Furniture production in our country is very well developed. There are many companies that manufacture cabinets, tables, headsets, etc. Consequently, competition in this market segment is unusually high. In order to make good profits, enterprises of this specialization need to pay maximum attention to both the quality of their products and their appearance. Simply put, furniture should be not only solid, but also beautiful. In order to achieve this, you must, of course, first of all use high-quality machines in the production.
Workpiece Making Machines
Specialized enterprises use such equipment for furniture production as:
Format machines. This equipment is designed specifically for cutting MDF or chipboard.
Milling and copying machines. They are necessary for applying to a plate of a certain relief.
Presses for the production of curved facades.
Grinding machines. They are necessary for the processing of facade details when applying paint or varnish to them.
Also, in the furniture industry, a vacuum-membrane press is used without fail, which will be discussed in this article. This equipment is used for pasting the facades of cabinets and headsets with decorative PVC film or veneer. Modern machines of this type have a rather simple design and are also easy to use.
The main structural elements of the vacuum machine
Arranged equipment of this type is not too complicated. Any such machine consists of five basic elements:
- The table on which the furniture blanks are laid out. Its surface is usually sheathed with metal sheet or thick tin.
- Vacuum pump.
- Clamping frame. This press element is also made of durable metal.
- Heating installation. Different presses use different types of this equipment. The heating installation may be infrared or contact.
- Actually the press itself. It can be made in the form of a hinged or rolled cover.
Additional structural elements
Such equipment is called vacuum because the film is pressed tightly against the workpieces in it by completely pumping air out from under it. From the end of the table in such equipment are shafts (one or more) under the rolls of PVC film. In order for the workpieces to fit as tightly as possible on the table, they are installed on special substrates. When finishing MDF or particleboard with veneer, special glue is additionally used. Management of the press is performed using an automatic remote control. In this case, the operator has the ability to manually configure the equipment.
Types of Presses
At the moment, only two main types of such machines are used in enterprises:
Actually the vacuum press. Used for finishing furniture blanks in a gentle way. Such installations can provide a pressure of not more than 0.95 kg / cm 2 .
Vacuum with additional pressure. Such equipment is much more expensive. Moreover, it can provide a pressure of up to 8.5 kg / cm 2 .
The first variety is usually used for gluing a PVC film or for veneering simple blanks. Vacuum presses of the second type are used for facing furniture components made of MDF with a complex configuration.
Membrane for presses
Both types of vacuum machines are usually supplemented with a special membrane. It is used most often when gluing blanks with veneer as an additional “press” that prevents unwanted movements during operation. The membrane is also used for finishing parts with very thin films that do not tolerate extreme temperatures. This element is attached to the hooks located around the perimeter of the clamping frame.
In such an area of the national economy as furniture production, only two main types of membranes are used. Most often, these elements are made of rubber. Strong silicone is also sometimes used. The latter is obtained by vulcanization, and therefore, all the qualities of natural rubber are inherent in it. At the same time, silicone also has a greater degree of wear resistance.
Among other things, the use of a rubber or silicone membrane in the press allows you to:
Foil finish
The procedure for gluing furniture blanks with PVC material using equipment such as a vacuum-membrane press includes the following steps:
The substrates are neatly laid out on the table surface. At the same time, technological gaps of a few centimeters are left between them. This is necessary because in the process of pressing the film is stretched and compresses, including the ends of the workpieces along the perimeter. Without gaps, it becomes simply impossible.
Workpieces are placed on substrates: cabinet doors, drawer strips, parts of the facade, etc.
The table with blanks is completely covered by a PVC film wound from the shafts.
A clamping frame is lowered onto the film around the perimeter, pulling and straightening it.
Depending on the design, the press itself is lowered from above or pushed to the side.
The operator sets on the control panel the temperature and pressure values necessary for the technology and turns on the equipment. After that, the film begins to warm up. As soon as its surface reaches a certain temperature, the vacuum unit is turned on. Air begins to be pumped out from under the film (with a given pressure and a certain speed).
After the set time has passed, the operator turns off the press and tilts it (or pushes it aside).
You cannot violate this technology in any way. Otherwise, the workpieces will be finished poorly. Moreover, in the near future, it may be necessary to carry out such a costly operation as the repair of industrial equipment.
Veneer Finish
In this case, the cladding procedure is approximately the same. The difference lies in the fact that the workpiece is coated with a special glue before veneer lining. Substrates in this case are usually not used. A membrane is worn on the frame. They hold the press during veneering on the workpiece longer than during lamination - about 7-10 minutes.
How to choose
When buying equipment such as a vacuum-membrane press, you should first pay attention to such parameters as:
Brand of pump. Vacuum presses can be equipped with Italian or domestic models. The first increase the cost of equipment, but at the same time they are more reliable. Domestic vacuum pumps are also quite reliable. In addition, the repair of industrial equipment of this type will not be a problem for the owner of the workshop in any case. It will be easy to get all the necessary components and parts.
Material used for table lining. It is important to ensure that it is precisely metal. Some manufacturers sheathe tables with chipboard sheets. In the process of trimming the film, such an impractical coating can be easily damaged.
Dimensions This is perhaps the main characteristic of the press, which should be paid attention to. Large equipment allows you to process a lot of blanks at a time. However, such presses are quite expensive. In addition, in small workshops, working with them may not be too convenient. Today on the market there are also presses with two desktops. This type of equipment is most suitable for large furniture production. You will have to pay less for a small press, but at the same time, of course, its productivity will be less.
Type of heaters. The most practical equipment is considered to be equipped with KGT lamps. Such presses do not burn the film at the top of the bent parts. When using equipment with heating elements, it is necessary to ensure that the distance to the highest point of the workpiece is at least 150 mm.
Brand of the manufacturer. Obtaining equipment from an unknown manufacturer, of course, is not worth it.
Press Price
How much can a membrane vacuum press cost on the market? The price of machines of this type depends mainly on their size, design features and manufacturer's brand. Small models intended for use in small enterprises cost about 300-500 thousand rubles. The price of the overall equipment installed in large furniture factories ranges from 3-4 million rubles.
Also on the market you can often find used equipment of this specialization. Such equipment costs a little cheaper - 200-300 thousand rubles.
To choose the vacuum membrane press most suitable in this or that case, thus, if necessary it will be absolutely simple. This type of equipment is very widely represented on the modern market. The most important thing is to determine the dimensions of the unit and pay attention to the features of its design. In this case, you can purchase the most suitable, productive and reliable model.