Ureka solves the veneer delamination problems of a top quality office furniture manufacturer

Case study showing how Ureka helped Herman Miller to overcome their bonding issues and drastically reduce reject rates, and significantly increase throughout

Key Infomation

Solving veneer delamination

Reduce reject rate

Increase production output

Veneer adhesive range

Featured Products

Prefere 4114 UF Veneering Resin

Pfohl GL150 Glue Roller

BACKGROUND

This client is a long-established and well-respected manufacturer of office furniture, developing products to improve the performance of its customers’ organisations.

CHALLENGE

New machinery was falling short of our clients usual high standards when the veneering process delivered inconsistent results for bonding.

-Unacceptable reject rate for products
-Time, materials and resources wasted
-Unable to realise potential of capital investment

Having invested in a new press line for veneering wooden desks, doors and other furniture items, the client wanted to bring its veneering in-house to enjoy both time and cost savings.

FINDINGS:

We identified that the operatives were using an incorrect adhesive, designed for laminate products rather than natural timber veneers, and an unsuitable applicator, delivering inconsistent coverage of the adhesive.

-Incorrect adhesive – using a product designed for laminating, not veneering
-Unsuitable applicator & Inconsistent adhesive coverage – using a roller unable to deliver consistent coverage

DISCOVER

Prior to meeting with the team, we had a good idea on what was causing the product failures – the wrong adhesive. On visiting the facilities and viewing the teams’ veneering processes, we were able to pinpoint the problems.

We identified that the operatives were using an incorrect adhesive, one designed for use on man-made products (for laminating), rather than natural timber materials (for veneering). Additionally, the use of an unsuitable applicator, a standard paint roller, was delivering inconsistent coverage of the adhesive.

Successful bonding – 'whether as veneering or laminating - requires four key elements: the right adhesive, correct application, consistent coverage, and optimum press cycle time.'

SOLOUTION:

Correct adhesive – developed specifically for use on natural timber materials
Effective applicator – to deliver consistent coverage every time
Optimum temperature & press time – to cure the adhesive and achieve successful bonding

RECOMMEND

We recommended use of a UF resin adhesive (Prefere 4114)– ideal for bonding natural timber veneers. This durable adhesive has been developed to withstand ‘movement’ within natural veneers, to prevent blistering or bubbling. We also recommended the use of an effective applicator – a Pfohl glue roller – which dispenses adhesive accurately and evenly.

TRIAL

With the right resources in place, we then ran trials to recommend optimum temperatures and times to run the press line at, to cure the adhesive. We also delivered training to the machinery operatives, demonstrating both correct and incorrect methods to give them confidence in the process and aid their understanding of bonding.

Walking the team through the impact of each element of successful bonding gave the client extra knowledge to be applied in other areas of its production facilities – for example: right adhesive but wrong applicator, coverage, and press time; or, right adhesive, applicator and coverage but wrong press time. This process also allowed us to identify the optimum press time for their operations, allowing them to vary the temperatures and times used, should increased or decreased output levels be required.

Results: Seeing immediate improvements, Herman Miller implemented our recommendations for its press line.

-Reduced reject rate
-Improved product finish and quality
-Streamlined production process & timings

IMPLEMENT

To implement the correct veneering process we have armed the clients team with the right equipment (a Pfohl roller) and a crib sheet of suitable temperature/time combinations for curing, as well as directly supplying the correct adhesive (Prefere 4114)

SUPPORT

Since our first visit, we’ve returned to refine their veneering process to suit changed operations at the facilities. We have also trained new team members, to ensure the bonding process remains consistent and effective.

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