Laminate production is a technologically complex process that requires the use of special technologies and equipment, raw materials and materials. The first attempts to make a floor covering that remotely resembles a modern laminate date back to the late 70s of the last century, when the Swedish company Perstorp was actively working in this direction. The company then specialized in the manufacture of building materials and installation work, so it was widely known in Europe.
The first laminate prototype had only two layers. Thermally active glue was used to connect them, but only a few years later high-temperature pressing technology began to be used.
An analogue of modern laminate, released by Perstorp, appeared only in the late 80s. At that time, quite a lot of companies worked in this direction, but the most successful was the German company Hornitex. This company has used innovative technologies and equipment to produce a new generation of laminate flooring, so it has managed to create a flooring with good performance and high wear resistance. It was the Germans who first began to make a laminate consisting of 4 layers.
Today, companies are using similar technologies to produce laminate flooring. In short, the production process includes the following stages:
- Production of HDF board.
- Impregnation of the upper layers.
- Connection of all 4 layers under high-temperature influence.
- Boarding process.
- Sawing and milling laminated boards.
First, the creation of an HDF board is performed, which is a modified version of fiberboard with an increased density (more than 850 kg / m3). As the density of the plate increases, its main operational characteristics will also grow - strength indicators and resistance to moisture.
- As the main raw material for the production of the board, wood (often pine), peeled from the bark, is used. It is processed on special equipment to the state of wood chips. After that, the resulting chips are washed, thereby removing foreign particles (various contaminants), heated with steam in special containers up to 170-180 degrees, which makes it possible to soften the raw material. Heating leads to the fact that the chips become plastic, so they are then crushed into fibers.
- In the resulting mass of wood fibers, various components and binders (polymers, resins, etc.) are added. Next, the wood pulp is dried, removing almost all moisture from it.
- Then the dried wood pulp enters the conveyor, where it is leveled and pre-pressed, which allows to reduce the thickness of the layer and remove all the air. It is at this stage that the wood pulp becomes like a finished slab.
- Moving further along the conveyor, the wood board is cut along the length and width to the specified overall dimensions.
- Next, the finished fibreboards are cooled and stored.
- At the last stage, HDF boards are sanded and sized. Special machines make them as smooth as possible.
In the event that it is required to achieve the maximum possible moisture resistance of the HDF board, at one of the stages the wood pulp is impregnated with special hydrophobic compounds.
Upper layers impregnation
In the production of laminate, impregnation is the impregnation of the material with various resin compositions and liquid protective components. Different manufacturers use different formulations to impregnate the material. The strength and wear-resistant properties of the surface, including the service class, will depend on the recipe and technology used. During impregnation, corundum particles are often used to improve the characteristics of the panel.
For impregnation, a special roll system is usually used, where the top layers of the laminated coating pass through baths filled with resins and various additives, where they are impregnated and dried.
It is interesting to note that many large companies that specialize in the production of laminate flooring have long abandoned the impregnation of the top layers, because. they buy this part of the laminate ready-made from specialized companies.
Slab cladding
To obtain a high-quality laminated panel, it is required to subject the workpiece in the form of an HDF board to cladding using an overlay (protective layer), films of special paper and resin. Various technologies can be used for this. The following production methods can be distinguished:
- CML, RML.
- ELESGO.
Some of these methods have been used for a long time, and some are the most modern. At the same time, different manufacturers can use both traditional and modern methods. When choosing a laminate for your home, it would be nice to clarify which technology was used by the factory.
HPL and CPL technologies
Initially, only HPL technology was used for the production of laminate, which is presented in the form of a laminating process. This process involves bonding laminate layers using special adhesives. Gluing can occur in hot, warm, cold ways. Most often, the hot method of gluing has been used and is being used, because when using it, a sufficiently high quality of the connection of materials is obtained.
The process steps are as follows:
- First, the materials to be bonded are cleaned from contamination.
- Next, the adhesive composition and a special hardener are applied.
- Then the two layers to be connected are pressed at a temperature of 250-300 degrees at a pressure of 200-250 MPa.
At the first stage, the decorative layer and the overlay are glued together. In the bonding process, top layers can be used both before and after impregnation. If the impregnation has already been carried out, then when connecting the layers by high-temperature pressing, adhesive compositions are not additionally added.
At the second stage, in order to obtain an already finished product, several layers are subjected to gluing at once: the top layer, the base in the form of HDF board, and the lower stabilization layer.
CPL is one of the modern types of HPL technology, in which special presses, presented in the form of conveyors, are used to connect the layers. With CPL technology, the top layer passes through roller presses that are heated to a high temperature, as a result of which it is rolled onto the HDF base.
DPL, CML and PDL technologies
Most often, modern laminate manufacturers use DPL technology. When it is used, it is implied that all layers of the laminated panel are simultaneously pressed at high temperature. The most important thing is that this technology does not imply the use of adhesives, because the layers are preliminarily impregnated with melamine resins, therefore, it is with their help that the surfaces are glued together, because. at a temperature of 200-250 degrees, the resin melts and connects the layers. After heating and curing, the melamine resin and the top protective layer form a single surface layer of the laminate floor.
In some cases, manufacturers can additionally use layers of kraft paper, which is placed between the decorative coating layer and the HDF board. This approach allows to improve the quality of the laminate to some level. This technology is a variation of DPL and is called CML (RML).
In recent years, the PDL technology has become widespread, which involves the use of special equipment with which it is possible to apply a decorative pattern (for example, imitation of stone or wood) directly on the HDF board. When using this technology, production labor costs are reduced, because there is no need to additionally deal with the creation of a decorative layer and the use of paper / cardboard.
If the manufacturer uses ELESGO technology, then the manufacturing process implies a special way to create a top protective layer of the coating. The hardening of resin and other liquid components in this case occurs under the influence of an electron beam, while machines for pressing and high-temperature exposure are not used. Also, among the differences, one can single out the fact that when using this production method, acrylate resins are used, and not standard melamine.
ELESGO implies that the top layer of the laminate will consist of three additional layers at once. During the production process, the decorative layer is covered with two layers of overlay at once, which were made from acrylate resins and corundum. This approach allows you to give the laminated floor sufficiently high strength characteristics, increased resistance to scratches and operational abrasion.
After connecting these three layers, the resulting "pie" is irradiated with an electron beam, which allows the materials to harden and create an elastic film of increased strength on the surface.
Further, the production of the laminate takes place in a standard way: a temperature-active adhesive composition is applied to the HDF board from both sides, after which all the main layers of the laminated panel are pressed under the influence of high temperature and a press.
The main advantage of using the ELESGO technology is that solvents are not used in the manufacturing process, which makes it possible to obtain products with the highest possible level of environmental friendliness. Acrylate resin compositions are antistatic, as transparent as possible, so the decorative layer obtained in this way has an excellent appearance.
Sawing and milling
To obtain laminated panels of the desired size, sawing and milling are used at the last stage of laminate production. Laminate sheets are cut into boards of the required size using special sawing equipment.
As soon as the panels are cut, they are sent for milling, where the creation of a locking system of the laminated coating, cutting of spikes and grooves in the end part of the panel takes place. The lock system from different manufacturers may have a different configuration - everything will depend on the technologies and solutions used.
After sawing and milling, many manufacturers additionally treat the boards with waterproof wax compounds in order to endow the material with moisture-resistant characteristics. Only after that, finished products are cleaned, packed, stored and transported to points of sale.
The manufacturing process of laminate flooring is constantly being improved. The following areas are actively developing:
- Modernization of the production process as a whole.
- Technological modernization of laminated panels (improving the functionality and durability of lock joints, endowing the boards with thermal and sound insulation characteristics, improving the resistance of the entire coating to liquids, etc.).
- Improving the appearance of a laminated floor (using various design solutions, creating material structure, varying the shapes and sizes of finished products).
Every year, the characteristics of the laminate are improving, so soon this type of flooring will become the most popular among private and corporate clients. As the quality of the panels improves, in a highly competitive environment, there is also a price reduction, so everyone can afford a modern laminate today.
There are a number of key points in the laminate production technology, compliance with the rules and regulations allows you to achieve results in a short time. Laminate is produced in the form of thin sheets, their thickness is 7–11 mm, with dimensions of 1.0–1.4 m by 0.2 m. The products are to be assembled by sequential attachment using spikes and grooves provided along the edges.
Other types of flooring materials are also popular: parquet, carpet, linoleum, tile. But the laminated coating remains the leader due to its practicality and durability.
This is explained by the obvious advantages of laminate over other coatings:
- Its cost is much lower than that of parquet, carpet or tiles.
- The coating is superior to linoleum in moisture resistance, wear resistance and abrasion resistance.
- A huge selection of textures and colors attracts not only the end user, but also design professionals.
Classification
Laminate classes distinguish commercial 31–34 and household 21–23. Home-use laminate flooring lasts no more than five years, so wear-resistant and impact-resistant commercial material is increasingly being used in everyday life. All of them differ in performance and price.
The classification of coatings is approved by the EU directive, samples are tested according to the following indicators:
- strength;
- abrasion resistance;
- soundproof properties;
- moisture resistance.
The higher the class, the better the listed properties of the laminate. Class 32 laminate flooring is guaranteed to last 15-20 years, and class 31 - 10-15 years. In addition to classes, there is such a marking as AC. It denotes the wear resistance of the coating and varies from 3 to 6.
Features of 31 class
A similar product is chosen for floor coverings of apartments. It is better to lay it in rooms where they will be used lightly.
Characteristic indicators:
- laminate thickness from 6 to 8 mm;
- surface smoothness;
- the need for an underlayment when laying.
The installation of such material is suitable for installing a base in a bedroom or office, where households spend a minimum of time.
Secrets of the 32nd grade
This type of laminate is the most preferred option for apartment floors. The coverage in a residential area will last about 15 years, and for an office, the service life is three times less. Product Features: 
- thickness is 7–12 mm;
- it is necessary to use an underlay for this class;
- resistance to cleaning agents;
- embossed, anti-slip coating;
- shockproof;
- there is a layer of wax to protect the joints from liquids.
The following classes are of even higher quality. It is important to understand for what purposes coverage is required: this will allow you not to overpay for unnecessary properties.
Specification 33 class
For heavy loads, you should choose a similar laminate: its service life is 20 years, but there are other advantages: 
- Durability, resistance to abrasion, temperature, sun, moisture.
- Good sound insulation allows you to abandon the substrate.
- Suitable for special purpose rooms equipped with many electrical appliances due to antistatic properties.
- High quality locks for assembly.
The product is suitable for office premises, apartments of large families, pet owners.
Class 34 Benefits
Robust and durable look for use in public areas, especially advantageous in sports halls. Sometimes this class is given a lifetime warranty, its thickness is 10-12 mm.
Advantages of class 43
This is a novelty in the market of building materials, it showed itself perfectly in rooms with increased exploitation. Only a few manufacturers make laminate. Instead of fiberboard, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used to make this laminate. Advantages and Features:
- actively used for the kitchen, balcony, bathroom and bath;
- high flexibility and strength;
- manufacturers guarantee 25 years of coating service.
The use of an underlay before laying this coating is not required.
Despite the long service life or the high class of the product, it is worth using it carefully, wringing out the rag well before cleaning. If, when laying a laminate, it is impossible to install a panel due to an obstacle, then the craftsmen cut off the lock or part of it to fix the panel with special glue.
Manufacturing Equipment
For the production of laminate, several pieces of equipment are required, the main machines and mechanisms of the master include the following units:
- multifunctional sawing machine;
- special hot press;
- milling machine;
- mechanical packer.
In addition to the main list, there are additional pieces of equipment: a loader, a drying chamber. The minimum set of technical equipment will cost 1.5 million rubles.
Production technology and its features
In Europe, in the 80s of the XX century, they began to produce laminate flooring. Laminate is a simplified common version of the name. Now the bulk of this material is produced in Europe. The launch of a laminate production line is complicated by the peculiarities of the raw materials.
In the structure of the laminate, 4 layers are distinguished, they make the product durable and wear-resistant. Improvements in performance are achieved by increasing the layers, but the main 4 remain unchanged:
- The overlay or top layer serves to protect against the mechanical consequences of operation, chemical influences, and sunlight.
- A decorative layer is a special paper or foil to imitate different structures of wood, tiles and other materials.
- The middle layer of the laminate consists of a fibreboard and has good strength properties.
- The bottom layer is made of resin impregnated or waxed paper, it protects the material from impact, abrasion and liquid penetration.
The bottom layer is sometimes made of plastic, the total thickness of the two upper layers varies from 0.2 mm to 0.9 mm. The thickness of the bottom layer is in the range from 0.1 to 0.8 mm.
There are five stages in the laminate production technology:
- Production of high-density fibreboard.
- Saturation, impregnation of the surface of the product is a process called impregnation.
- Cladding workpiece.
- Cut.
- Milling.
- Packing.
The laminated board is formed from HDF board (high density fibreboard). There are several methods for producing laminate:
- HPL - using high pressure.
- CPL - conveyor production.
- DPL - direct pressing.
- CML or RML - continuous pressing of several layers.
- PDL is a drawing printing technology.
- ELESGO is a method of drying the surface of an electron beam.
Differences in laminate production methods
With HPL technology, materials are glued together in a cold, warm or hot way, this process is called laminating. Gluing with high temperature allows to achieve high quality, so hot laminating is often used.
Before gluing, the surface is cleaned of dust, after which glue and hardener are evenly applied. Two parts are passed through a press, gluing together at a temperature of about two hundred degrees Celsius. After gluing the overlay with the decorative layer, they begin to connect this part with the base and the bottom layer using glue.
The production of laminate using CPL technology is the connection of the base with the top layer through pressing. The layers are passed through rollers at high temperature. Craftsmen glue several top layers and then press them to the HDF board.
DPL is characterized by the absence of gluing. The layers that have passed the impregnation process are taken, pressed at a temperature of two hundred degrees. The resin contained in the products melts, sticking them together. After drying, a monolithic plane of the top layer of the laminate is formed.
With CML or RML methods, kraft paper is used to increase strength, such an additive leads to a significant increase in the cost of the laminate.
A feature of PDL technology is a decorative pattern, but the image is placed on a fibreboard. The need for additional layers of decor is eliminated. Further production is carried out using DPL technology.
The top layer, consisting of paper with an image of two layers of overlay, is dried with an electron beam. ELESGO technology involves the use of acrylate resins for pre-impregnation of the overlay. After hardening, a strong elastic film is obtained. The layers are glued together under pressure and at high temperature.
Is such production profitable?
Establishing the production of laminate is an expensive undertaking, the total costs will exceed 800 thousand dollars. In addition to the main production, it is necessary to engage in timber and woodchip production. Such a complex enterprise is much more reliable, but the combination of costs will stop many businessmen.
Video: Laminate production
Laminate occupies a leading position among many types of facing materials. This is due to its undeniable advantages: impeccable appearance, durability, reliable operation, easy installation. The wear resistance of this material is ensured by the production technology, which appeared in the last century. Having survived to this day, it has undergone significant changes, but today only the positive experience of manufacturers is used. What is the laminate and what is the process of its manufacture?
The laminated board consists of four layers. Top - is a protective coating of malamine and acrylic resins, it is necessary so that the panels do not leave marks, scratches, abrasions and punching as a result of walking. The next one is decorative. It depends on him the compatibility of the flooring with other attributes of furniture and interior. The third layer, undoubtedly, is the main one in the composition of the laminate, it is responsible for the rigidity, strength and other characteristics of the product. The basis is equipped with special locks for connection of panels. Below is a stabilizing layer, which is needed to protect the boards from deformation. There are products with an additional fifth layer, usually such panels have a higher level of sound insulation.
How is the material produced?
The main components of the production of laminated panels are chipboard, MDF and HDF boards. Any laminate production technology is based on the use of these materials, today DPL, CPL, DPR, HPL methods are used. However, in each case, the process consists in connecting all the layers under the action of high temperatures and pressure.
DPL technology is considered the most common, it is used by 90 percent of foreign and domestic enterprises. We already know what laminate is made of and that the main element in it is fibreboard. It is polished until normal conditions for gluing are created. Having connected all the layers, the tile is sent under the press. The duration of sintering does not exceed one minute, during which time the layers are firmly glued to the base and to each other. Aluminum oxide, which is added to the composition, gives additional strength to the product. Corundum, as it is also called, significantly increases the wear resistance of the product and increases the strength class at times.
High-tech equipment is used for the manufacture of panels. A special mold guarantees high-quality embossing. The output material is a monolithic product, which is very difficult to destroy. For the production of elements of various structures, a special matrix is used, which is located in the press; if necessary, it can be replaced.
Glassmaking equipment melts quartz sand, chalk, limestone, dolomite and other raw materials, resulting in transparent surfaces with mechanical properties (density, hardness, brittleness, etc.). The addition of dyes, brighteners and other components will be needed to make products with a specific structure, color or texture. By changing the composition of the feedstock, glasses with the required characteristics and physical properties are obtained.
How glass production is organized:
- The material for the manufacture of glasses is loaded into the supply hoppers with weight control by weighing equipment. Quartz sand and other components are mixed and fed into the melting furnaces by a belt conveyor.
- Raw materials are melted in liquid/gaseous fuel or electric furnaces. The melting point reaches +1600 °C. The automation of such equipment regulates the supply of material and fuel, the intensity of heating and other parameters.
- The molten mass is cleaned, cooled to +500 - 600 °C and fed into containers to form a glass ribbon. With the help of roller devices, the edges are cut and the glass is stretched to the desired thickness (up to 12 mm). The automatic system controls the width, temperature and other characteristics of the tape, simplifies glass production.
- The glass ribbon is annealed and processed to relieve internal stresses, prepare for cutting and other technological operations.
- Longitudinal, transverse cutting of the glass tape ensures the production of finished products of specified dimensions. Remains and broken glass are sent for further processing, which reduces the cost of the final product.
- Glasses are packed and sent to a warehouse or customers.
The properties and technical characteristics of products manufactured on glass processing equipment comply with the provisions of GOST 111-2014, GOST R 54170-2010 and other standards.
Technical equipment for glass production
For production sites, you can buy automatic lines and individual units:
- batch mixing plants;
- devices for loading raw materials;
- pot-type glass melting furnaces or in the form of baths (electric, gas-electric, open flame);
- glass annealing furnaces;
- installations for cutting and trimming edges;
- conveyor devices for moving products;
- automatic devices for control of parameters of work.
The catalog contains items that allow you to organize the production of colorless straight glass with a flat surface, colored products, glass and mirrors for vehicles. The price of such automatic or semi-automatic lines depends on the selected configuration, technical characteristics of the finished product. In most cases, retrofitting is possible in the future to increase productivity and reduce glass production costs.
Fashionable and relatively "young" flooring appeared in the 80s of the last century and quickly gained popularity among consumers. Despite the wide variety of textures and shades on the market, more and more people prefer high-quality and relatively inexpensive laminated material, which is an excellent alternative to traditional linoleum, carpet and parquet board.
Among the main advantages of laminate - strength, ease of maintenance and a wide range of applications. This flooring is successfully used in apartments, houses and offices. It is a thin multi-layer panel, each layer of which is made of different materials, which allows to achieve excellent performance characteristics of the material.
When was laminate introduced?
The history of laminate production goes back to 1977, when the first laminated board was created by the Swedish company Pergo. Of course, the product was significantly different from the coating we are used to - it consisted of two layers connected with a thermosetting adhesive by hot pressing. The new material was called "laminated plastic" (laminated plastic), and its production technology (HPL - High Pressure Laminate), which turned out to be very expensive, continued to improve.
It took almost 10 years for another company, Hornitex, to introduce a new technology for the production of laminate - the direct pressing method (DPL - Direct Pressure Laminate). In the new product, the number of layers increased to four, and their composition began to include foil impregnated in phenolic and melamine resins.
A little later, the German company HDM proposed a fundamentally new technology, the essence of which was to create a laminate board coated with an acrylate layer. The decorative film hardened under the influence of an electron beam, and the technology was called EOF.
In our country, laminated flooring appeared not so long ago - about 15-20 years ago. The first laminated boards were notable for their high cost and were inaccessible to the mass consumer. Nowadays, thanks to the constant improvement of laminate production technologies, new players are entering the market, offering high-quality coating at an affordable price.
If earlier all the production of laminate was concentrated in Europe, now you can purchase products from Asian and Russian manufacturers, which are distinguished by a lower price. Traditionally, the best material is German-made laminate, as well as French, Belgian and Swedish. By the way, some European laminate factories have opened their representative offices in Russia, which made it possible to reduce the cost of the coating manufacturing process and, accordingly, offer a product of an average and low price category. The first Russian manufacturing companies were Kronostar and Kronospan, subsidiaries of well-known European brands, later they were replaced by brands created by domestic entrepreneurs.
The main technologies for the manufacture of laminate boards
Technologies for the production of laminate in different factories may vary, but the principle of manufacturing laminated boards is largely similar. The first stage involves the manufacture of high-density fiberboard, the quality of which determines the mechanical strength and moisture resistance of the future coating. The main raw material for the production of such a fibreboard is steamed, crushed to the desired fraction and dried wood chips. It is obtained using special machines that cut the tree peeled from the bark into small pieces.
Resins, binders, antiseptics and paraffin are added to the material obtained in the refiner. The process of impregnating fiberboard used to make the top layers of a laminated board is called impregnation. The future class of the finished product depends on it, because. as a result of impregnation, the wear resistance and strength of the future coating increase. To impregnate the material, baths filled with a resin solution with various additives are used. The mass impregnated with it is sent to the drying chambers, and then to the primary pressing unit.
There, the woodchip carpet becomes thinner by almost 5-7 times (air is squeezed out of it) and takes the form of a slab. The primary formation of the plate surface occurs at a temperature of 200-300°C and a pressure of about 300 MPa. As a result of repeated pressing, the plate warms up to 190°C under a pressure of 40-120 MPa. The final leveling of the slab surface is carried out under a pressure of 60-150 MPa.
A conveyor belt, which is part of the laminate production line, moves the pressed fiber to the machine, on which the carpet is cut into pieces, in accordance with the specified dimensions (most often 2800 x 4140 mm). In order for the plates to acquire a stable structure, they are placed in a special cooler for 20-30 minutes, after which they are stacked for several days.
Next, the pressed boards are sent to the formatizer - equipment for the production of laminate, which cuts the workpiece in half and grinds it, making the surface perfectly smooth and the thickness equally even. To obtain a moisture-resistant laminate, some manufacturers impregnate the resulting plate with special moisture-repellent agents.
At the next stage, the blanks are sent to the pressing area, where they are lined with paper-resin films and an overlay (from the English overlay - the top layer). As already mentioned, today manufacturers use several technologies for the production of laminate, or rather, technologies for connecting individual layers to each other.
The most common is the DPL method, according to which all layers of the laminate are pressed together simultaneously under the influence of high temperatures. The use of glue is not expected, since the layers impregnated with a resin solution, during the hot pressing process, turn into a single monolithic surface of the board. If additional layers of kraft paper are used, then this technology is called CML or RML.
PDL-pressing technology allows you to apply a decorative pattern directly on the board, which eliminates the need for a top decorative layer of paper. Otherwise, the PDL technology repeats the steps described earlier.
If manufacturers use ELESGO technology, the main difference from previous pressing methods is the overlay hardening process. Coated with acrylate resin, it is exposed to an electron beam. The end product is considered more environmentally friendly, and the more transparent acrylate resin provides better visibility of the top layer.
Special machines for the production of laminate make it possible to produce boards with both a smooth and textured surface that repeats the relief of natural wood. Using sawing devices, the pressed panels are cut into elements, then spikes and grooves (laminate locks) are cut out, which allow the individual flooring boards to be fastened together and lubricated with a wax coating that prevents moisture from entering inside. At the final stage of the production process, the boards are packed in bundles and sent to the warehouse.
Despite the availability of seemingly perfected technologies for the production of laminated coatings, specialists do not get tired of improving them, offering even better, durable and moisture-resistant material with improved sound-absorbing properties. In addition, work on the creation of new forms, original patterns and textured surface of the laminate board does not stop, which reduces the existing differences between natural parquet, tiles and laminate to a minimum.
