WO2007012561A1

WO2007012561A1 - Method of machining a component having a wooden material, in particular a board or a panel

Info

Publication number: WO2007012561A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/064104
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bruno Reiter
Original assignee: Fritz Egger Gmbh & Co.
Priority date: 2005-07-29
Filing date: 2006-07-11
Publication date: 2007-02-01
Also published as: DE102005036345A1; EP1910045A1; ATE422993T1; DE502006002899D1; PL1910045T3; DE102005036345B4; ES2321233T3; EP1910045B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of machining a component having a wooden material, in particular a panel (2, 2') . In order to be able to machine panels (2, 2') more efficiently and reduce the risk of inaccuracies with such a method, a method has been proposed in which a high-energy beam, in particular a laser beam (6), is directed onto the component (2, 2') at a point to be machined and in which some of the material of the component (2, 2') is removed by the action of the beam (6).

Description

A method of processing a wood material having a component, in particular a plate or a panel

The invention relates to a method for processing a wooden material having a component, in particular a plate or a panel.

In the following, the processing of a component of any shape and application will be described in general, with the processing of a panel made of a wood material or a panel made of a wood material being described for convenience.

Therefore, a component can also represent something other than a plate or a panel, for example furniture or cabinet elements, door elements and door frames or facade elements.

In addition to wood, wood materials are also understood as being medium-density or high-density fiberboard (MDF and HDF boards), OSB boards (Oriented Strand Boards) and the like. Furthermore, wood materials composites of wood and plastic, so-called wood-plastic compounds may be.

The panels comprising a wood material also include those having a carrier plate, which as a rule have a decorative layer provided on the carrier plate, in the form of a lacquer or laminate layer, and a base layer which is usually constructed in a comparable manner. The Panels are laid on floors (flooring), walls and / or ceilings to form a floor covering.

In the production of such panels plates are first made from the corresponding wood material, whose structure corresponds to the structure of the later panels. The finished panels are then separated into individual webs whose width substantially corresponds to the width of the later panels. Then, at opposite side edges connecting elements are usually milled out in the form of grooves and springs. Subsequently, the individual panels or blanks of the panels are obtained from the correspondingly processed webs by separating the same. In the case of the blanks, a milling out of further connecting elements also takes place at the resulting cut edges.

The tools for separating the plates and for milling out the connecting elements must have a high precision, since in the manufacture of panels very small tolerances must be adhered to. Otherwise, the panels can not be easily laid or it comes to unsightly joints after laying the panels on a floor, on a wall or a ceiling. Consequently, high-quality tools for processing the plates must be used.

Since the tools are subject to considerable wear, the tools must be replaced regularly, which not only leads to undesirable downtime, but also to high costs for the replacement of the tools. The wear of the tools reduces the accuracy with which a panel works is slowing down and increasing the risk of breakouts and similar errors in the manufacture of the panels.

The present invention is therefore based on the technical problem of specifying a method for processing components comprising a wood material, with which a component can be produced more economically and the risk of inaccuracies can be reduced.

The above-indicated technical problem is inventively achieved by a method in which a high-energy beam, in particular a laser beam is directed to a point to be machined on the component and in which by the action of the beam, a portion of the material of the component is removed, through the beam is a coating removed.

The invention has recognized that on the one hand by the use of a high-energy beam, in particular a laser on the use of mechanical, so machining tools can be at least partially dispensed with. Rays of the type described above, in particular laser beams are not subject to friction-related wear, as is the case with tools for machining. Therefore, the components, ie in particular the panels, the plates for their production or the blanks of the later panels - can be processed almost wear-free. So it comes to less wear-related downtime and expensive tool changes. On the other hand, with a beam, in particular a laser but also a machining accuracy can be achieved, as it is indispensable in the manufacture of panels for easy connection of the same during installation. If, in the following, the invention and its preferred embodiments are referred to as a laser, this is generally understood to mean a high-energy beam for non-contact machining of the component. Thus, instead of a laser, any desired beam of electromagnetic radiation or of particle radiation can be used. It is also conceivable that a hot gas jet, for example a plasma jet is used. Nevertheless, the following always speaks of a laser beam.

Lasers have been used for some time to cut very hard materials such as metal. In this case, it is exploited that with a laser, when set correctly, a very high amount of thermal energy can be applied to a very narrow area of the material. This thermal energy can then spontaneously evaporate at least individual components, which leads to a volume expansion and thus to a spalling of material. Some materials simply melt through the action of the laser beam, where it hits the workpiece.

Contrary to all expectations in connection with the production of a wood material having components, the invention has surprisingly shown that when using a laser does not have to be expected with respect to the extraordinarily high manufacturing accuracies uncontrollable material removal. Rather, the small tolerances of the components can be readily adhered to. For example, from medical applications it is known to use lasers with very high precision. In this case, however, very soft tissue is acted upon, for which only a very low energy or intensity of the laser is forced. Compared to such fabric panels are several orders of magnitude harder. It must therefore be spent for a material removal a much higher energy, which in principle has a negative effect on the accuracy of the material removal.

Ultimately, it is also essential that the wood material of the components is not completely homogeneous, but always has irregularities, and has the property to carbonize even on exposure to a low thermal energy or even to smolder. On the one hand, this leads to an impairment of the material properties, in particular strength being to be considered, and on the other hand to optical losses, which are fundamentally to be avoided in the case of components, in particular in the case of panels and panels.

It is preferred that the coating is a paint or laminate coating applied to a backing plate. The support plate is then made of wood or other wood material.

The removal of the coating by the laser is particularly advantageous because the coatings, which are predominantly paint or laminate coatings, often have a high hardness and therefore lead to increased and premature wear of the tools. In addition, coatings with increased abrasion resistance, which are essentially used, are increasingly being used Laminate coatings consist of a synthetic resin, impregnated papers and hard particles. The hard particles are usually mineral particles of alumina, corundum, silicon compounds, boron nitride, titanium carbide, tungsten carbide or the like.

In a further embodiment of the method it is provided that the component, the plate, the blank of a panel or a plate web after the removal of the coating by the laser in the region of the ablation with a mechanical tool is machined. Ultimately, therefore, before a conventional machining of the workpiece, the coating is first selectively removed by a laser application.

This is particularly useful when coatings are provided with hard particles. For the processing of such panels otherwise very high-quality tools must be used, for example, have cutting polycrystalline diamonds. These blades are oversized for machining the backing plate and, if the coating is removed at the desired locations by a laser, can be saved and replaced with less expensive tools.

The machining can be just as good the separation of a plate in tracks or the separation of a web in blanks of individual panels as well as the milling out of a connecting element of a web or a blank of a panel. In this case, a connecting element is preferably understood to mean a groove and / or spring which is suitable either for gluing or for latching the panels. Alternatively or additionally, an embodiment of the method can be used in which an upper contact surface is machined out of the panel by the laser beam. If the panel has a coating on the corresponding upper side, not only the coating is removed by the laser beam, but preferably also the upper contact surface is worked out in one working step. Thus, a process step in the panel production can be saved and ensured that the upper contact surface is worked with a very high and always the same accuracy.

Of course, the method is not limited to an upper contact surface. The same can also be provided in connection with a lower contact surface. However, lower contact surfaces are not preferred in many panels, so that only an upper contact surface is mentioned here, even if, alternatively or additionally, the lower contact surface can also be meant.

In a likewise preferred embodiment of the method, a connecting element is machined out of the blank by the laser beam. In this case can then be dispensed with mechanical tools for working out of fasteners. If, in addition, the separation of individual webs into blanks of individual panels is accomplished by a laser, mechanical tools can ultimately be completely dispensed with. If mechanical tools are not completely dispensed with, for example to ensure a high processing speed, it can be provided in a further embodiment of the method that one or more mating surfaces with the laser from the blank bez. be worked out of the web of blanks or at least reworked. Here then the high accuracy of the laser is exploited, which must be ensured in particular in mating surfaces at which abut the connecting elements of adjacent panels in the connected state.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, the laser is operated in a setting which relates in particular to the focusing and the intensity of the laser beam, in which a smoothing of the processed panel surfaces is achieved. The working out and smoothing the panel surfaces is preferably carried out simultaneously. However, it can also be provided that the removal of material for working out of the panel surfaces and the smoothing of the same are carried out in successive steps or independently of each other. The panel surface smoothed in this way are in particular contact surfaces or mating surfaces. By smoothening, the remaining surface roughness can be reduced, for example, during a previous mechanical treatment.

As an alternative or in addition to smoothing individual panel surfaces, it can further be provided that the panel surfaces are sealed by the action of the laser beam. This is preferably achieved by a change in the fiber structure, which is responsible for the good water absorption of the panels. The Moisture is mainly stored as capillary moisture, which is sometimes even removed from the ambient air. The laser treatment thus preferably leads to a kind of closure of the wooden capillaries, or at least to a reduction of the capillarity.

Preferably, the sealing is combined with another method step. This may be either smoothing, material removal or both.

Below are two application examples shown.

On the one hand, one can separate a plate into two plate parts with the aid of the method according to the invention with a first laser beam. With a second laser beam, a further section of the coating can be removed beyond the region of the separating cut so that cutting tools can be used for the subsequent machining of the side edges of the plate parts, which only have to fulfill lower requirements for the surface finish. Because the area of the core of the plate is much easier to work, as it is the case for the coating. Thus, the laser beam is used as far as it comes to the severing of the plate and the beyond further detachment of the coating. The second laser beam can in turn be used for the incorporation of a depression, for example, to produce an upper side edge as a well-defined contact surface. On the other hand, in a plate at a defined position, a longitudinal groove can be incorporated, which is used in the subsequent processing of the plate to the leadership. If this longitudinal or guide groove is very precisely introduced by means of the laser beam, the subsequent guidance of the plate is thereby improved. This technique is used in particular in the application of a plate transport by means of air cushion technology application. Because here the transport of the plate takes place by means of an air flow, the transport is initially less accurate than is the case for a mechanical guide. By introducing a guide groove in the manner described above, the guiding of a plate is then improved, which is transported by means of an air cushion. The guidance benefits the very good precision of the laser processing.

In the following we will explain the invention with reference to only one embodiment of the method according to the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing show

1 shows schematically a plate comprising a plurality of blanks before a first method step,

2 shows schematically the plate of FIG. 1 during the first method step,

3 shows schematically the plate of FIG. 1 during a second method step,

FIG. 4 shows schematically the plate of FIG. 1 during a third method step, FIG. Fig. 5 shows schematically several blanks comprising bands of the plate of Fig. 1 during a fourth process step and

6 shows schematically the bands of FIG. 5 during a fifth method step,

In Fig. 1, a plate 1 is shown, which forms a precursor in the manufacture of panels 2, 2 '. The sliced panels 2, 2 'are not yet separated, but together with other panels still the plate 1. The plate 1 has a carrier material 2 of a high-density fiberboard (HDF) and two coatings 3, 3' on. The upper coating 3 is a laminate layer with a decorative paper, while the lower coating 3 'is a laminate layer without decorative layer and acts as a so-called Gegenzugschicht.

For a better understanding, already adjacent connecting elements 4, 4 'of the panels 2, 2' are sketched by dashed lines in FIG. At the right end of the left panel 2, a groove is provided, while at the left end of the right panel 2 'a spring is provided. Both connecting elements 4, 4 'have mating surfaces 5, 5', 5 '', 5 ''', on which interconnected panels in the installed state abut each other. In addition, not specified in detail locking elements are provided by means of which panels can be locked together. For the method for producing the panels, it would make no difference in contrast to their installation, if the connecting elements 5, 5 'would have no locking elements, but would be intended for bonding. The plate illustrated in FIG. 1 forms the starting point for the exemplary embodiment of a method for producing panels comprising a wood material described below.

In a first process step illustrated in FIG. 2, laser beams 6 are directed onto the coatings 3, 3 'while the plate 1 is moved past the laser beams 6. As a result of the action of the laser beams 6, the coatings 3, 3 'are removed along strip-like regions 7, 1'. These strip-like regions 7, 1 'are arranged on both sides of the plate 1 congruent to each other.

Thereafter, a purely mechanical processing of the panel can be performed. In the described embodiment, however, further laser beams 6 are preferably directed to other areas of the coatings 3, 3 '. In this case, however, preferably more material is removed than before. The removal of material takes place in such a way that the upper contact surfaces 8, 8 'of the later panels are machined with a very high precision. Since no mechanical tools are used for this purpose, which lose their sharpness over time, it is possible in this way to reliably prevent inaccuracies or even material from breaking out in the area of the upper abutment surfaces 8, 8 '. This ultimately leads to a significant reduction of the committee.

Thereafter, as shown schematically in Fig. 4, the plate 1 is separated, wherein the two panels shown 2, 2 'shown separated from each other be separated. The separation of the plate 1 takes place here with a sawing device 9 known from the prior art. Since the coatings 3, 3 'have already been removed along the strip-like regions 7, 1', a less high-quality tool can be used for cutting, the nevertheless longer service life or curfew reached.

The separation could also be done with the help of a laser beam. This would in particular have the advantage that much smaller joint widths would have to be provided than is the case for conventional tools. This could ultimately minimize the waste.

After the original plate 1 has been separated into individual tracks, the connecting elements 4, 4 'can be worked out on the previously formed sides of the panels 2, 2'. This is shown schematically in FIG. 5. This too is carried out with the aid of laser beams 6 in the described preferred embodiment. This allows a high accuracy of material removal. This ultimately ensures that the panels 2, 2 'can be connected later in the desired manner, without having to operate an increased effort for quality assurance. The variable removal of material can be achieved on the one hand by a variable loading time and / or on the other hand by a corresponding intensity profile of the laser.

In a final step, the Fig. 6 shows, now the mating surfaces 5, 5 ', 5'',5''' of the connecting elements 4, 4 'smoothed and sealed. Also the upper abutment surfaces 8, 8 'have been smoothed and sealed, in time with the working out of the upper abutment surfaces 8, 8' by an additional laser beam. The way in which this process step takes place can vary from case to case and is not predetermined from the outset.

It is not shown that after the separation of the webs into individual blanks, the resulting transverse edges can also be processed by using a laser beam. For this purpose, the same applies as for the side edges of the webs shown in the drawing, the connecting elements 4, 4 '.

In principle, the method is not limited to the sequence of method steps shown in the drawing. Also, only a single application of the laser beam or any combination thereof may be used in the manufacture of the panels.

Claims

PATENT AT SPRU

1. A method for processing a wood material having a component (2, 2 '), wherein a high-energy beam, in particular a

Laser beam (6) is directed at a location to be machined on the component (2, 2 ') and in which by the action of the beam (6) a part of the material of the component (2, 2') is removed, characterized: a coating (3, 3 ') is removed by the jet (6).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein by the beam (6) a paint and / or laminate coating is removed.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component (2, 2 ') in the region of the removal of the coating (3, 3') with a mechanical tool (9) is machined by machining.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein as a component a panel is processed and in which by the beam (6) an upper contact surface (8, 8 ') of a side edge of the panel (2, 2 ^f ) is worked out.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein by the beam (6), a connecting element (4, 4 ') is worked out.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein by the beam (6) a mating surface (5, 5 ', 5' ', 5' '') is worked out.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein by the beam (6) surfaces of the component (2, 2 ') are smoothed.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 1, wherein by the beam (6) surfaces of the component (2, 2 ') are sealed.