Content area
Full Text
Abstract
Protection of the fragile honeycomb core material in hollow-core panels has long been a subject of interest for the manufacturers because it is necessary to seal the panel edges to prevent damage. Traditionally this has been accomplished by using edge banding, which has the added benefit of improving panel bending strength and stiffness. This study focuses on evaluating the effects of edge banding on the bending strength and stiffness properties of honeycomb core panels. The honeycomb panels were made with a combination of different face sheet materials (3-mm hardboard or 6-mm medium-density fiberboard [MDF]), rail types (particleboard or yellow poplar [Liriodendron tulipifera]), and rail widths (10 or 38 mm), and had edge-band materials fixed to their long edges using either direct coating, stabilizer edge, or surface folding techniques.
Panels made with the 6-mm MDF face sheet and 38-mm poplar rails had the highest strength properties. To safely apply edge banding to honeycomb core panels, a solid edge reinforcement material is required to prevent the core material from being crushed during the process. The surface folding technique was the best method of edge banding and significantly enhanced the maximum bending moment of honeycomb core panels-more than twice that of panels without edge banding.
The use of lightweight honeycomb sandwich panels in the furniture industry poses a number of challenges, including how to effectively seal and reinforce the edges of the honeycomb panel. The edges must be sealed to protect the face and core materials from damage (liquids, moisture, and impact), provide support for conventional hardware to be inserted, and permit the panels to be fastened to other structures (Bitzer 1997, Moody et al. 2007).
Strips of solid wood veneer, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or composite materials (medium-density fiberboard [MDF], particleboard, and oriented strand board) have been used as reinforcements for the edges of honeycomb panels during panel manufacture. Industry typically uses edge reinforcements that are large enough to bear a panel's loading requirement (Egger Eurolight 2007). Common edge-banding techniques for honeycomb panels include direct coating, stabilizer edge, and surface folding (Stosch 2008). The edge band runs along the long edges of the honeycomb panels sometimes over a strip of edge reinforcement termed the "stile." It serves to seal panel edges with a decorative finish and...