Which edgebander to buy? Brand overview

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 20:55

Edge banding machine is a modern piece of equipment that no furniture production can do without. Devices of this type are intended to give the finished parts of cabinets, tables, chairs, etc. a finished look. With the help of this equipment, decorative PVC film, veneer, melamine tapes, wooden laths, etc. are applied to the edges of parts. When choosing a machine of this type, you should pay attention to both its design features and the brand of the manufacturer.

General description of devices

Edge banding machine is designed with the following basic elements:

• material feed mechanism;
• heating and glue application system;
• clamp mechanism;
• milling module;
• end module.

The heating system is one of the most important components of this type of device. The fact is that the glue for edge banding machines is most often used thermal. Processing of blanks is carried out on a table made of textolite. On theit also installs the base module with all systems and mechanisms.

Machines designed for processing the ends of blanks are structurally the most complex of all used in furniture production. To make an edge banding machine with your own hands, for example, is unlikely to succeed. Even experienced furniture makers advise better to buy ready-made equipment, even if used.

When buying, among other things, be sure to pay attention to the brand. Due to the huge number of components and parts in the design of such devices, their repair is usually very difficult and costly. Therefore, even in small productions, it is worth using only the highest quality models from well-known manufacturers.

Working principle

Machines of this type operate according to a rather simple technology. Glue is applied to the decorative tape intended for finishing the edge of the workpiece, heated in a special bath to a temperature of 150-200 degrees. Then the feed mechanism begins to advance the tape and at the same time the workpiece along the table. Further, the clamping system is included in the work, the main structural elements of which are cylindrical rollers.

At the next stage, the milling module comes into play. This mechanism removes excess material. After trimming, the edge of the tape is glued to the workpiece with an allowance. The end node of the machine is responsible for removing the latter.

Most Popular Brands

First time machinesThis variety began to be used in furniture production about 50 years ago. Today, edge banding equipment is produced by just a huge number of companies. There are factories for its manufacture in most countries of the world. Accordingly, there are many brands of it. The most popular machines are:

• Filato, manufactured by the Italian company of the same name;
• Brandt made in Germany;
• Akron made in Italy;
• IMA made in Germany.

Filato machines

Filato company specializes exclusively in the manufacture of equipment for furniture production. Its production shops are equipped with the most modern equipment, which allows to produce devices of the highest quality. To date, edgebanders of this brand are sold in more than 40 countries around the world.

Advantages of Filato machines

The main advantages of the equipment of this brand include its reliability and functionality. The Filato edge banding machine is marked with the letters FL. Models from this manufacturer can be used for edgebanding with PVC, ABC tapes, and other materials of various thicknesses.

The Italian "Filato" deserved good reviews, among other things, for its economy in terms of energy consumption and at the same time high performance. They are very comfortable to work with. For example, models of this manufacturerare equipped with very large trays for glue. The latter is delivered dry to production, and it usually takes a very long time to melt it. The presence of baths of 2-3 liters allows you to prepare as much glue at a time as it is necessary for the entire shift of work.

Another plus of this brand is a wide repair and technical base. In the event of a breakdown, it will not be difficult at all to put the Filato edgebander into operation in a short time.

Brandt equipment

They are also very popular among furniture manufacturers, reliable machines. They are produced by BRANDT Kantentechnik GmbH, which is part of the Homag holding. This company produces only three main types of edge banding machines:

• entry level;
• increased performance.

If desired, you can also purchase a curved desktop edgebander of this brand, designed for processing workpieces with complex edge shapes.

The main advantages of Brandt equipment

The main advantages of this manufacturer's machines are:

• perfect bonding of decorative tapes in a variety of materials;
• optimal edge and tape feed speed for production;
• possibility of processing blanks with material of different thickness ranges (0.4-3 mm).

Brandt edge banding machine is above all a high degree of reliability, productivity and ease of use. In particular, devices of this brand have earned good reviews from consumers for perfect milling and almost instant reconfiguration for the thickness of the tape, even from 0.4 to 2-3 mm. Experienced furniture makers praise even used machines of this brand. Their build quality is really excellent.

Akron machines

The equipment of this brand is produced by the Italian company Biesse Artech. This company produced its first machine in 1969. Akron brand models can be used to finish PVC, ABC, melamine and even veneer or wooden slats. The maximum allowable tape thickness for these machines is also 0.4-3mm.

Arkon, an edgebander with excellent reviews, features such as:

• compact size;
• high quality processing;
• possibility to use a special anti-adhesive liquid to prevent the adhesive from coming out.

IMA machines

The equipment of this brand is also produced at Homag factories and is characterized by simply excellent German build quality. On this equipment, it is possible to process the edge with material up to 60 mm thick. Any IMA model is a fully automatic edgebander. Devices of this brand are controlled by mini-computers that monitor all functions: the program being implemented, the numberparts, the amount of tape used, various kinds of problems. Tubs can be replaced almost instantly when changing the color of the adhesive in this equipment.

There are both single and double sided IMA machines on the market today. The company also produces models designed for processing edges not only with tapes and veneers, but also with strips up to 12 mm thick. Professional furniture makers consider the very high cost to be the only drawback of these machines.

Basic selection rules

The brands of edge banding machines described above are the most popular today. Of course, when choosing them, one should pay attention not only to the manufacturer, but also to the design features.

All devices of this type are classified into models designed for processing straight and curved workpieces. In the first case, the part is usually fed automatically, in the second - manually. There are also combined devices on which workpieces of any shape can be processed. Manual edge banding machine is usually used only in small enterprises. In large industries, combined universal models are installed.

Also, all edge banding devices are divided into one-sided and two-sided. Models of the first variety are usually expensive and are used in large and medium-sized enterprises. On such machines, only straight edges can be veneered, but at the same time they have a very large number of additional functions.

Double-sided machines have more complex mechanics. When using them, the edges of the workpieces can be processed simultaneously on both sides.

Not so long ago, small inexpensive portable edge banding machines also appeared on sale. They are usually used for gluing tape of small thickness on rectangular blanks. If desired, this model can be mounted on a table and used as a stationary device.