What is edge banding?
Edge banding is actually the process of sealing the cutting surface of the wood-based panel with edge banding machine or manually, and it is also the most important process in the production of custom furniture for the whole house.
Why need edge banding for the wood-based panel?
The majority of people mistakenly believe that edge banding works to seal formaldehyde in wood-based panels to stop it from overflowing and is therefore more environmentally beneficial. However, the formaldehyde grade values that we are discussing are actually the outcomes of the discovery of wood-based panels without edge sealing. In reality, edge banding serves mostly as decoration, airtightness, moisture resistance, and mothproofing, lengthening the product's useful life.
How it works?
To seal the wood-based panel, edge banding materials (such as PVC, ABS, PP, PMMA veneer, solid wood strips, HPL, etc.) are glued to the panel's cutting surface using an edge banding machine and adhesive. The edge banding procedure greatly affects the board's final appearance. When picking edge banding solutions, many persons who customize furniture for consumers will run across this kind of selective dilemma.
If you want to know the advantages and disadvantages of laser edge banding machine, PUR edge edge banding machine and EVA edge banding machine you have to know the process of these edge banding technologies.
1.EVA edge sealing
Spread the granular solid hot-melt adhesive evenly across the cutting surface of the wood-based panel by pouring it into the glue pot of the edge banding machine and melting it into a viscous fluid at a high temperature (180-210).In order to achieve the ideal combination of the wood-based panel and the edge banding, the edge bander is machine-pressed and attached to the cutting surface of the wood-based panel through a specific tensile rubber nail (the adhesive force) generated on the wood-based panel. (Traditional edge banding device)
As time passes, the edged panels' temperature and humidity will cause the adhesive force (60-100N) to decrease and the waterproof performance to worsen (you can conduct your own experiment by burning it with a lighter or blowing it with a hot hair dryer; the edge-sealing skin will soften and be easily ruffled off). There will also be thicker glue lines (0.1-0.2mm) after edge sealing since the amount of glue applied during the edge banding procedure is uneven (200-300g/m2). This implies that the amount of glue applied cannot be properly regulated. Heat resistance, weak solvent resistance, a 1-2 year reduction in yellowing resistance, and ease of mildew growth. The drawbacks of EVA edge sealing will be more pronounced in areas with high humidity and moderate temperatures, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and balconies. The cost of the edge bander (0.5-1.8/m) and the EVA adhesive (10-30/kg) determines the materials used for EVA edge banding.
2.PUR edge sealing
In order to be coated on the cutting surface of wood-based panel, PUR hot melt adhesive is heated (130-150°C (semi-open type) to melt into fluid under the condition of chemical reaction. An irreversible cross-linking chemical reaction and chain extension take place when the moisture in the air and adhered to the surface of the panels. The adhesion, heat resistance, low temperature resistance, etc. are therefore markedly improved by a polymer with strong cohesiveness. Additionally, the amount of adhesive used (70-150g/m2) is considerably less than that used for EVA edge sealing. Additionally, because the PUR equipment is mounted next to the standard EVA edge banding machine and is a standalone item that may be utilized with the edge banding machine, the standard EVA edge banding machine can be updated to a PUR edge banding machine. (PUR sol system plus a regular edge banding device)
Compared with traditional EVA hot melt adhesive, the adhesion(>140N) of PUR glue can be improved several times, especially the peel strength is improved significantly. PUR glue has higher temperature resistance, solvent resistance and other advantages. In the production of wood-based panel furniture, it can not only improve the waterproof and moisture-proof during the processing of wood-based panels, but also can effectively solve the glue seam (the glue line is very thin 0.03-0.05mm), and the water resistance, Weather resistance, heat resistance, solvent resistance will get better, yellowing resistance will increase to 5-10 years, not that easy to grow mold.
3.Laser edge banding
Through a mirror that rotates back and forth, the laser concentrates the high-energy laser beam onto the laser edge banding strip. In order to achieve the goal of edge banding, the functional layer of the edge bander, which is 0.2 mm thick and made of laser photo-sensitizer, is melted by a high energy laser at a temperature of 500–800 °C. The functional layer is then pressed onto the wood-based panel by the edge banding machine's pressing wheel. Consequently, a laser edge sealing machine and a laser edge sealing belt are needed for laser edge sealing. (Laser generator plus sophisticated edge banding apparatus)
The laser edge banding machine can realize diamond cutting and six-sided non-marking edge banding, which have raised the edge banding quality to a new level.
So what is a diamond cut edge banding? What is six-sided seamless edge banding?
Simply put, diamond cutting edge banding is to perform synchronous line cutting on the edge band during edge banding processing to achieve the purpose of diamond lines, thereby achieving the perfect impact of edge banding vision. And six-sided seamless edge banding is another way of saying laser edge banding: There are no traces of edge banding, no glue lines, and the edge banding is perfect. In short, these concepts are the elaboration and embodiment of perfect edge banding. And because the laser edge banding machine no longer needs glue separators, cleaners and corresponding processing devices, etc., the functional layer is melted which permanently and seamlessly combined with the board body (without leaving seam lines), which completely solves the traditional bonding process. The problem of yellowing and soiling of seams caused by aging will solve permanently. It is authorized that laser edge banding has no potential harm to the human body.once laser edge banding is completed, no other additional protection is required, the product failure rate is reduced, and the production accuracy is guaranteed.
If anyone wants to see where is the laser in the edge bander? Unfortunately, you can’t see it, because the wavelength of light used by the HOMAG is 980 nanometers while the visible light is usually 780 nanometers – 380 nanometers.
The cost of the laser edge banding machine itself is very high (RMB2.4-5.2 million/unit), and it needs a matching laser edge banding strip (RMB 3-5 /m), For 1m*1m wood-based panel, and the extra cost is An increase of (1m*1m) *4*4≈ 16 yuan/㎡. If coupled with high equipment depreciation, maintenance, and more sever working environment (need air conditioners), it will discouraged most furniture Production enterprises. According to incomplete statistics, by 2021, there are less than 100 laser edge banding machines on the market in China, while there are more than one million ordinary edge banding machines.
However, according to data from HOMAG China, the country sold close to 50 laser edge banding devices in 2020. This demonstrates that as the market for high-end personalization has grown, buyers have higher expectations for the quality of products, and laser edge banding has established itself as the industry standard. In the past, only large businesses thought about investing in laser edge banding equipment to guarantee product quality. Small and medium-sized businesses are putting more of an emphasis on quality these days by investing in cutting-edge manufacturing machinery to boost their core competitiveness and capture the premium market.
So how do ordinary consumers decide? HOMAG laser edge banding machine likes Rolls-Royce, and Only few manufacturers will invest such a lot of money. In the case of a limited budget, PUR and EVA edge banding machines will be your first choice.
