Poor materials such as MDF and chipboard are playing an increasingly important role within the furniture industry; they lord it over also in the wallcovering processes within the housing area. For that purpose, our company has developed special abrasive wheels that allow to achieve remarkable results.
MDF wheels can be employed on a wide range of machines. For example, within the processing cycle of panels, they can be used on squaring machines, postforming edging machines, edge sanding machines, routing machines etc.
The manufacturing features of these wheels are very similar (these are very compact wheels), but each of them owns a specific field of application. Before describing them in detail, it is necessary to go through some general considerations:
SCM wheel: particularly suited for the sanding cycles of MDF and chipboard.
MDF should be considered primarily: regardless the first processing cycle (squaring, routing or pantograph trimming, operations through which the wheel gradually takes the required shape ), on the surface from which some material has been removed there will be a thin layer of fibres, whose presence will be highlighted through the application of lacquer, paper or further materials. The abrasive wheel offers the perfect solution: through a careful choice of abrasive materials and thanks to its special components, this wheel is able to sand while compressing the fibres.
In the case in which only one engine is available, it is recommended to sand by using 120 grit; if, on the contrary, there is more than one engine available, two different grits should be used (to rough out: 100-120 grit; to finish: 180-220 grit). In case of serious frame moulding deficiencies, 60-80 grit should be used.
Within the processing and sanding cycles of chipboards, the problem is quite different. There is a great availability of materials characterized by different densities: consequently, depending on the specific case, what matters is the granulometry rather than the abrasive wheel type.
SCM…M – SCM…MM wheels: Although deriving from SCM category, these abrasive wheels are slightly softer whilst guaranteeing the same sanding and finishing characteristics. These abrasive types play a primary role within the sanding cycle: they ensure a perfect “burn-effect free” result. They can be installed on machines characterized by a low ratio between feed rotation speed of the wheel (SCM … M wheels: rotation speed of the wheel 1.400 rpm and feed speed 15 – 20 m/min; or SCM … MM wheels: rotation speed of the wheel 1.400 rpm and feed speed 8-15 m/min.).
Due to special needs, the feed speed can be further reduced (below 10 m/min.); in this case it will be necessary to modify the wheel’s speed, considering that, to achieve an acceptable result, the speed must not fall below 800-900 rpm.
SCM…+ wheels: slightly harder than SCM wheels, these wheels are characterized by a higher level of aggressiveness within the sanding cycle.
It is recommendable to use these wheels in situations in which a great removal of material is required, for example in the sanding cycles of chipboards.
The evidences and the wealth of experience built up over the years have led us to the conclusion that the sanding cycles of MDF materials performed with our abrasive wheels allows to achieve far better results in comparison to the conventional sanding cycles by using abrasive cloth and paper, not only in relation to the quality of finishing but also to the production costs.