Used Edge Banding Machines — 1,336

Design of an Edge Banding Machine

An edge banding machine is a variation of the veneer press machine, and similarly consists of many components. A base frame and cover houses all of its components. It has an engine for an integrated conveyor belt, upon which the furniture panels are placed. The panel thickness is set using an adjustable bridge. The conveyor belt and rollers, which are positioned above the conveyor belt, are used to press the veneer of PVC material onto the wood panel. Modern machines use belt bands instead of rollers. A veneer press machine or edge banding machine has at least several electrical engines that are synchronised to each other.

Different Uses for the Edge Banding Machine

Edge banding machines are available either as single sided or double sided versions. Single sided machines can only coat one side of the chipboard panel. In order to ensure efficient production, double sided machines have double aggregates, which mean that two edges can be glued and pressed simultaneously. Hot glue is used as the agent for all veneers. This is particularly sensitive towards humidity. Hot glue is applied to the veneer and/or the panel’s surface at the gluing station. Roller systems are implemented for this purpose. The edge band is then transferred from one roller onto the panel’s edge immediately, and then pressed there long enough so the glue cools and hardens. First of all, the edge band is cut by guillotine shears and then trimmed with a precise trimming device. Modern edgebander machines combine the gluing process with profiling the edges. This is and impotent aspect when looking for an edge banding machine for sale.  

A flush and form milling machine is used to create the desired planes, inclinations and radii on the profile of the wood panel’s edges. Because the milling process always ends up resulting in a large amount of dust and chippings (especially with wood workpieces), a powerful extraction unit is important for flush and form milling. Veneer and PVC bands require very flat surfaces, similar to lacquered surfaces. Irregularities cannot be concealed by adding small adhesive layers. Therefore, thin coatings (e.g. for plastic edges) are usually processed using a profile scraper after milling. The machines used for this undertake small steps to scrape off the layer of the milled profile, resulting in a completely smooth surface. After gluing the edge, a flat scraper is used to remove all the remaining glue and edges.

Other optional available aggregates for an edge banding machine are:

• A polishing unit, which is a felt wheel used to polish plastic edges so that they become glossy.
• A sanding unit, which later sands down the edges.
• A spray system, which prevents the glue and surfaces of getting stuck to one another in unintended places.

Edge banding machines are available in a range from easily adjustable table machines up to machines for large assembly lines. The larger the machine, the more automatic functions it has. For small table machines, the panels must be laid in manually and supported during the gluing process. The small edge banding machines are most suited for individual products, like custom-made furniture, kitchens or boat equipment. They are not suitable for mass production. Small edge banding machines can only host a limited number of extra components. Small machines are cheaper and more flexible, but need to be supported by other machines to undertake special customer requirements. The bigger an edge banding machine is, the more accessories and equipment it can have. Large machines are usually integrated into assembly lines and are suited for processing large numbers of products.

Possible Additions to an Edge Banding Machine

A router is a very useful addition to small and medium-sized edge banding machines. This allows panels to be profiled, and for companies to provide custom-made products. These require a powerful extraction system to get rid of dirt like dust and chippings, and keep them away from the gluing process.

Automatic drilling stations, turning stations and automatic packaging machines are useful for continuous mass production. Large edge banding machines can only undertake their full potential when placed in an integrated production network. It doesn’t make any sense for production processes, when the machines are not working to their full potential due to another machine that is old or the wrong size slowing down the process. Therefore, investing in a high-end and fully equipped edge banding machine has to be well thought through. The high capacity machines can only contribute to the high output of finished products when all other processing points also work to the same speed.

Working with an Edge Banding Machine

How to operate small and medium sized edge banding machines can be learned quickly, but it requires a lot of practice. Even assistants without qualified training as a carpenter or furniture designer would not have a problem operating one of these machines. Operating these machines is generally not dangerous. After a thorough briefing and some practice runs, even untrained workers could achieve good results using this machine.

Complete machines do not need very many external operators. The work required by operators is restricted to dealing with jams, cleaning and monitoring the production process. The basic setting adjustments and important job of unblocking jams can also be undertaken by unskilled workers. Production machines always require a qualified machine fitter to set up the machines and to take over if there is a more serious jam.

Buying an Edge Banding Machine

Edge banding machines are special machines and there are only a few companies that manufacture them. These manufacturers usually have decades of experience and have good customer service and a spare parts service. Edge banding machines are very sensitive against unsuitable working conditions like changes in temperature, dirt or humidity. They require a lot of maintenance and this should always be well documented. Negligence when undertaking maintenance, especially around the gluing station, can lead to lots of follow-up costs in the future. A thorough inspection by the service provider of a used machine on site should be undertaken before buying a used machine.

Suppliers of Used Edgebanders for Sale

One of the biggest companies with the most experience is the woodworking machines specialist, HOMAG. Their used machines are always of the highest quality and they provide a good spare parts and reparations service. Other recommended suppliers are HOLZKRAFT, LANGE, FELDER and HOLZ-HER.