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:

1. Wheels and abrasive paper sheets have an abrasive grit that must not be equalised; as an indication, within the same type of sanding, an abrasive 100 grit wheel corresponds to an abrasive 150 grit cloth or paper (each abrasive wheel shows a specific grit level: by increasing its grit level up to 50%, it’s possible to find the corresponding grit of the abrasive cloth or paper).
2. To achieve good results by using a machine equipped exclusively with wheel groups, it’s recommendable to use at least two wheels on the same segment’s profile, the first one to rough out and the second one to finish. However, the use of a single grit does not rule out the possibility to achieve extremely positive results.
3. The type of material to  sand is a factor that should be considered when selecting the abrasive grit level (MDF: grits from 120 to 220; chipboard: grits from 60 to 80).
4. The moulding process, i.e. the manufacturing cycle through which the wheel gradually takes the required shape, shows some difficulties connected with its firmness  However, this has a positive outcome: once the desired shape is created, it will last up until  its complete usage.

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.