Adhesive Insights: Exploring Adhesives for Fire Door Manufacturing Lines

Our customer, a fire door manufacturer, specializes in producing and installing top-quality fire doors and frames for various settings, including commercial, residential, healthcare, and education environments. In the past, they relied on external suppliers for their products, but they have recently embarked on a journey to bring their manufacturing process in-house.

The fire door manufacturer's team approached us seeking expert guidance regarding adhesive solutions for securely bonding veneers to door cores. Their objectives included:

• Scaling up production to manufacture a minimum of 50 doors weekly
• Optimizing operational efficiency and workflow
• Enhancing control over product quality

As part of this initiative, they invested around £15,000 in a hot press to ensure consistent bonding.

Given their limited experience in veneering and door manufacturing, the team sought our advice and expertise.

STICKY SMART SYSTEM

Discovery

We conducted an on-site visit to the fire door manufacturer's facilities, enabling us to gain insights into their process, product range, and project requirements. The manufacturer's team expressed their interest in developing a semi-automated process to streamline operations, ensure worker safety, and maintain consistent product quality.

Recommendation

Taking into consideration the fire resistant properties required for their finished product, as well as other project specifications, we proposed the utilization of a two-part UF resin adhesive system.

Adhesive Solution: Prefere 4114 Resin & Prefere 5278 Hardener

This liquid-liquid solution boasts an extended pot life, allowing ample working time, and can be effectively applied using a hot press with a short press time.

System Properties

• Fire resistance
• Water resistance
• Rapid curing
• Compatibility with hot, cold, or radio frequency curing methods
• Compliance with BS1203 standards

Ideal for a Range of Applications

The recommended adhesive solution is well suited for various wood products, including furniture, doors, and parquet flooring.

Trial Phase

Through a comprehensive series of nine trials conducted in collaboration with the fire door manufacturer's team, we consistently achieved the desired outcomes. By meticulously varying adhesive volume, coverage, curing times, and press temperatures, we identified the most efficient production process.

Moreover, we extended guidance regarding the application of Anti-stikk, a release agent employed to eliminate adhesive residues, ensuring the maintenance of clean tools and equipment.

Implementation

We proceeded to provide hands-on training to the fire door manufacturer's team, equipping them with the skills and confidence necessary for precise adhesive application. We also imparted insights into maintaining efficient and secure processes.

Ongoing Support

To facilitate the fire door manufacturer's seamless operations, they now procure the recommended solution in bulk drums. In response, we offered additional advice on equipment to facilitate the safe lifting and handling of these drums, thereby minimizing the risk of accidents or spillages.

Achieved Outcomes

Consistent production of 50 doors per week

Immediate realization of production targets post-implementation

Successful creation of veneers using diverse materials, including beech, paper, oak, and laminate products