Release agents are critical to prevent glue and adhesives from sticking on both edgebanding machining tools and workpiece surfaces. They are developed in a liquid form and as such can be used in both automatic and manual edge processing.

Release agents are sprayed on the top and bottom of the workpiece edge areas. This prevents adhesive residue from sticking to the workpiece. Release Agents work with a variety of glues and adhesives for high-quality woods, veneers, and plastic-coated surfaces.

Here are a few advantages of edgebanding release agents:  

Reduces production downtime due to cleaning. The process of edging can lead to unwanted glue residue on materials and equipment. Without the use of a release agent, glue residue can quickly stick and become very difficult to clean and remove. This results in a loss of production and machine downtime. Production employees are forced to spend valuable time cleaning up, instead of streamlining the manufacturing process. By using a release agent, a thin, barely visible lubricant film is formed, which prevents the adhesion of glue residues, thus avoiding time-consuming cleanup work.  

Helps maintain production equipment. A common problem with edge processing is undesired glue buildup on machining tools. Glue buildup can cause unnecessary wear and tear on tools and lead to increased machine maintenance and costs. The continuous use of release agents protects the components of an edgebander, such as pressure rollers, trimming tools, hot melt adhesive tanks and buffing wheels against glue buildup. Using release agents is very important to the longevity of equipment.

Promotes high-quality finishes. Perfect, high-quality surfaces are a premium for edgebanding. During application, glue squeeze out occurs, which often creates glue lines and residue, thus affecting the quality of finished products. Release agents used during the edgebanding process prevent adhesive residues from sticking, while protecting the edge and foil from marks and friction, thus providing excellent surfaces. 

Source: Alyssa Boehringer, Marketing Manager, Wood Segment for ACMOS, Inc. For more information, phone 724-220-6644 or visit www.acmos.com.