Highly Automated Edge Sealing of Wood-Based Panels
Bielefeld, March 24, 2026 – “Edges – the weak point in the processing of panel materials!” This is a statement frequently heard from manufacturers. Now, Hymmen’s edge coating technology closes the gap in the panel finishing process by covering not only the surfaces but also the edges.
Although the surfaces of panel materials are sealed or finished using highly automated, industrial-scale processes, oftenmanual finishing is still required to waterproof the edges or achieve a visually flawless coating. Hymmen has now demonstrated that both surface and edge finishing, for example, in furniture and formwork panels, can be carried out flawlessly in a single pass.
The Production Process
To meet customer requirements, Hymmen coating lines offer variable working widths and adaptable line speeds. Production speeds from 10 to 120 m/min can be achieved with ease, even at line widths of up to 3,000 mm. These capabilities make the systems suitable for a wide range of industries.
In a system designed for finishing the surfaces and edges of wood-based panels, the material passes through a process that can include various steps depending on the final product and explicitly incorporates quality control stations. A typical production sequence may proceed as follows:
During infeed, the panels undergo an initial quality inspection before being transferred from the stack into the line via a “flying stack change,” which eliminates downtime between stacks. Depending on the materials to be coated, defects are then identified —on both faces as well as the front and rear edges—and subsequently repaired.
Using belt conveyors, turning devices, edge brushing machines, and—depending on the layout of the production hall—angled transfers with buffer zones, defective panels are removed from the flow while A grade material continues through the process.
In the first edge coating stage, the front and rear edges are coated; in the second stage, the longitudinal edges follow. This includes primer, basecoat, topcoat, and UV curing. The surface coating process is carried out in a similar manner.
After coating, the panels are removed from the conveyor by the portal system and stacked with precise edge alignment on one of the two stacking roller conveyors.
