing the parts to be glued with a certain force. If you do not think about it, the system may lose stability, and the cladding may fall off.
Instrument design
In the frame of the equipment, a table made of textolite or similar material is placed, which does not make it possible to spoil the workpiece. The main module is installed on the table, behind which a milling unit can be located to eliminate overhangs. The advantage of such equipment can be characterized by its mobility, since the dimensions make it possible to transport the power machine to the location of the part. In addition, there are plug-in guides to function with solid strip cladding.
The feeding system includes:
- roll;
- guillotine;
- rollers.
For the base, a lining material is introduced into the magazine, from which the tape is attracted by rollers to the gluing area. In order to adjust the tape feed rate, the roller drive must have a controlled spin frequency. The guillotine cuts the tape in such a way that it is long enough to compensate for the entire edge and 25 mm for the allowance. The electric drive of the guillotine can be automatic or pneumatic. Using the workpiece position sensor, the moment of operation of the guillotine is determined.
Machine equipment
The machine is often supplied system for heating and applying glue. This is produced in two different alternatives - for the edging material to be supplied with and without adhesive. With option 1, superglue is already in the tape, however, it is heated with heated air using a hair dryer. In case 2, superglue is heated in a bath and applied to the plane of the tape using a roller. It should be noted that certain modifications have 2 rollers, from which the second one is needed to apply the adhesive to the edge of the part.
The next component is the glue bath, where the superglue for the edgebander is heated to a temperature of 200 degrees, does not stick, has a uniform density and circulates well.
Mostly used:
- baths with teflon coating;
- temperature sensors.
Certain modifications have a cartridge for applying the selected adhesive to the plane.
The pressure system has the form of a main roller. If the tape is in contact with the finishing material, there is a specific compressive force of these parts. If the manual edge banding machine has a mechanical feed, then the tape is pressed onto the edge by one or more rollers, which are placed in turn.
In toolings with manual feed of the part, this function can be performed by a person who feeds the part and at the same time presses it against the outgoing tape.
One or 2-3 rollers are used as a support. However, this method will require good skills. In addition to the measured order, the feed rate of the workpiece and the tape is constantly adjusted in order to prevent tearing or assembling of the tape. Most sophisticated equipment makes it possible to control the machine in auto mode, using electronics.
The principle of operation of the device
For gluing, a tape is used, the width of which is 2-5 mm greater than the height of the element. This is done for precise edge closure. As a rule, after gluing, the so-called overhangs remain, which are indicated from two edges. In order to remove them, a milling module is used, which cuts off the lining that extends beyond the boundaries of the part.
Usually the mechanism is endowed high-speed drive with 12 thousand turns per minute so as not to damage the plane. In addition, the module takes into account limited rollers for the correct installation of the workpiece. The unit is endowed with 2 milling cutters with drives, it is adjusted to the required height of the part. In order to delicately adjust the module and secure it, a movement system with a "screw - nut" transmission is activated.
After cutting with a knife, the tape is glued to the edge. In order to exclude it, a trimming module should be used, the system of which may be different. The simplest type involves a circular saw that has a vertical movement and is equipped with a drive with low power.
On a special command, this electric saw enters the working area of the edging machine and saws off an extra section of the cladding. This principle can only function in machines with manual feed. If the delivery is mechanized, the end module is the most difficult. The power saw with a drive is inserted according to the instructions for the machine on a carriage that has 2 short directions: the first for saw feed to eliminate the tape allowance, and the 2nd for smooth feed speed of the workpiece. The edge banding machine can be supplemented with a large number of multifunctional elements.
Edging devices with manual feed are involved not only in domestic circumstances or workshops. Even large furniture companies have this device for rapid repair and cladding of exclusive blanks, small batches of parts.
Due to the presence of processors, controllers, devices with manual feed of parts are considered very convenient and easy to manage. The main processes during the working period are the feed rate, automated temperature control, and, in addition, the length of the bonded material.
The manual feed unit operates with material up to 3 mm, consumes about 2 kW of electricity, captures an area of up to 2-3 square meters. meters, operated by a single user and maintains a part feed rate of 6 meters per minute. In order for the machine systems to be able to work, a system is connected under a pressure of 0.6 MPa of compressed air.
Usually the machine is tested first, while controlling the safety of the glue line and the degree of adhesion of the glue. To perform the test, it is possible to use a colorless PVC film, which makes it possible to observe the distribution of the adhesive composition after compression and polymerization. If the work shift changes, it is also recommended to carry out tests to prevent the appearance of a latent violation.
The entire cutting mechanism is well honed. This applies to knives and cutters. Remember to clean the glue pot regularly.
The edge banding unit may have a fence and marking of heated surfaces. The fixture frame must be grounded. The device must be connected to an aspiration system, as heated superglue can release toxic substances that are hazardous to health.
Such a device does not require any complicated settings. It is necessary to correct the heating temperature, correctly set the rotational speed of the rollers that apply superglue, and the feed rate. It is very important that during application the volume of adhesive is optimally met the right conditions. If it is not enough, the strength of the relationship between the material used and the workpiece may be lost. Excess glue will lead to an excess amount on the plane and the appearance of dirt.
Self-manufacturing of the machine
Due to the significant cost of edgebanding equipment, many choose homemade edging devices, however, their safety equipment is lame, for this reason you should be very careful. First of all, rather than thinking about the design of the machine, you should focus on the thickness of the material used with which the special equipment will function, think about what material it will function with, and what kind of devices should be in without fail. For the base, a base should be organized, which contains a system for supplying a finishing material, pressing, heating and applying an adhesive composition.
The standard equipment of the machine includes:
Edge banding machines are used in almost all woodworking firms, but their design and system components can vary significantly. It depends mainly on the size of the work that is done with this apparatus.
For the most modern and complex modifications of edge banding machines, take into account a tank that is designed to heat the glue and applying to the edge of this composition. The tank is equipped with handles and a roller that rolls the material to the edge, which in this machine is located on a special separate support. These devices are designed for gluing thicker plastics onto workpieces.
Overhangs of material that occur when facing with home-made machines are usually removed manually using specialized devices.
These include a variety of longitudinal guillotine devices that cut off the overhang and form chamfers on the edges of the product. All components of the system are fastened with comfortable handles for control.
Worth remembering that when working on such a block, you should use facing material in rolls, on which the adhesive composition has already been applied, otherwise you simply cannot fix anything at all. Since you will still need certain parts to make an edgebander with your own hands, do not expect that the manufacture of the unit will cost you very cheaply.
