Vacuum press - operation of membrane-vacuum presses in non-standard conditions. The work of a vacuum press for MDF and its functional features. Manufacturers from which it is best to buy a vacuum press. How to choose a vacuum press for MDF facades Me

This machine is mainly used as a woodworking equipment. Its principle of operation is to cover wooden surfaces PVC film or veneer. The main consumer of this device are furniture factories. This is due to the fact that the process of lamination using a vacuum press significantly accelerates the productivity of the factory and makes it possible to create an exclusive design of furniture surfaces. In addition, the machine can be used to decorate bent interior items. This feature has become available due to the improvement of the press and the expansion of its capabilities. The same possibilities allow the use of carbon films and fiberglass to cover the surfaces of water and land transport. Such presses are called specific.

In this article, we will look at:

vacuum press
membrane vacuum presses
vacuum press device
working principle of vacuum press
vacuum press table
thermo vacuum press
vacuum press principle
production of membrane vacuum presses
sublimation vacuum heat press
3d vacuum heat press
vacuum thermopress grafalex st 420
membrane vacuum press master compact
vacuum forming machine
vacuum packing machine
lh 250 vacuum casting machine
plastic mold machine vacuum
cnc machine with vacuum table

Section navigation:

The coating of the surface with the processing material is very high quality and such a surface lasts for a long time. And the technology itself is very simple and consists in the simultaneous interaction of vacuum technology and heating of the working surface. The cost of the machine does not allow many factories to introduce it into their workshop, but if you still purchase it, then the payback will not be long in coming. The reason for this is the savings on the purchase of ready-made materials for cabinet furniture (for example), since by purchasing bare chipboard and processing it yourself on a vacuum press, it will be much cheaper than buying an already laminated pressed board.

Vacuum presses are:

Book pressing. The top cover of the unit opens and closes in the form of a book. There are covers with manual and automatic drive;
Conveyor pressing. A table equipped with a conveyor belt that feeds the processed material to the working body of the press. Such models have a design with one and two work tables;

Vacuum press vp 3000

A vacuum press is used to transfer an image or inscription to any surface of a product using sublimation. Sublimation is the process of printing under high temperature any picture that is pre-printed on special paper to display it on the surface of the workpiece. The final image can have both a black and white look and a color palette, including ultraviolet paints, which multifacetedly expands the possibilities of using a vacuum heat press. Due to the ability to transfer an image from paper to an object, such a unit is called a 3D press.

For rational use equipment has several features that save time and money spendings in case of marriage. It's about temperature control. Depending on the material from which the object for processing is made, the temperature of the working membrane of the heat press must be different. If the applied image is underheated, then the image will turn out to be pale and vulnerable to mechanical stress. If you overheat, the picture will become blurry and the color contrast will change, wear resistance will also leave much to be desired.

What are vacuum heat presses?

Household. Compact body designed to handle small items at low throughput rates. Although, modern models are quite multifunctional and are equipped with processors that control temperature regime, which speeds up the crimping process;

Household heat press

Industrial. They have a large working area and are able to apply 3D patterns at high speed;

Thermal vacuum press suitcase MVP 2500s

This type of press differs from the usual vacuum press in that it is intended mainly for covering wooden and other surfaces with veneer. The membrane is an additional equipment that promotes a tighter fit of the material applied to the surface to be treated, thereby creating a lot of pressure in combination with an increased temperature, which makes it possible to fit the workpieces with such a hard material as veneer. In addition, membrane presses are widely used for applying film and similar raw materials to the relief surfaces of doors, columns, cornices, interior elements, structural facade slabs, and more.

Membrane vacuum press

Special equipment that is designed to create plastic molds, packaging, figures and other elements. For a certain product, an appropriate machine is needed, since everything depends on the dimensions, density of the plastic and the variant of the process.

The principle of operation of vacuum machines is the same in almost all modifications. A blank is placed inside the vacuum chamber (it is made of wood, gypsum, polystyrene foam, rubber, metal, etc.). Also, a raw material (plastic) is placed in the chamber, which becomes elastic under the influence of temperature and, when stretched, can increase its area up to 10 times. A pump is connected to the working chamber, which at the right time creates a vacuum, which ensures that the plastic adheres to the workpiece, completely repeating its shape. The thicker the plastic must be for the finished product, the more powerful the pump is required to create a vacuum.

Vacuum forming machine

Vacuum technology for food products, medicines, precious metals and banknotes. With the help of vacuum packaging machines, the process of molecular disintegration is retarded food products and keep them fresh for more than 20 days. By the same principle, tablets and banknotes are packaged to avoid moisture and dirt.

Vacuum packaging machine

Packaging machines have different variations of vacuuming performance. So, they are divided into:

Single and double plank. Sealing of the edges of the packaging is carried out on one or both sides;
Single and double chamber. Packaging can occur both in individual form and paired with another type of product;
Household and industrial. The first modification is used at home, in catering processes and mini-factories. The second one is used in enterprises specializing in vacuum packaging in large volumes;

The purpose of vacuum forming machines is to form relief forms from sheet plastic, polymer or PVC, with a depth of cavities or bulges up to 500 mm. The body of these units is designed for overall products, which allows you to form a wide range finished products. The peculiarity of vacuum forming machines is that due to the zonal heating of infrared heating elements (each zone is divided into separate sectors of 0.2 m 2), it is possible to simultaneously carry out forming of varying complexity and with different relief depths on one sheet of raw material. The whole process takes place automatically, after setting all the parameters by the operator using the software.

Vacuum casting machine

plastic mold

This fixture is an accessory for CNC milling machines. Standard milling machine has special bolt clamps for the workpiece, but they apply strong point pressure on the material, which can damage it. In order to avoid such nuances, a vacuum table was created that works on the principle of a suction cup, attracting the workpiece to itself with the help of a compressor that pumps air between the surface of the table and the workpiece. Thus, there is a reliable fixation of the material for further milling.

CNC machine with vacuum table

Vacuum presses are used most often in furniture industries, as well as other types of enterprises that produce products consisting of wood-based panels. Sometimes such devices are also used to give relief to materials, as well as to form products.

How the equipment works

The vacuum press for facades has the following components:

a frame that is load-bearing and has a collapsible type
desktop, which is also a carrier. A special clamping frame is installed on the table
vacuum pneumatic working system. Without it, it is impossible to implement the entire technological process.
retractable carriage. It is equipped with electric type heating devices. The vacuum press works with the help of automatic control, therefore, the performance of work on this equipment does not require the involvement of manual labor. A few operators involved in the maintenance and start-up of the plant are quite sufficient.

Kinds

Today there are several modifications of vacuum presses. They differ in automation and quantity additional options present on a particular device.

The press can be:

auto. In such a press, all work is performed without the participation of an operator in
semi-automatic. In such devices, opening the installation door, pressing the buttons to start it up, then turning off and removing the workpiece is carried out by the operator himself. The operator must also monitor the process of the installation
membrane. In such a press, the surface is pasted over with a film or veneer. To do this, a material is placed in a heat-resistant membrane, on which glue is preliminarily applied. Then the membrane is heated, and Vacuum pump evacuates air from the membrane. As a result, negative pressure is formed in it. Under such conditions, the film or veneer is firmly adhered to the material.
membraneless. Such a press is used for gluing thicker coatings. For thin films, this option is not suitable.

Today, the membrane-vacuum press is used more and more often, in comparison with the equipment of the old model. Such popularity is due to the fact that much less time is spent on processing the material using a vacuum press, but the quality of the finished product does not decrease, but rather increases.

Also presses can be: Types of vacuum pressing equipment:

vacuum sublimation press
3d vacuum sublimation press
press vacuum drying chamber.

Vacuum presses are characterized high level performance. The equipment has quite high cost due to the fact that workpieces of large dimensions are processed on it.

3d vacuum sublimation presses are versatile electro-mechanical devices. They are needed in order to create souvenir products. They apply images to objects of the correct and irregular shape. Such equipment is most in demand when applying different images to ceramic, fabric, and other products. Modern production uses such presses for decoration decorative stones, drawings on the protective covers of cell phones, on crystals, puzzles.

In a vacuum sublimation press, an image is transferred from one medium to another. For this purpose, high pressure and elevated temperatures are used. The operation requires pre-training drawing on a special surface and fixing it. After that, the temperature rises, and the air is pumped out. The product is quite High Quality.

The marketable appearance of a product created using a vacuum press is distinguished by a longer period of operation. Another advantage of such devices is the fact that the resulting surface does not need further refinement. You can immediately assemble products.

Vacuum press operation

The vacuum press for MDF has a fairly simple principle of operation. First, the workpiece with glue applied to it is placed on the surface of the table. Next, a membrane for a vacuum press is placed on it. And in the closed position, the operation of the vacuum pump and the heating system begins. There is a simultaneous heating of the object to the required temperature and the creation of a vacuum.

Silicone membrane for vacuum presses is used when it is necessary to guarantee a tight fit of the film. The pump for the vacuum process is able to form a vacuum of different depths, it all depends on the properties of the material. In addition, it is necessary that the membrane is suitable for a vacuum press. It is worth purchasing along with the unit.

Types of membranes

Vacuum press membranes can be:

silicone
rubber.

Silicone membranes have a long service life. They can also be used in bag sealing machines for cold and hot pressing.

Rolled silicone membrane sheet is used as a membrane sheet in hot and cold membrane-vacuum and membrane presses for applying veneer to furniture facades, door panels and other shaped panels, creating bent-glued furniture products.

The membrane is made of an elastic silicone film or heat-resistant rubber. The rubber membrane has the ability to stretch up to 700%. The membrane is needed in presses, both for finishing with natural veneer, and when working with workpieces that have a complex profile (for example, if the film needs to be brought to the back of the facade) or high-gloss films. The last films must never touch the upper heating plate of the press. The membrane is also used when the dimensions of the film are smaller than the dimensions of the loading table or when the film thickness exceeds the standard 0.3-0.6 mm.

In most presses, the membrane is installed on a special frame with a hermetic seal along the upper and lower perimeters. Such a frame can be easily dismantled, thereby making a single-chamber press from a two-chamber press, and a two-chamber press from a three-chamber press. Thus, the operator can not only control the lining process more precisely, but also change the pressing mode, which is more suitable for the company's technology.

The tasks that the membrane performs:

more evenly heats the film, in comparison with just hot air
acts as a frame
prevents film breaks
does not allow air to enter under the membrane, which significantly reduces the amount of defects in production
evenly transfers heat to end surfaces of a product.

The film shrinking procedure consists of the following steps:

laying the workpiece on the table
sealing
film heating
air extraction
cooling
cutting blanks and removing excess film from the facade.

The operator can press the membrane against the heating film before it touches the workpiece. As a result, the formation of air bubbles between the membrane and the film is excluded. After pressing, the pressure in the upper and middle chambers stabilizes.

At the same time, the air that enters the middle chamber separates the film from the membrane, and the finishing process becomes more like a membraneless method. The only difference is that the film is evenly heated. At the end of the press cycle, cool air enters the lower pressurized chamber to cool the workpiece slightly. This helps to prevent the film from peeling off the part during removal from the press, while the part is still warm.

The membrane is a consumable. If you follow all the rules of operation correctly, then it will last approximately 3000 working cycles. The average period of its operation is no more than two months.

Before you start creating a vacuum press with your own hands, remember that 5 years after assembly, the device needs to be upgraded or made new. If you correctly plan the purchase of components and do all the work correctly, then the cost of the press will turn out to be significantly lower than the factory device.

The first step is to create a good frame, since it is the support of the entire device. However, before that, select optimal view heating unit, because this will affect not only the design of the bed, but also all other components of the press. The best way a retractable thermal module is suitable for this. It is easy to assemble, convenient to use, but it has quite impressive parameters.

To create a bed you will need:

profiled steel pipe
rails for thermomodule.

If you are good with a computer, then the design of the bed is best modeled using special 3D modeling programs.

Tools that may be needed for the job:

small one-handed corner Grinder with disc diameter 115 or 125 mm welding device
electric drill
locksmith set
including hammer
spanners
pencil
roulette.

When everything is assembled, you can get to work. First you need to cut the steel profile into parts strictly according to the cutting map. Lay them on a flat surface according to the project, align and fix with clamps. Next, start welding the parts. Welding seams must be cleaned with a grinder with a grinding wheel. After that, you can drill all the necessary holes, prime the part and paint it.

The table assembly procedure is perhaps the most important event. During design, you will determine its dimensions and material. Be sure to consider a method of fixing and sealing the connector elements in order to maintain an internal vacuum. The vacuum table is a design that consists of:

baths
pressure frame
clamps.

The dimensions of the vacuum bath affect the number of workpieces placed in it. Experts advise making a bath about 2.5 meters long. The width should be chosen depending on the width of the PVC film used. Most often, the width is 1.4 m. And the height of the bath is provided taking into account the small space between the upper part of the facade and the film with which it will be covered. The bottom of the bath can be a steel sheet, the thickness of which is 2 mm, and the frame can be made of profile pipe.

It is also possible to create a clamping frame and clamps from a profile pipe, its dimensions must completely match the dimensions of the bath. To keep the pressure frame up, 4 gas lifts must be installed and ensure that they can hold it. Clamps guarantee a secure and tight hold of the film during pressing. The upper frame must be firmly and evenly pressed against the perimeter of the tub. In fact, the clamps are eccentrics. They can be created from steel rolled metal. You need to mount them at 8 in advance drilled holes in a vacuum table.

In the event that the table does not have a perfectly flat surface, it can be leveled with special epoxy compounds.

The vacuum system is responsible for removing and pumping out air so that the film easily fits the surface of the workpieces. When installing the system, pay attention to the following points:

Purchase all components in retail so that they can be easily replaced
it must guarantee the speed of air pumping and the depth of vacuum so that they are enough to create typical flat facades and overlays
the air removal system should not harm the environment
controlling and managing bodies should be simple and give signals about the current pressure, smoothly adjust the speed of air pumping out.

The thermal module is a heating device that allows you to evenly heat the film to the desired temperature and hold it for a certain time. The frame for it is made of a steel pipe with a cross section of 20 by 20 mm. To the frame, it is necessary to weld the cases of profiled wheel supports and L-shaped handles for movement along the rails of the module. Ball bearings can be used as wheels. After that, the frame must be sheathed sheet steel and reinforce with aluminum rivets. On the side of the skin you need to make openings rectangular shape for viewing windows and install silicate glasses, darkening them in advance with a tinting film.

To improve the reflectivity, inside the thermal module must be equipped with aluminum foil. The next step is to install the heating elements. Linear lamps KGT (quartz halogen thermal) are excellent for this purpose. They need to be connected according to the electrical circuit. This scheme must take into account the requirements in terms of three-phase load symmetry and the possibility of zonal control of groups of lamps.

As you can see, the procedure for self-manufacturing a vacuum press is not so complicated. Remember that it is very important to use personal protective equipment, because working with such a device can become dangerous if safety rules are not followed.

A vacuum press is a unit with a huge number of functions, each of which plays an important role in the system. Such installations are now actively used in a huge number of large enterprises that simply cannot function without such systems. If we talk about the industry where the vacuum press has become key element, that is - furniture manufacturing, which at the moment is no longer complete without the operation of a vacuum press.

Navigation:

vacuum press- this is an element that is engaged in the creation of certain figures from a tree, enabling further processing of the tree within the system. If you believe the feedback from users from the network, then it is not difficult to guess that such installations are very productive and useful, as they are capable of performing a number of important functions that not every unit can handle.

At first glance, such installations seem rather unusual in their external design, but if we take into account the fact that each of the elements performs certain functions, and there is simply nothing superfluous in the system, then it seems that the unusual design of the device is only to its benefit. . To begin with, we will consider what a vacuum press consists of in order to understand how complicated this unit is in terms of operation:

Desktop- This additional element system, which includes several small devices that only provide certain advantages during the operation of the unit.
Carriage- This is an element that constantly interacts with other parts of the device, which subsequently makes it possible to achieve the highest performance in terms of performance
Pneumatic vacuum system- This is one of the main elements in the system, which takes responsibility for performing tasks of varying complexity. This element does a good job of distributing pressure, redirecting air flows, and similar tasks that play a big role in the formation of a vacuum.

These are just the most obvious elements that can be seen with the naked eye. In fact, such units consist of a huge number of similar elements that somehow affect the operation of the mechanism. The vacuum press is also divided into two categories according to the principle of operation:

Auto
semi-automatic

Automatic working principle is a hollow automation system that does not require any person in the workflow.

Semi-automatic working principle- this is almost the same system, only at certain points it requires loading or unloading materials. That is why it was called semi-automatic.

If we talk about which of these options is better, then it is necessary to take into account a huge number of points. In fact, both options are interesting in their own way, because of which, you first need to decide on the purpose of buying such a unit, and after that draw some conclusions.

Membrane vacuum press

A membrane-vacuum press is a device that has far from the smallest dimensions and is most often used precisely in furniture enterprises, where at the moment one simply cannot do without a high-quality and reliable vacuum press. The modern vacuum technology market is already overflowing with a wide variety of diaphragm vacuum pumps, which have not only different characteristics, as well as a different set.

If you look at the cardinal differences between membrane vacuum pumps and other devices of this series, then, in fact, they do not exist. The principle of operation of such devices is very similar and the only obvious difference is the potential of membrane-vacuum pumps, which can soon reach a completely new level. We will now consider the most best option membrane-vacuum press, which can be used in any direction:

Membrane vacuum press VPR-3000- for a relatively small amount, the buyer receives a really high-quality and productive unit, the characteristics of which are at a high level. Now such installations occupy a leading position in sales, and there is nothing surprising in this. Perhaps in the near future this indicator will become even higher, because the model is only getting better, which means that the demand of buyers is also increasing significantly.

Vacuum press for MDF

Vacuum press for MDF- this is a category of equipment that is most often used when facing kitchen or furniture facades. No less qualitative indicators, such installations are also issued when facing doors with various films. The passed processing process in such an installation makes it possible for the material to work in a further direction. And all because without pre-treatment in this unit, the material will not be so resistant, because of which the quality result of the work simply will not work.

Things are no worse in facing various materials high-gloss film, which makes it possible to obtain all possible quality guarantees. Any material that has been treated with a high gloss film becomes protected from various kinds of environmental influences, which can adversely affect appearance material. Heating of such overall equipment occurs during the interaction of heating elements located on the upper part of the press. It is they that make it possible to achieve such high temperatures, which are subsequently redirected to the material being processed.

Vacuum presses for facades

Facing the facade is not at all a simple task, as it might seem at first glance. In order for the work to be of high quality and durable, it is necessary to make a huge amount of effort, without which it will be simply impossible to achieve a good result. It is good that at this stage there is a huge amount of different equipment that can be very useful in such processes.

The facade vacuum press is just one of the many vacuum equipments available. By the way, this unit is currently more than in demand, and many enterprises are ready to pay a lot of money for it, just to get it to their enterprise. The high productivity of such a press directly depends on the frequency at which all elements of the system will operate. Only with the full interaction of all elements of the system, it is possible to achieve truly high performance indicators. At the moment, vacuum presses for facades are gaining more and more popularity and this is far from the limit. Most likely, in the near future this indicator will grow several times more, since the potential in these devices is simply enormous. Do not forget about the shortcomings that are present in absolutely any system. The main thing is to think carefully before buying such equipment for yourself. After weighing all the pros and cons, you can focus on a particular option that is right for you to solve certain problems.

Where to buy a vacuum pump

But characteristics and cost are far from all the criteria that you should pay attention to when buying a vacuum press. An equally important role is played by the brand itself, which provides you with its products. It is important to consider the fact that when buying products well-known manufacturer, you can be sure that you have bought a truly high-quality unit that will serve you for many years.

That is why do not forget to take into account the fact of the brand, which will help you choose the most high-quality and productive unit. Now we will consider several well-known and, most importantly, reliable manufacturers who provide high-quality and productive products:

Becker- the company pays great attention to the quality of products, which is what attracts the attention of buyers.
Atlas Copco– One of the oldest companies, which currently occupies a leading position in the world.
Edwards– This is not a well-known company, but recently it has begun to gain more and more momentum, attracting buyers with a high level of quality and performance.

A vacuum press is a unit that allows the production of furniture facades based on MDF with PVC films and decorative overlays for doors. It can be purchased or made at home.

The material will be devoted to how to make a vacuum press with your own hands, and what is required for this.

Remember that such work is quite difficult, you need observe safety rules, because it is associated with the use of power tools of a high degree of danger and heavy structures. If you want to assemble a press with your own hands, evaluate your capabilities, and if it is difficult for you, it is better to entrust this matter to a professional.

Vacuum press: purpose and principle of operation

Film furniture facades are widely used in the manufacture of cabinet or upholstered furniture thanks to these features:

a wide range of colors;
variety of forms;
affordable cost.

Such facades produced on special equipment, while the main production tool is a vacuum press. It shrinks a PVC film onto the surface of an MDF-based workpiece.

The press includes the following key elements:

vacuum chamber or table;
thermal module.

The chamber most often has a rectangular shape and is made on the basis of a rigid material that does not compress under artificially created negative pressure from the inside. And outside, a PVC film is laid, the edges of which are sealed with the frame.

film shrinking process includes the following steps:

laying blanks on the table;
sealing;
film heating;
air pumping;
cooling;
cutting blanks and removing excess film from the facade.

Do-it-yourself vacuum press: what you need to know?

Before working on the independent manufacture of a vacuum press remember the following:

If you plan the purchase of components and do the work correctly, the cost of a do-it-yourself press will be significantly lower than the factory counterpart, and you can make film facades and MDF lining at home.

Before you start making a bed for the press, you need to pick up optimal type of heating unit, since this will affect not only the design of the bed, but also other elements of the press. When assembling with your own hands, it is best to choose a retractable thermal module, which is easy to assemble and easy to use, but it has large dimensions.

For the manufacture of the bed you will need:

steel profiled pipe;
rails for thermomodule.

The bed design is best modeled on a computer using special 3D modeling programs.

Required to work the following set of tools:

small one-handed angle grinder with a disc diameter of 115 or 125 mm;
welding machine;
electric drill;
locksmith set including hammer, wrench, pencil, tape measure, etc.

Assembly steps the stands will be:

cut the steel profile into parts according to the cutting charts;
lay them out on a flat surface in accordance with the project, align and fix with clamps;
tack the joints of the parts, taking into account the final welding on all sides or full welding of the seams without tacks;
knock the slag off the seams and check their quality;
if necessary, clean them with a grinder with a grinding wheel;
drill holes;
clean the surface with a metal brush from rust;
prime the surface;
paint it with a brush or spray can.

For operation, the welding machine can be selected based on AC transformer, inverter type device or semi-automatic device.

The table assembly stage is the most important when assembling a vacuum press with your own hands. At the design stage, decide on its size and material, on the basis of which it will be made, also consider how to fix and seal the connector elements in order to preserve the internal vacuum. Tools for work will require the same as for the bed.

vacuum table is a design that includes the following elements:

bath;
clamping frame;
clamps and other items.

vacuum bath

You need to calculate the size of the bath before assembling it. Remember that the longer it is, the more blanks will fit in it, but at the same time you will use more films in one working cycle. As practice shows, its optimal length is about 2.5 meters.

The width of the structure depends on the width of the applied PVC film, most manufacturers produces products with a width of 1.4 m.

And the working height of the bath should be provided taking into account the presence of a small space between the upper part of the facade and the film with which it will be covered. So, before the air is pumped out, the film should not touch the workpiece.

A 2 mm thick steel sheet is suitable as a bottom for a bath, and a profile pipe is suitable for a frame. The pipe cut in advance must be laid on the slipway, fixed with clamps and boiled all the junctions. A steel sheet must be welded on top of the stiffening frame.

Manufacturing of clamping frame and clamps

We make the frame on the basis of a profile pipe, its dimensions must strictly correspond to the parameters of the bath. To keep the pressure frame up, you need to put 4 gas lifts and make sure they are able to hold it.

Clamps are needed in order to ensure a reliable and tight hold of the film during the pressing process. To do this, the upper frame must be firmly and evenly pressed against the perimeter of the bath. Clamps work on the principle of eccentrics, they can also be made by hand on the basis of rolled steel.

To install them, holes must be drilled at 8 points on the vacuum table. At the same time, the upper ones increase and give them an oblong shape. Further, they are adjusted by installing nuts in the threads of the stud and fixed with locknuts.

If the table does not have a perfectly flat surface, then you need to cut off the welds with a grinder, you do not need to do everything again. Also, to ensure evenness, you can treat the table with special epoxy compounds, setting it strictly according to the level and cleaning the bottom from rust.

Vacuum system installation

A vacuum system is needed to remove and pump out air so that the film can easily fit the surface of the workpieces.

When installing it , keep the following points in mind:

it is desirable that the system components are not custom-made, and they could always be purchased at retail;
it is best to choose inexpensive components with satisfactory reliability and ease of use;
the system must provide the air pumping speed and vacuum depth, which are enough to create standard flat facades and overlays;
the air removal system should not be demanding on environment and food quality;
controls and controls should be simple and inform about the current pressure, also with their help you need to smoothly adjust the speed of pumping out air.

Such a system consists of the following elements:

water ring vacuum pump with water tank;
pipeline for delivering air from the table to the pump with a valve and a pressure control device;
tabletop for pumping air from any point of the table, regardless of the position of the blanks and the film.

Features of the water ring pump and its installation

The pump must have the following specifications:

productivity 1.57 m3/min;
three-phase motor voltage;
electric motor power is 5.5 kW;
residual pressure 0, 45 mm Hg;
rotation speed is 1500 rpm.

His the working principle is as follows:

the impeller rotates eccentrically in the cylinder in the direction of the arrow;
there is a working cavity between the wheel hub, water rings and the body, it is divided into cells by the wheel blades;
during operation of the pump, water is thrown from the bushing to the housing under the influence of centrifugal force, and the volume of cells increases and air is sucked in. Then this volume is reduced, and the gas is pushed out through the discharge window during compression;
in order to maintain a constant volume of the ring and to remove heat, only clean water must pass through the pump. It is supplied to the central hole in the pump housing and discharged through special device separating water from gas. This prevents water from being drawn out of the discharge pipe along with the air.

The pump must be installed on a special foundation or in concrete floor, it should be leveled, then it is fixed with anchors through regular holes. Next to it you need to put a water tank with a volume at least 30 liters. Two tubes are attached to it, one takes water with a pump, and the second drains the waste liquid into the tank. During circulation, the water is heated, and this negatively affects the operation of the pump. To ensure its natural cooling, the tank must be made of a material that conducts heat well, in particular steel or aluminum.

The pipe supplying water to the pump must be equipped with a tap that can shut off the water when idle. The tank and the pump are connected by flexible hoses and fastened with metal clamps.

When you have assembled the pipeline and fixed it to the press frame, installed and connected the pump, you can test the system. To this end, supply power to the pump in a timed manner by means of circuit breaker. But it is better to postpone testing until the moment when the electrician of the press is ready.

How to make a thermomodule with your own hands

The thermal module is a heating device that allows you to evenly heat the film to the required temperature and hold it for some time.

This stage of work is considered the easiest when assembling a vacuum press. For the frame of the thermal module, we need steel pipe with a section of 20 by 20 mm. It will be necessary to weld the cases of profile wheel supports and L-shaped handles to the frame to move along the rails of the module. Wheels can be ball bearings.

Next, the frame is needed sheathed with sheet steel and secure with aluminum rivets. On the side of the casing, it is necessary to cut rectangular openings for viewing windows and insert silicate glasses there, having previously darkened them with a tinting film. Cut one 50mm round hole next to each window, this will be a control window to measure the temperature of the film, and they must also be equipped with sliding shutters. And in order to improve the reflectivity, the thermal module must be equipped with aluminum foil from the inside.

To create a thermal module we will need:

exhaust riveter;
metal scissors;
spanners;
press tongs;
insulation stripper.

Now you need to install heating elements. Linear lamps KGT (quartz halogen thermal) are suitable for this. They have a number of advantages:

affordable price;
high resource;
efficient transfer of thermal energy through radiation.

Connecting lamps according to the wiring diagram - The final stage vacuum press assembly. The lamp connection scheme takes into account the requirements in terms of the symmetry of a three-phase load and the possible zonal control of groups of lamps depending on the level of distance from the center of the table.

Now you have an idea about self-manufacturing vacuum press. If you decide to take on this job, then do not forget to use personal protective equipment, since it is not only difficult, but also dangerous if safety rules are not followed.

A vacuum press is an indispensable device in the manufacture of furniture and various industries where a person has to deal with MDF, chipboard, plastic elements, artificial stone etc. Additionally, the press is able to give the surfaces of the material a certain relief, which makes it possible to obtain products that are original in shape and configuration.

The vacuum press consists of several main elements:

Frame. Often, this supporting structure is made in a collapsible type, which allows for repair, maintenance, disassembly for convenient transportation;
Desktop. It is also a supporting structure, which is completed with a special clamping frame;
vacuum system. This pneumatic system is the main element without which it is difficult to imagine a vacuum press as such;
Retractable carriage. There is a heating element that is powered by electricity;
Control automation. Press vacuum drying chambers, doors, carriage, the vacuum system itself operate by means of automatic control. The participation of the operator is minimal, which makes it possible to achieve a higher quality of artificial veneering, manufacturing elements for furniture facades, gluing plastic, chipboard, MDF, etc.

Kinds

The vacuum press is classified according to several main features. Let's start with the level of automation. Depending on this characteristic, devices for pressing wood, facades, plastic, artificial stone are divided into two types.

Automatic. Here, the presser of wood, artificial stone, plastic performs all operations independently, therefore the participation of the operator is practically not required.
Semi-automatic. These are more outdated models of wood pressers, since the operator must open the doors of the press chamber, press the buttons to start, turn off, remove the pressed elements from wood, plastic, MDF with his own hands. Their period is gradually coming to an end, since it is more efficient to work with devices where the mold works in an accelerated automatic mode.

Automatic models are more attractive because they require less time to complete the operation. Therefore, the manufacturer can produce more products in the same period compared to semi-automatic plants.

No less significant classification is the division of devices into membrane and non-membrane.

Membrane installations paste over the surfaces of wood blanks with veneer or special films. In this case, a blank with a pre-applied adhesive is placed in the membrane. The membrane heats up, the vacuum pump pumps out air, which creates a negative pressure. This allows the product made of wood, MDF to firmly contact the film. After waiting for some time, the mold is removed, the workpiece is ready for use;
Membraneless presses are relevant for those cases when blanks made of plastic, MDF, wood are pasted over with denser films, special coatings. Membrane counterparts perform well with a thinner coating.

With such units as the Master, ST 420, the choice does not become very difficult. But the market is not limited to Master or ST 420 presses alone. Before making a choice, it is worth understanding the varieties, features and nuances of buying this equipment.

In production, two main types of vacuum press are used.

Standard vacuum unit. This is a device that has gentle characteristics used in the manufacture of furniture elements from MDF, wood, plastic. main feature machine tools that the pressure they create is no more than 0.95 kg / cm2. They are used when applying PVC films or veneer to simple furniture blanks.
With extra pressure. This is more expensive equipment that can create pressures in excess of 8 kg/cm2. It is used to work with MDF, plastic products and elements of complex configuration.

membranes

The membrane is important element machine used for the manufacture of blanks from wood, furniture facades. The membrane has certain characteristics.

The main task is to exclude movement when creating facade elements or furniture components made of wood;
The membrane allows you to qualitatively apply a thin film on a piece of wood that does not like high temperatures;
The membrane is installed on special hooks, which are located on the clamping frame;
Furniture production and MDF facade assembly enterprises use two types of membranes - rubber and silicone. Rubber is used more often, while silicone is more wear-resistant;
The use of the membrane contributes to the facing of small parts;
These elements significantly reduce the consumption of the film required for application to wood parts, MDF facades, etc.

Press or bag

Before you buy yourself a ST 420 press or make a vacuum press with your own hands instead of ST 420, you should learn about such a thing as a press bag.

The press bag is designed for you to make your own vacuum press;
Its essence lies in the fact that the bag itself is a press machine;
A product made of wood, chipboard, MDF, prepared for gluing, is placed in the bag;
The bag is sealed from all sides, which allows to achieve sealing;
With the help of a pump, air is pumped out of the bag, which allows you to gradually create the necessary pressure, evenly distributed over the workpiece;
Next, the bag stands in a compressed state for some time, after which the workpiece is removed;
The main advantage is that the cost of the bag is ten times less than the price of the machine. A press measuring 1400 by 2500 mm will cost the buyer $ 1,000, while a bag can be purchased for 500-1000 rubles. You do not need any drawings to make your own out of a bag efficient press to create elements of facades, furniture, etc. We draw conclusions and make a decision.

But the bag is no match for the ST 420. modern device The ST 420 has unique features as it is a 3D press. Model ST 420 can be used for private business when applying images to T-shirts, mugs, to create covers for tablets, smartphones. At the same time, the ST 420 costs about 70 thousand rubles.

The bag is certainly not capable of what the ST 420 can produce. But the choice is yours.

When choosing a membrane press for the manufacture of facades from MDF, chipboard, furniture elements, pay attention to a few questions.

Pump. The membrane press can be equipped with our or foreign pump. Italian models are preferred. Although they are more expensive, they are more efficient, reliable and durable.
Table material. It is best if the desktop is made of metal. A number of models of machine tools are made of chipboard, but they quickly become unusable, the surface is damaged during the manufacture of products.
Machine dimensions. The main characteristic on which the ability to create parts of various dimensions depends.
Heater. There are heating elements and KGT lamps. Choose the second type, because they do not burn the film.

Don't forget the manufacturer. Little-known companies should not be trusted. But it doesn’t always make sense to overpay for a brand.