Glue lines no longer visible, no additional hot melt adhesive needed any more, increased production quality and greater productivity – this is all possible through the new laser application process. This new application method for narrow surface coating has required the development of new edging technology – Döllken Fusion-Edge.
Döllken has designed a completely new generation of edgebands with Fusion-Edge, which creates a seamless union of edge and panel – and it all works without additional hot melt adhesive. The end result represents a breakthrough and has already been issued by the International Forum Design (iF Design) Hannover with the M Technology Award 2008.
Fusion-Edge – intelligently designed
The know-how of the Fusion-Edge is concentrated in particular in the functional layer. The company’s development engineers have long since succeeded in ensuring a perfect compatibility with the lasers of the customer and Döllken Fusion-Edge, which the company says offers the best initial adhesion combined with very low energy requirement compared to other products on the market.
Furthermore, power fluctuations – which are very difficult and complex to adjust to by the processor via new laser settings – are unknown for the quality products from Döllken. This ongoing production and application support is a direct result of intensive testing of Döllken Fusion-Edge carried out on its own laser edgeband machine.
Fusion-Edge: certified quality on a Homag LaserTec machine
Döllken’s Fusion-Edge is a high-tech product. To ensure this, Döllken decided some time ago to invest in a laser edgebander. Döllken says it is the world’s first edgeband manufacturer, to have its own laser edgebander.
Process monitoring is done with the help of this laser machine. The Fusion-Edge processing performance parameters are also determined for the customer on this equipment and this further demonstrates the importance of the development of the Fusion-Edge using its own dedicated laser edgebander. This gives the end users and customers the reliable security of a quality product made by Döllken.
Laser edge for the office furniture industry
For over two years, laser technology has been in use with numerous customers. The straight-line edgebander (KAM) – for rectangular components – has been running smoothly throughout this time. Customers using this technique all report very positive feedback about the processing safety and the flawless look. This technology is now available for working centres (BAZ) and is therefore ideal for the office furniture industry
Endless geometries with the Fusion-Edge
More recently work centre (BAZ) machines featuring a laser unit have been developed by the German machinery manufacturers. These laser BAZs are equipped with a diode laser and, in principle are similar to a Laser-KAM.
Due to the increased complexity in terms of required laser power, joint quality and flexibility, Döllken chose to concentrate on the proven PP Premium quality of Fusion-Edge for the BAZ,
The co extruded Fusion-Edge – manufactured in the typical work surface dimensions of 28 x 3mm – has a very high initial adhesion and is coupled with good flexibility, which ensures that tight radii can be realised. In numerous experiments with the machine manufacturers, external radii of 30mm at speeds of 3-4m/min were achieved.
Döllken is also responding to demand from the market for an economical solution in laser technology for sophisticated tops and curved furniture parts. The know-how of the Fusion-Edge is also the functional layer. Its development engineers have succeeded for some time to ensure a perfect match to the Laser of the customer and the Fusion-Edge. The Döllken Fusion-Edge offers the best initial adhesion and very low energy requirement compared to other products. Furthermore, power fluctuations, which must be set very complex by the processor via new laser adjustments are unknown for the quality products of Döllken.
Döllken increases the availability of the Fusion-Edge
In order that these benefits can be used by as wide a spectrum of users as possible laser edgebands from as little as one roll are available with immediate effect.
The Instant Edgeband Program (KSP) contains the most popular surface designs to suit the relevant panel to finish off the chipboard. This applies now also for the superlative premium laser quality.
To achieve this, Döllken chose as the raw material proven ABS. The co-extruded edgebands are subject to the strict quality requirements of laser edges, and are already being made to order in large quantities.
Döllken has now responded to the growing demand for an economical solution for smaller volumes with quick delivery. Due to the success of machines with integrated laser it is not just large quantities, which are needed, but also flexible batch sizes.
The program is thus tailored to all customers and end users able to process the Fusion-Edge. This new approach thus combines the logistical advantages of the KSP program with the technical highlights of a laser edgeband like the Döllken Fusion-Edge.
Always an edgeband ahead
For processors using small and medium batch sizes, it is possible now to combine standard ABS edges with the Fusion-Edge ABS Premium. Here the customer can determine his edgebands in any size, colour, embossing, and combine the production of standards with the laser edge variety.
This is useful if materials need to be processed in conjunction with each other. With this clever technique Döllken delivers the right solution for the customer and meets market needs.
Again, this gives the customer and the end users the co-extruded premium quality with all its superior performance properties.
The Döllken Fusion-Edge worldwide presence
The laser processing applications for new edgebanding solutions have been developed for Europe’s kitchen and bathroom manufacturers as well as office furniture manufacturers around the world. Based on the perfect performance characteristics, Fusion-Edge is destined for worldwide use. In short, Fusion-Edge is easy, safe and a reliable, quality edging process.
