FDM
PANEL PROCESSING

fdmonline.com

L ightweight panel
tech nology set to take off
These panels strive for high mechanical
properties with much lower weight.
by Urs Buehlmann, Virginia Tech

Lightweight panel materials are in high demand among ready-to-as-semble furniture manufacturers and are gaining more converts in other segments of the wood products industry on a daily basis.

Innovations in the area of manufacturing, edgebanding and fastening of lightweight panels have created vast opportunities for companies to create special designs while controlling costs and weight. Lightweight is not only an environmentally smart choice, but also means lower material and transportation cost.

A variety of lightweight panels are available. The most widely used lightweight panels are made of a paper-based honeycomb material sandwiched between two thin particleboard or MDF panels. Lightweight panels, defined as panels lighter than 500 kg/m3, strive for high mechanical properties similar to particleboard or MDF combined with much lower weight, an aspiration that has been met with the new lightweight panel products on the market today.

Despite their light weight and hollow
cores, lightweight panels can largely be
processed on standard
_WEB equipment using
only

For an in-depth article

^{fdmonli ne.com}on light weight panels visit, www.fdmonline. com.

standard processes. While special fasteners are needed, they can be inserted and processed using standard equipment.

Lightweight technology does enable manufacturers to offer their customers new designs. It also allows manufacturers to go after new markets.

Many industry experts agree that
lightweight panels could
be the next big thing.

Virginia Tech,
FDM and
CabinetMaker
magazines, in
conjunction with
Stiles Machinery
Inc., will be offering
a two-day lightweight
panel symposium featuring
materials, processing and design specialists
in lightweight panel technology in Grand
Rapids, Mich., Nov. 17 and 18, (first sym-
posium) and Nov. 19 and 21, 2008 (second
symposium, repeat of first symposium).

The first day will provide general information and enable attendees to learn about providers of lightweight panel products. Martin Stosch, a lightweight panel expert from Germany, with other speakers, will give in-depth information about lightweight panel materials and technologies, including panel types, processing technology, hardware and fasteners, and consumer preferences. Their presentations will be backed by take-home documentation covering all

Symposium
discusses
ightweight
panels

Besides promises of lower costs (not restricted to raw materials, but including transportation, manufacturing and installation costs) they bring new freedom to the design and engineering of wood products. Lightweight panels use less materials and energy to make and transport, and making them a green product can only help with their appeal for consumers and producers. ●

aspects of lightweight panels as a tool for further learning and reference. VT and FDM and CabinetMaker magazines will also present details about their “ Lightweight Panels in North America” survey. Lightweight panel technology, equipment and hardware suppliers will be present to answer any questions.

A second day will be spent experiencing lightweight panel technology hands-on on the shop floor, making, formatting, edgebanding, assembling and finishing lightweight panel products. The hands-on technology setup will include a lightweight panel line, a panel saw, edgebanding technology for lightweight panels, as well as hardware insertion and assembly, and will be held in cooperation with Stiles Machinery. Experts from all areas of lightweight panel technology will again be available to interact with symposium attendees.