Notizie espositori #SICAM2024

Taka Srl
The only school for profile and panel wrapping professionals
16/07/2024 14:24:31
Most adhesive manufacturers focus on product formulation thinking that a good adhesive means an excellent bonding result.

The reality is very diffent. In fact the vast majority of cases of poor glue bonding are due to application errors.

Think of a manufacturer of furniture door panels covering thousands of square metres. Depending on the temperature of the hall, the level of humidity and how many metres he has to wrap in a batch, the machinery has to be set up correctly, otherwise the adhesive will not cure properly and hours of work and material will be wasted.

Add to this the problem of generational change and the difficulty of finding skilled labour, and the risk of producing defective batches grows even greater.

The Italian group TAKA-WPR, which boasts more than 20 years in the world of hot melt polyurethane glue production and machinery for coating profiles and panels, has founded an Academy where it can gather all its know-how acquired by working with customers all over the world in both the PVC and wood sectors.

In particular, the following are available:
-special course on lamination of wooden panels and edgebanding
-courses for those who want to enter the world of lamination but do not know what spaces, what machinery, what quality control procedures are needed to get started.
-courses to learn about all those routine maintenance practices that are strategic for maintaining a perfectly efficient plant
-many other courses for those working in the world of pvc coating profiles and panels

All courses can be organised either at TAKA's Italian headquarters or in the factory and can be adapted to create tailor-made solutions.

Joining the TAKA Academy means accessing a unique network of professionals in the world of glue and ensuring assistance at all stages of the coating process: from the choice of glue and its in-line testing to advice on the choice of a new machine.

If you want to know more about our Academy, we look forward to seeing you at SICAM at stand A15, Hall 10
Apri
Taka Srl
The importance of glue in the edgebanding
16/07/2024 11:59:26
Edgebanding is an important process in the finishing of furniture panels.

It is not only a question of finishing but also serves to guarantee the important performance of the panel. Depending on the type of thermo-fusing used, there are considerable differences.

The characteristics of HMPUR hot melt adhesives

These adhesives have the particularity of creating a bond that is not only physical (like other hot melts) but also chemical.

The article acquires special physical characteristics:

- Heat resistance above 150°C
- Water resistance
- Resistance to steam
- Resistance to solvents

These performances are very important, especially when the panel is intended for furniture in particularly hot and humid environments. One example is kitchen furniture where, in addition to heat resistance, high water and steam resistance is required.

The German Kitchen Association AMK has created a test to evaluate the vapor resistance of kitchen doors. Only polyurethane-based hot-melt adhesives manage to pass it.

Another issue to consider is transport. Today, export is an important part of all companies in the furniture supply chain for both finished and semi-finished products.
In containers or storage at ports, or during transport in the warmer months, temperatures can be very high, so HMPUR adhesives are the safest adhesives during transport in heat and humidity.

The glue families used for edgebanding

We can now compare the performance of traditional non-reactive (EVA and PO base) and reactive (HMPUR) hot melt adhesives.
These are the three families of hot melt glues most commonly used in general in the furniture market and especially in edgebanding, i.e. the application of edges on the sides of the panel (2 or four)

Economic and aesthetic evaluations

HMPUR adhesives allow them to
- Be applied at lower application temperatures (120-150°C). As opposed to the 180-210°C required to apply EVA-based adhesives or 190-210°C of PO-based adhesives.
- Use smaller quantities of adhesive. We are talking about 90-130 g/m2 for HMPUR adhesives versus 150-300 g/m2 for EVA and PO base

Lower adhesive consumption also means lower costs for the purchase of glue while guaranteeing an aesthetically pleasing result due to the very thin adhesive line.
The best aesthetic result is guaranteed if the HMPUR adhesives are applied with an applicator roller with a low swell (knurling).

In this way, the adhesive line will become 'almost invisible' and will be less exposed to water and steam attack.

If you want to know more, we look forward to seeing you at SICAM at stand A15, Hall 10
Apri