Vacuum Press for Veneer Lamination

Vacuum press is a pressing machine that uses vacuum force. At the gluing process, we always need a static force to hold the glued pieces to stick together until the glue is dry and set. The machine is sucking the air in the gluing room to create the vacuum force to press the wood pieces. The vacuum press is the tool to do the lamination on the complex forms. It can be used as laminate veneer for flat panels, curved panels, arched jams, shaped parts, cylinders, etc. The machine is also portable; it can be used to laminate the veneer at the built-up product, such as a lobby, pole, post, wall, or spiral staircase.

The laminating process is about the same with the laminating with the other press machine. The wood veneer and the core are layered with glue. The proper type and amount of glue is needed. Then, after the veneer is attached at the core, a plastic bag is used to wrap and cover the workpiece. The air inside the bag is pumped out to make a vacuum room. The vacuum force is used to press the veneer to keep it stuck with the core until the glue is dry and a strong bond is obtained. After the glue is dry, we can open the bag to get the veneered panel. 

The advantages of vacuum press:

•   Relatively inexpensive

Vacuum press machine is relatively simple and inexpensive equipment. The main equipment is the plastic bag and air pump. The plastic bag has to be strong and tigh enough to produce vacuum room. The manometer is equipped to see and control the vacuum force.

• Flexible.

The machine is lightweight and flexible to accommodate the uneven and complex form. It can be used to laminate the veneer at the curved panels and uneven and complex panels. It is also available to laminate many panels with many sizes and forms. The machine is portable and easy to be installed to do the lamination on the products that have been built, such as stairs, doors, or architectural products.

The disadvantage is:

• Long time pressing.

Since no oven is equipped, the drying of the glue will happen at room temperature. It makes the gluing and pressing time take a long time. With the hot press machine, the glue will dry and set in 2 minutes, but with this machine we need at least 15 minutes to let the glue dry.

• Limited pressing power.

This tool uses vacuum force to do the pressing. The maximum power that can be generated is limited to the atmospheric pressure (15 pounds per square inch). It cannot be used to do the pressing stuff that requires a high-power press. It cannot do the pressing for the several layers panel at the same time. 

This press machine is more suitable to do the lamination process in a small volume job. It can accommodate the varied product, but it needs relatively long processing. If we do the flat panel but with big volume, then the hot press machine is a more suitable machine.