On Ligna 2013, Robert Bürkle GmbH, Freudenstadt, Germany, presents their novelties in the press and laminating technology for surface finishing of furniture parts and wood-based panels with the slogan "Bürkle makes it easy" in hall 17, booth F13 on Ligna 2013. The focus of all developments is the heedful use of resources. "Efficiency in machine manufacturing" is a comprising challenge for Bürkle: From energy and material saving designs as well as maintenance-low systems, intelligent controls and comprehensible operation up to a lean and direct service.

Protecting the environment, reducing resources and energy consumption, recycling of used materials and thinking about future generations: In international context sustainability is more than just a "fashion trend" or only a traditional marketing tool. Superficial "Greenwashing" is brutally punished by the public. Authenticity – a traditional unique selling point of the German middle-sized business – is decisive for the corporate success with the customer.

Companies such as Bürkle that seriously tackle energy and resource efficiency and implement the same in everyday business as well as with their products and are thus one step ahead. However, the effort is high, especially in engineering and technology. "Intelligent" machine manufacturing may not be underrated.

Lacquer application: Variants reduced to reasonable level

A great step towards resource protection has been reached by the company with surface finishing, resp. lacquering lines by combining different machine types to an uniform platform. Up to now, there have been eight different base frames for the roller coating machines. Today Bürkle uses a modular system with only one base frame per working width that will be an eye catcher on Ligna.

At the same time, the number of used gears is reduced by standardization: Four gear types are covering the whole spectrum now. They are based on the modular system of SEW-Eurodrive with only slight changes. Through measuring’s on existing machines, Bürkle could find out the actually required torque moments. Bürkle managed to standardize the gear size and to cover the current requirements of all roller coating machines. In their designs the Freudenstadt company only uses one hollow shaft for the whole gear spectrum. Moreover, the capacity of the motors could be reduced. Due to a reduced energy consumption, the drives are smaller, cheaper and are more environmentally-friendly.

However, resource protection and efficiency do not stop with design works, but are continued with line operation. For example, modern Bürkle roller coating machines return the entire excess lacquer to a reservoir: The result is that the lacquer can be used without almost any loss. This saves money and protects resources.

Foil Lamination: Optimal temperature control for constant quality

On a newly developed foil laminating line that will be presented in Hanover you can laminate MDF boards, chipboards and lightboards with PUR hot melt and high gloss foils resp. with laminates. A lay-up table with full size support and a conveyor belt are integrated in the line. The table for the coating material is equipped with several daylights and different line types are offered for numerous requirements in performance.

Highlights of the glue spreading machine are newly developed, electrically-heated applying and doctor rollers that ensure an optimal temperature accuracy onto the roller surface. This is absolutely necessary for the processed glues for reaching a perfect quality. In addition, using PUR hot melts results in a considerably high quality level for high gloss laminations. A perfect surface is reached by attaching great importance to the cleaning of substrates and surface material.

Bürkle presents a modified "M8" for the 3D foil lamination of furniture parts on this year's Ligna. The shown space-saving design offers a high automation degree for small and medium lot sizes. Extremely high and bent parts can be laminated through a chamber height of 200 mm.

Light boards: Stepwise implementation of BOS (Boards on stile) and BOF (Boards on frame) in adjusted extension stages

Bürkle develops and optimizes their lightboard lines continuously. An example therefore is the BOS (Boards on stile) system which has been brought into perfection. In the meantime, it is in the position to produce all known light boards with bars. In contrary, the derivated full frame system (Board on frame) is a new evolution step.

Door technology: See a perfect process automation "live"

The presented door platen technology of the latest development completes the Bürkle concept. The Optima press with 2x2 daylights, highlight of the fully-automated processing line for lot “size 1”, can be visited during the fair. All raw materials such as inlays and top layers as well as stiles and rails are automatically fed to the lay-up area order by order and are assembled accordingly. A prerequisite for the required highest possible flexibility is naturally a high performance data connection to the production control.

Curing: Cutting costs into half becomes reality

Another good example for efficiency – especially with regard to energy consumption – is LED curing as light emitting diodes are very attractive in price and concerning their degree of efficiency. Compared to light bulbs, LED lamps are no temperature emitting lamps. They convert energy into light by almost 100% without any loss of heat. In Hanover, Bürkle sets trends with the next generation of UV-LED-based curing technology "e.a.sy-Line" – developed for transparent and pigmented lacquers.

Operating costs clearly show: Curing through LED plus a purposeful use of mercury lamps in combination with no longer needed gallium lamps reduce the energy costs more than half. When adding further economic parameters such as LED providing, depreciation, personnel costs, maintenance costs etc. you can save around 20% per year – and after three years you can save more than 60%!

Hidden Champion Bürkle

In the press and laminating sector Robert Bürkle GmbH, Freudenstadt, has been among the technology and world market leaders for a long time. The company with approx. 700 employees supplies machines and lines for the manufacture and finishing of doors, flooring, furniture parts and wood-based panels. The range of products includes turnkey lines for the production of doors and parquet as well as lacquering, grain printing and digital printing lines. In addition, Bürkle is specialised in the manufacture of foil laminating lines and throughfeed press lines as well as thermoforming lines for the manufacture of 3D furniture fronts. Above-average research and development as well as high technical standards ensure Bürkle a competence leadership with maximum material and energy efficiency.

Source: Robert Bürkle GmbH