Edgebanding Coating Material Pre-coloring for Seamless Transitions

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coating technologies for furniture components struggle to provide a visually appealing and cost-efficient coating on the narrow sides of workpieces, often requiring multiple coating materials and complex adjustments, leading to increased material consumption and storage needs.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that pre-colors the coating material with a base color matching the workpiece's tone and pattern, followed by inline printing, allowing for a seamless color transition and reduced material stockpiling, with a sensor-controlled process for automated color coordination and printing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple coating materials are stored to accommodate different workpiece patterns and decorations, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to process different workpiece patternsVSAvoidstorage arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by varying the printing parameters (colors, patterns, decorations) rather than changing the physical coating material. A single coating material is used with different base colors, and the printing device applies various patterns and decorations by changing printing parameters, eliminating the need for multiple coating material storages while maintaining adaptability to different workpiece requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The printing device serves multiple functions: it applies base colors, patterns, and decorations to the coating material before application to the workpiece. This multi-functional printing system replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized coating materials, achieving universality in processing different workpiece types with a single coating material system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If coating material is precisely applied to narrow sides with guide and pressure devices, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of coating applicationVSAvoidguide device and pressure device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coloring and pre-printing the coating material with the desired base color, pattern, and decoration before the coating application process. This preliminary preparation of the coating material eliminates the need for complex guide and pressure devices during application, as the coating material is already optimized for precise application to narrow sides

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If adhesive is uniformly activated before pressing coating material, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to activation process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniformity of adhesionVSAvoidadhesive activation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by uniformly activating the adhesive on the coating material before the coating application process. This preliminary adhesive activation ensures uniform adhesion properties across the entire coating material surface, preventing variations in bonding strength during application. The activation is performed in advance as part of the coating material preparation, integrating smoothly into the overall process flow

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3924155B1Method and device for edgebanding of a plate
Publication Date: 2024.06.19 HOMAG GMBH
  • EP3924155B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3924155B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3924155B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for coating a short side (1) of a plate-like workpiece (2) with a coating material (3), in particular a coating material (3) in the form of a strip or band, using a coating apparatus, wherein, before being applied to the short side (1) of the workpiece (2), the coating material (3) is coloured with a basic colour (4) at least in a peripheral region (5), which is assigned to an adhesive face (6) of the coating material (3), or the coating material (3) is entirely coloured with the basic colour (4), wherein the basic colour (4) is matched in terms of colour to a shade and/or pattern and/or decoration on a surface (8) of the workpiece (2), such that, after the coating material (3) has been applied to the short side (1) of the workpiece (2), a matched colour transition between the coloured coating material (3) and the shade and/or pattern and/or decoration on the surface (8) of the workpiece (2) is formed, and to a coating apparatus that carries out such a method.