Edge banding is the process involving the most tools, parameters and materials in the intelligent workshop. According to statistics, in smart workshop production lines, more than 60% of downtime is caused by the edge sealing process, more than 80% of reworked panels are caused by abnormal edge sealing, and more than 25% of complaints are related to edge sealing. Therefore, edge sealing is the most complex process in the production process of custom furniture.
Therefore, analyzing the current status of the edge banding process and discussing its development trends can point out the development direction for companies that have established intelligent manufacturing workshops, reduce unnecessary downtime and rework in production, and reduce customer complaint rates.
1 Current edge sealing technology and equipment
At present, hot melt adhesive edge sealing technology is the most commonly used technology in panel furniture companies. The following is an analysis of the equipment involved in hot melt adhesive edge sealing technology.
Edge banding machine is divided into manual edge banding machine , automatic edge banding machine and intelligent edge banding machine according to different degrees of automation. The edge banding process is divided into single machine, two machine connection and four machine connection according to the number of edge banding machines. Wire.
The process of edge sealing can be seen as transportation (loading, feeding, unloading), pretreatment (pre-milling, preheating, spraying separation agent), glue application and edge sealing, trimming (edging, chamfering), Check out 5 steps.
As the degree of automation increases, the operations that the equipment can complete increase, which reduces the physical labor of workers, lowers the requirements for workers’ operational proficiency, and also improves the quality of panel edge sealing operations.
▲ Comparison of edge banding machine functions at different stages
Click to enlarge the view
1-1 Manual edge banding machine
The manual edge banding machine can complete the glue melting and coating operations, relying on manual feeding, rotation, and moving of panels, and manual control During the conveying and cutting of the edge-banding tape , after the edge-banding tape is firmly combined with the panel, the panel is then trimmed and chamfered, and finally the edge-banding quality is visually observed to see whether it meets the requirements.
▲ Manual edge banding machine
1-2 Automatic edge banding machine
The automatic edge banding machine is operated by two operators in conjunction with the rotary table. The main hand needs to load materials strictly along the side rails to ensure that the panels are in regular shape after edge banding is completed. rectangular, the deputy unloads the materials at the discharge port, places the panels on the turntable, and transfers the panels to the loading port through the turntable.
The operator also needs to add hot melt adhesive to the glue pot, supplement the edge banding tape, and complete operations such as selecting hot melt adhesive, replacing the edge banding tape, adjusting the stop position, and selecting the edge banding machine function according to the processing requirements. In addition, the turnover of panels between processes also needs to be considered.
▲ Automatic edge banding machine
1-3 Intelligent edge banding machine
Intelligent edge banding machine has an independent controller, which can upload data, automatically identify the code of the panel through the code scanner , and read the processing information of the panel. It is required to implement operations such as squaring, automatic switching of hot melt adhesive, switching of edge banding, chamfering, and grooving. The
system includes a feeding system, a sizing system, a gluing system, a side belt system, a processing system and an inspection system. It can be directly connected to the manufacturing execution system for data transmission, and can form a fully automatic production line with other intelligent equipment through rollers and belts.
▲Intelligent edge banding machine
2Application of edge banding machine in customized home furnishing enterprises
A complete set of cabinets is composed of several different panels (table below), mainly including: door panels, side panels, partitions, shelves, back Boards and other rectangular boards with a thickness of 18 mm, such boards are collectively called cabinet panels;
Drawer surfaces, drawer sides, back panels, storage compartments and other boards with a thickness of 10 mm, 12 mm and smaller sizes pieces, collectively referred to as small panels; non-rectangular pieces, desktop panels with a thickness exceeding 18mm and ultra-high door panels with a height exceeding 2400mm, are collectively referred to as special-shaped panels;
▲The panels of the custom wardrobe
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2-1 Manual and Application of automatic edge banding machine
Manual edge banding machine The degree of automation is low, the edge banding quality depends on the operator's proficiency, and the production efficiency is low, so manual edge banding machines are not used in large-scale production in enterprises.
However, manual edge banding machines are highly flexible, relatively safe, and low-cost, so they are often used to complete edge banding of curves and small-sized panels, making up for the shortcomings that fully automatic edge banding machines and intelligent edge banding machines cannot complete.
The automatic edge banding machine has complete functions and can perform edge banding operations on multiple panels at the same time. Its production efficiency and product quality are much higher than those of manual edge banding machines.
Different from mass production, the sizes and colors of panels produced by customized home furnishing companies are different, and the processing requirements for edge banding are also different. Therefore, during the production process, it is necessary to frequently replace the edge banding tape and hot melt adhesive, and switch processing units. , interrupting the production rhythm and affecting production efficiency.
2-2 Application of intelligent edge banding machine
Intelligent edge banding machine is the one with the most complete functions, the best equipment stability, the highest production efficiency and the least labor requirements among the three types of edge banding machines. It is usually connected with two machines or The four-machine connection format is used in production.
(1) Two-machine connection
Two-machine connection is to connect two edge banding machines (left machine and right machine) in opposite directions through the roller conveyor . Thanks to the code scanner and square system, When loading materials, the operator only needs to place the board in the specified direction, and the edge sealing operation on the opposite sides can be completed at one time.
(2) Four-machine connection
The four-machine connection edge banding process can meet the production needs of smart workshops and is used in fully automatic production lines. The production rate is high, the beat is stable, and the product quality is good. However, the fully automatic production line also has its limitations. properties, mainly including the following two points:
① There are strict requirements for the size of the panels:
During the entire production process of cutting, edge sealing, drilling, sorting, and packaging, the panels are transported by rollers and conveyor belts, collectively called lines The overall system can reduce the demand for manpower. At the same time, the transportation of panels in the workshop is very orderly, which is conducive to the analysis and management of on-site conditions.
② is affected by the front and rear processes, and
affects the front and rear processes at the same time.
In the fully automatic production line, all processes are connected in series. If the equipment in one process fails, it may cause the entire production line to shut down, especially the edge banding process. This is because the four edge banding machines in the edge banding process are Connected in series, when one of the edge banding machines stops, the entire edge banding process will stop working, thus affecting the operation of the entire production line.
html Each of the 13 types of edge banding machines has its own strengths. The intelligent edge banding machine has high production efficiency and high product quality, but the processing of panels is relatively single and has greater limitations; the automatic edge banding machine is second in efficiency and quality, but is relatively flexible and can be completed. Straight-line edge-banding operations for special-shaped parts; manual edge-banding machines have the lowest efficiency and quality, and are also the most flexible. They can complete curved edge-banding operations, and use automatic edge-banding machines to produce small-sized panels with operational risks.
3 The future development trend of the edge banding process
The development of edge banding machines can be seen as a process in which manual work is constantly replaced by equipment, improving production efficiency, improving edge banding quality, and improving machine stability. At present, the edge banding process in the customized home furnishing industry has the following development trends:
(1) Increase the proportion of intelligent edge banding machines
Intelligent edge banding machines have good product quality, high production efficiency, and low requirements for operator technical proficiency, so currently Customized home furnishing companies are using smart edge banding machines to produce as many panels as possible. Automatic edge banding machines and manual edge banding machines are used to assist the production of smart edge banding machines to maximize production capacity.
However, the current fully automatic production line has great limitations, so it is necessary to think about and improve the structure of the production line to reduce the inevitable correlation between the previous and later processes.
(2) Strengthen the control of materials
The edge banding process involves many types and quantities of materials, including edge banding tape, hot melt glue, tinna water , polishing wheel , various knives, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct more systematic control of materials on site and in warehouses to reduce on-site chaos and reduce the time and energy spent by operators on the replenishment and replacement of materials.
(3) Improve the control of quality inspection information
The current main quality control method is to inspect the product after the edge sealing is completed. Once quality problems occur, unplanned shutdowns are required and the products that have been produced are traced. , has a huge impact on production efficiency.
The occurrence of problems is often traceable. We can control the quality inspection information, find patterns, and apply statistical process control and other technologies to gradually transform post-inspection into pre-prevention, so as to prevent problems before they occur and improve the quality of production. and efficiency.
(4) Improve equipment stability
In a fully automatic production line, equipment failure will cause sudden shutdowns, which not only affects the production progress, but is also accompanied by the production of defective panels. Therefore, reducing the loss of production efficiency and improving equipment stability have become important issues of concern to enterprises. Currently, some enterprises are introducing Total Production Maintenance (TPM) into production and management, through the cultivation of talents and the improvement of the quality of all employees. Equipment stability.
5 written at the end
The production efficiency and quality of the edge sealing process have a direct impact on the production of panel furniture. Only by ensuring that the edge sealing is carried out in an orderly and normal manner and promoting the steady development of the edge sealing process can the production efficiency of panel furniture be steadily improved. By analyzing the current common edge banding machines and edge banding production forms, we look forward to the future development of the edge banding process and help companies make more reasonable production planning and layout.
