Habasit carves out new productivity advances at Ligna 2019

Optimization of the wood industry value chain will be a key topic at Ligna 2019, the world’s leading trade fair for the woodworking and timber processing industry. 

During the fair, global belting market leader Habasit is showcasing several high-efficiency belting solutions for wood processing. These include its unique mesh belts and installation kits for pre-heating and deaeration, as well as advanced solutions for forming belts, the spray cabin, transfer belts and tray loaders.

Pre-heating for faster curing time

Pre-heating of the wood-resin mixture before it reaches the press on wood panel processing lines, enables faster curing, increased production line speed, and productivity gains of 15% to 30%.

Habasit belts developed for this application can withstand temperatures of up to 130 °C without elongation, while also offering good hydrolysis resistance. The mesh structure and single-loop seam joint ensure constant airflow and prevent clogging of the belt with wood fibers. Benefits include fast and easy installation, no marking of the joining area, reduced downtimes, and increased belt lifetimes. The belts also have excellent anti-static properties, delivering safe-running of the production line and good product release.

Airflow plays a significant role

Habasit’s Extraline deaeration belts for MDF and particle board manufacturing are key to increased productivity thanks to their highly controlled airflow rates. Their robust construction based on polyester monofilament provides high chemical-, abrasion- and hydrolysis resistance, resulting in a long, maintenance-free belt life. The permanent antistatic construction prevents dust and dirt attraction, helping to maintain good deaeration performance.

The belts’ double-loop seam joint ensures high air permeability along the entire belt length, resulting in consistently high standards of deaeration as well as easy installation, which, in turn, means a significant reduction in production downtime.

New developments for the forming line

The manufacture of boards and panels by mixing wood particles with resin and forming the mixture into sheets involves chemicals including waxes, dyes, wetting agents and release agents to give the final product the qualities required. The forming belt must be able to cope with all the different chemicals employed.

Habasit’s wide range of forming belt solutions supports all types of board processing in all conditions. The belts are highly resistant to chemicals and hydrolysis, ensuring long belt lifetimes and consistently high-quality output over time, regardless of the substances used during processing. Habasit belts deliver smooth and stable running, excellent reliability and minimal downtimes.

On display at Ligna 2019, Habasit’s ENB-12ERCH anti-stick belt for particle board processing has a hard, non-adhesive TPU coating that minimizes the adhesion of panel chips and fibers, resulting in significantly improved belt surface cleaning and product quality. 

Visitors can also examine the EMB-20EMCH high-strength belt, which offers the highest standard of reliability for very heavy loads, long conveying distances, and intermitted motion on the line. The belts’ greater surface hardness also ensures less surface damage by coarse particles and thus longer lifetimes.

Spray cabin

Habasit’s new double-coated TPO belt PNB-12EVTO resists penetration by chemicals used in lacquering or varnishing. It features very good release properties (anti-sticking), a flat belt surface and joining area, and solvent and scratch resistance. Suitable for very wet environments, the belt also has excellent tracking properties, is maintenance free, and easy to clean thanks to its smooth, pore-free belt surface.

Transfer belts

Habasit’s transfer belts work on 12 mm standard conveyors with roller bearings. Heat resistant up to 140 °C, they feature high hydrolysis resistance, low shrinkage, good release, no clogging, anti-static properties, long lifetimes and single-loop seam joining for fast installation.

Tray loaders

Transfer conveyors, called tray loaders or pre-press loaders, include belts approximately 3 meters wide x 20 meters long, with up to 14 tray loaders in the process. Tray loader belts are in close proximity to platens operating at ~200 °C. Because of this high temperature, the seam is critical.

Habasit’s ENT-12EEWL mesh belts operate reliably in temperatures up to 180 °C short-term without shrinkage or elongation. Thicker threads provide resistance to abrasion, with constant airflow over the joint thanks to the endless woven structure and single-loop seam joint. The belts are suitable for nosebars (12mm to15mm) and small pulley diameters. With no wood fiber clogging issues, the belt offers a longer lifetime due to its robust and durable belt design, and high abrasion and hydrolysis resistance.

To discuss these and more solutions for increased productivity in the wood processing industry, Habasit’s specialists will be in Hall 26, Booth G45/1 throughout Ligna 2019.

For more information, please visit: http://www.habasit.com