NE

Edit
ion W
200
9

Steel belts for the production of

wood based panels

Foreword

The production of this booklet has

involved the input and support
of a number of technical experts.
Particular credit is due to the
following people:
Editors:
J.O. Jonsson, Senior Technical Manager
WBP Industry
AB Sandvik Process Systems
S-81181 Sandviken
Sascha Porst, Regional Sales Manager
Sandvik Surface Solutions
(former Hindrichs-Auffermann)
Mhlenfeld 101
D-58256 Ennepetal/Germany
Ralf Griesche, Marketing Manager
Design & Engineering, Wood Division
G. Siempelkamp GmbH & Co.,
D-47803 Krefeld/Germany
Detlef Kroll, Engineering Manager,
Dieffenbacher GmbH & Co., KG
Heilbronner Str. 20
D-75031 Eppingen/Germany
Andreas Lentner,
Vice President Sales and Marketing
Hymmen GmbH Maschinen - und Anlagenbau
D-33613 Bielefeld

The steel belt is one of the most versatile tools available to industry and is found
in applications as diverse as baking, chemical processing, materials handling,
wood based panel production and, in recent years, paper manufacturing too.
As far as the wood based panels industry is concerned, the steel belt is the
fundamental machinery element in all continuous presses, be they rotation or
double belt presses. In short, steel belts are essential to the ongoing success of
this technology.
The publication of this handbook has only been possible through the much
appreciated co-operation of companies such as Siempelkamp, Dieffenbacher,
Hymmen, Pagnoni, Held and ,previously, Ksters and Metso Panelboard (Bison),
who have contributed pictures, illustrations and valuable comments.
As a neutral supplier to all these companies, and others, our position is clear.
Whoever we are supplying, we do so with one sole objective to deliver the
best quality steel belt, together with all associated services, and to be a
competent and reliable partner for OEMs and end-users wherever they are in
the world.
We hope you find this book both interesting and informative.

Ulrich Koletzki, Sales Manager

Held Technologie GmbH
Weigheimer Str. 11
D-78647 Trossingen-Schura
Ennio Codogno,Technical Manager
Pagnoni Impianti s.r.l
I-20040 Aicurzio-(Mi)/Italy
Gottfried Bluthardt (former Sales
Manager Presses)
Metso Panelboard
Press & Energy Division
D-30559 Hannover

Consultant and German copy writing:

Hansgert Soin, Senior Consultant
for Press History D-38173 Evessen/
Germany

Copyright 2009
by AB Sandvik Process Systems, Sandviken/Sweden
All rights reserved.
Printed in Germany - PS-SB-440 ENG 2.09

Steel press belts, a technology that

has revolutionized production
processes in the wood based panel
industry

I nde x
1.
Historical review
1.1 Pioneering the way to particleboard

4
4

2.

Cycle pressing technology

3.

The Bison-Mende process

4. The first continuous flat bed presses:

Bartrev - Sandvik
5. The change of opinion in favor of continuous
pressing technology
Sandvik is a high-technology
engineering group with advanced
products and a world-leading
position within selected areas
tools for metal cutting, machinery
and tools for rock excavation,
products in stainless steel, special
alloys, metallic and ceramic
resistance materials as well as
process systems. Worldwide
business activities are conducted
through 300 companies and
representation in 130 countries.
Sandvik Process Systems is a world
force in the design and
manufacture of steel belts, press
plates and steel belt-based

10

10

6. Continuous pressing technology for the

production of wood based panels with
steel press belts
6.1 Continuous roller bed presses
6.1.1 Ksters/Contipress History
6.1.2 The ContiRoll system from Siempelkamp
6.1.3 Dieffenbacher CPS

13
13
14
16
22

6.1.4 Hymmen Presses

26

6.1.5 Held Technology

27

6.1.6 Pagnoni Easylam 

31

7. Steel belts for wood based panels

33

8. Sandvik Surface Solutions

press plates and endless press belts

36

9.

Innovation & investment

42

10.

Sandvik Site Service

45

11.

Questions and answers

47

industrial processing systems.

Markets served include food,
chemicals and pressing equipment
for wood and other materials.

Steel press belts, a technology that has revolutionized production

processes in the wood based panel industry
1. Historical review

2. Cycle pressing technology

Dr. Fred Fahrni of Zrich, Switzerland, reported

(HRW 1/57, p. 24) on a patent of the year 1889:
Krammer suggests gluing wood chips on canvas with
an adhesive, arranging them in parallel individual
layers, with the layers alternating lengthwise and
crosswise.The number of layers depends on the
thickness of the product. In 1905, Watson tried to
press thin wood platelets to boards of varying
thickness.

Multi-daylight presses with accompanying loading and

unloading systems were known from the much-older
fiberboard industry, which preceded particleboard by
many years.They are closely connected with the
names of two machine works located in Krefeld,
Germany: Siempelkamp and Becker & van Hllen.
(The latter withdrew from the market in the 1980s.)
Apart from the complicated handling of the thick
mats and the panels in and out of the press, the time
required for heat transfer from press to the mats was
another obstacle in reaching the goal of higher
capacities. Moreover, the steel platens had a tendency
to alter in shape under the effect of heat, which
disrupted the layers of the small wood fragments in
the mat. By using aluminum platens or, even better,
brass, these cited disadvantages could be reduced, but
the pressing time still remained unsatisfactorily long.
Faced with these disadvantages, multi-daylight
pressing gave way to the single-opening press.The
German Bison-Werke in Springe (SES Siempelkamp
since 2007) developed a semi-automatic production
system for particleboards known as the Bison system.
It is a combination of a very long single-opening press
with a rotating steel belt to carry the mat and moving
stepwise through the press.
The first plant of this type was delivered in 1957
and soon became popular. Over the next few years,
100 such presses were built.
Since then, Bison, Becker & van Hllen, Dieffen
bacher, Motala, Siempelkamp, Sunds and other
machine works have delivered over 600 singleopening presses.Their length and width increased
gradually over the years to meet growing capacity
demands, finally reaching an optimum length of
approx. 52 m.
The 1300C grade steel belt used for this process is
supplied almost exclusively by Sandvik. It is a hardened
and tempered carbon steel with an average carbon
content of 0.65% (see page 34).The single-opening
pressing procedure is uneconomical for the
production of thin panels, as the ratio between dead
time and reaction time change unfavorably in relation
to the output. Dead time is a constant, while pressing
times are variable depending on final panel thickness.

1.1. Pioneering the way to

particleboard

The worlds first particleboard factory was Torfit

Werke AG in Bremen-Hemelingen, Germany, where
a 10 tons/day-plant was in operation from 1941. In
this plant, boards with a raw density between 800
and 1100 kg/m3 (Pek-Pressholz) were produced
from a mixture of wood chips with 8-10% phenolic
resins on a single-opening press made by Becker &
van Hllen, with pressures applied up to 1000 N/cm2.
In 1943, the company supplied compact wood in raw
densities around 600 kg/m3. Shortly thereafter, the
company was bombed and was never reconstructed.
In 1942, Westdeutsche Sperrholzwerke, Wiedenbrck, a plywood mill in Germany, purchased Kauritbrand UF resins from BASF for producing boards
made from beech veneer scrap with raw densities of
700-800 kg/m3. A similar production was then started
by the plywood factory Schtte-Lanz in Mannheim,
Germany.
About that time, Dr. Fahrni launched his idea of the
three-layer boards with a middle layer of coarse chips
and outside layers of thin, laminar chip material.This
idea was first put into practice by the Keller plywood
factory in Klingnau, Switzerland. Production of
high-quality, lightweight particleboard named
Novopan was started in 1946.
In the late 1940s and into 1950s, a number of small
units with capacities of about 10 tons/day were installed.
Many were operated by furniture factories utilizing
their own wood waste material.This was a boon for
the furniture manufacturers as they could add their
own board-making facilities to their existing saw mills.

Single opening presses (SOP)

The situation is similar to that of the sanding

allowance required to obtain the correct panel
thickness.The allowance is a constant; thus, the
percentage of (expensive) resin-containing wood
material which has to be removed in the sanding
process increases with diminishing panel thickness.
To overcome these deficiencies of cycle presses, the
concept of continuous, nonstop presses was
developed.
Graphite bar for maintenance-free lubrication of steel belts for
single opening presses

main press

wear plate
idlers
graphite pad

2,500 mm

drive

forming machine

brush

steel belt

Diagram of SOP (Single Opening Press)

support rollers

1,400 mm

tracking tensioning

3. The Bison-Mende process

The first commercially successful procedure for the
continuous production of thin particleboard and
fiberboard was the Bison-Mende process.The press
is a derivative of a plant which had been designed for
continuous bonding of rubber sheets and laminating
of thermoplastic sheets (Auma press).
The process was further developed and adapted
to the requirements of wood based panel production
through close cooperation between the Mende
panel-manufacturing concern and Bison.
The process first reached the market in 1971, and
since then over 90 presses of this type have been
put into service. Many are still operating throughout
the world. An essential feature of the plant is a
continuous steel belt which runs through the forming
machine and around a heated press drum with a
diameter of 3, 4 or 5 m.The forming station can also
be separate from the steel belt. In these plants,
panels with a thickness of 2-8 mm, max. 12 mm are
produced, (lines are usually devoted to the
production of thinner panels) and widths range
from 1.2 to 2.5 m.The system was built by Bison and
Metso Panelboard up to 2007, who purchase the
basic press from Berstorff of Hanover, Germany, and
offer it as complete turnkey unit ready for operation
(see pages7-9). Nowadays, the company BINOS in
Springe/Germany are also producing Mende presses.
The total stress on the steel belt is very high in the
Mende process, as the belt is exposed to high
reversed bending and thermal stress. During each
rotation, the belt is bent six times as well as being
heated up and cooled down.The belt must
already be maintained under high tension in order
to be able to exert high pressure on the panel being
pressed. Additional pressure is applied from up to
three calibrating drums arranged around the large
heated main press drum.

Apart from the stresses mentioned above, there

are several other influences which can shorten belt
life: hard particles falling between drum and belt,
uneven shape of the mat, belt tracking problems,
scratches on the belt, corrosion, etc.
During the early stages when Sandvik 1300C belts
were used, the inherent operating conditions were
hard to overcome. In particular, the high number of
reversed bendings per rotation reduced the lifetime
of the belts to a level which was barely economical.

Moreover, due to the required heat treatment of the

weld, repair welding was very time-consuming.
For all these reasons, users showed great interest
in a steel belt quality with higher strength and easier
repairability.
This situation led Sandvik to develop Sandvik
1450SM a high-strength steel belt grade in the
mid-1970s. In 1980, it was further improved and
named 1650SM and this steel belt grade is now
used in continuous roller bed presses worldwide.
It is a precipitation-hardened, corrosion-resistant
steel which obtains its excellent mechanical
properties by a simple heat treatment in air.
Steel belt grade Sandvik 1650SM (PH) offers the
following advantages, compared with Sandvik 1300C
(see page 34/35):

Very high strength

Very high fatigue strength
Optimal strength of weld (welding factor almost 1)
Ease of repairability
Easy to weld
Deformation-resistant

As a result of the development of the high-strength

steel grade, the service life of belts increased
considerably, and the cost situation improved. By the
1990s, it became normal for a belt in a traditional
Mende plant for particleboard to be used for 30-40
months, provided that the plant is well-maintained.
The service life of belts in the new Mende plants
for MDF, however, is only 9-15 months.The reason
is that belts are much shorter and speeds much
higher, which means an increased number of load
reversals per time unit. Moreover, the pre-tension
is higher in order to achieve the higher pressure on
the mat for increased panel raw density. Finally, as the
requirements for panel integrity are very stringent,
markings from the repair welding must not be visible.
For many years the Mende system was the
unrivalled No. 1 method for continuous production
of thin particleboards. For thicker panels, the process
was unsuitable due to the bending of the boards
around the main press drum.

Press plant of Bison-Mende system

1
Cooling and belt return drum
2
Infeed and first pressing drum
3 Press belt return drum, heated,
line pressure 3,500 N/cm
4
Press belt drive drum
5
Press belt tensioning drums
6 Main press drum, heated, available
in 3, 4 or 5 m diameter
7 + 8 Pressing and calibrating drums

9 Infrared heating elements (600C) to ensure

uniform temperature of press belt
10 Steel press belt. Belt tension applies a pressure of approx. 20 N/cm2
to the product
11 Finished product outlet
12 Hydraulic tensioning unit, which also ensures
accurate belt tracking
13 Hydraulic control of infeed drum
14 Press belt cleaning brushes
15 Induction motor for cleaning brush

Pressing station

Spreading station

Cutting or sanding station

Bison-Mende system using a single belt for forming and pressing

Pressing station

High-frequency
preheater

Spreading station

Cutting station

Bison-Mende system using high-frequency preheating for increased capacity. Forming belt and steel press belt are separate.
Directly before the press infeed, a discharge device can be opened above a pit for faulty batches.

Typical data for a 3.2 mm panel

Rawboard density

800 kg/m3 5%

Bending strength

35-50 kg/mm2

Wood portion of the panel

750 kg/m3

Glue portion of the panel

90 kg/m3

Electricity

300 kWH/m3

Heat required for dryer

2 GJ/m3

Heat required for press

0.4 GJ/m3

Steam required for refiner

500 kg/m3

With the Bison-Mende system, the pressed panel continuous ribbon returns above the plant and is sanded inline
(not shown in the picture) and cross-cut. The crosscut saw is designed so that it can operate with short cutting cycles.

View of the outfeed of the press in

the Bison-Mende system, showing the
press belt on the tension drum

4. The first continuous

flat bed presses
Bartrev
Bartrev presses were equipped with platens arranged
as plate chains which rotated in the machine
supported on two rollers on each side similar to
caterpillar tracking.The individual platens were lined
up horizontally without a gap between them: however,
they were also covered by steel belts, which could be
cleaned more easily than the plates.The lower steel
belt also transported the mat through the pre-press,
the HF heating electrode and the press. Only the
chains had a drive; the steel belts were dragged along
with them. However, the wear of the pressplates was
too much so the experiment ended in the 1960s.

10

Sandvik
Sandvik Process Systems was the first company to
design and manufacture a continuous Double-Belt
Press System and its design principle is still used for
continuous belt presses today: Multiple rolling bars
guide the steel belt on one side and establish the heat
transfer to the product via the heat plate on the
other side.The process is continuous and the product
is moved by the upper and lower belt. A similar
design is employed in double-belt cooler systems.
The idea of using "rolling bars in a row" for heating
and cooling was progressive and established a long time
before it was used for wood based panel production.
The Sandvik Double-Belt Press can be used at
temperatures of up to 400C and can achieve
tolerances as fine as 0,05 mm. Such a system was
tested for pressing wood based panels and for
laminating finished chipboards.
However, as an outsider in the wood based panel
industry, Sandvik decided against further development
for this industry due to the cost and complexity of
the system. In the early 80s Sandvik backed out of the
business of designing presses for wood based panels
entirely, leaving the market mainly to Siempelkamp
and Dieffenbacher.
Today, all suppliers of press systems for the wood
based panel industry are customers of Sandvik, using
both their steel belts and their service.
Sandvik didn't leave the double-belt press market
entirely though, using its experience to concentrate
on the plastics, composite materials and laminate
industries.
To this day Sandvik remains a supplier of such

press systems and has sold more than 40 systems for

these applications. A further 200 Sandvik double-belt
press systems have been used for other applications,
e.g. artificial marble, polyester, acrylics, phenol, epoxy
and other resins, silicon, rubber, antioxidants, wax,
nylon, polyurethane foam and expanded polystyrene.

Sandvik press at Symalit

5. The change of opinion in favor of

continuous pressing technology
In complete contrast to the situation in the early
days of the panel industry, characterized by fierce
and drawn out patent disputes, the changeover to
continuous pressing took place peacefully. It was
accompanied by the evolution of suitable steel
press belts needed in the production process, as the
newer belts were able to handle considerable tensile
forces. In fact, it was the steel belt which sparked this
development.
There were many years between the completion
of the last Bartrev press and the appearance of the
first ksters press. After a period of industrial trials at
a German particleboard mill, the first ksters press
was installed on a full-time commercial production
basis at the Spano particleboard mill in Belgium.The
change of opinion was then so surprising that its
worth looking closer at the reasons behind this.
Ksters, a highly reputable supplier to the textile
and paper industries, decided to enter a third field of
activities and opened the Ksters press division in the
wood based panel industry. Since 1999, the press

spec. pressure

division has been an integrated part of the Metso

Panelboard GmbH, Hannover/Germany, and the
name of the press changed to Contipress. Spanos
ksters press, a pioneer in a new field, was a success
right from the start.
In 2007 Siempelkamp took over the Hannover
premises and, with that, production of the Ksters
Contipress was ceased (although Siempelkamp has
guaranteed to support existing presses in terms of
both service and elongations).
The first unit, of course, raised a number of
new challenges. Not only were there the start-up
problems to be overcome, but also the up- and
down-stream equipment had to be designed
separately and contracted out to other suppliers,
since the Ksters shops only made the press.This
was the main reason for the slow acceptance of
the ksters press and also the reason for the later
success of the Siempelkamp ContiRoll press, which
was part of a complete production line supplied from
a single source.
Moreover, a lack of incentives to change to a new

e
pr

l
ss

en

gt

Characteristic curve of the specific pressure in continuous

particleboard production: pressure build-up high-pressure zone
pressure drop calibration

technology hindered widespread acceptance at that

time. Loading and unloading techniques of cycle
presses worked perfectly and did not hamper the
continuity of materials flow.There was no actual need
to make pressing a continuous process.
In none of the publications on Bartrev presses was
there a hint as to why the risk of such an innovation
had been taken.Variable product lengths were not a
high-priority reason, and continuous = economical
was not proven.
Spano, the first successful user of a ksters press,
kept their operating experience confidential for a
certain period; however, important findings could not
be concealed from the public for long. Interested
companies had product samples made for their own
laboratories and the findings of even the simplest
test were clear: Particleboards with a raw density of
only 640 kg/m3 produced in the ksters press were
as good as boards with a density of 680 kg/m3 which
had been produced in cycle presses. The somewhatlower bending strength was outweighed by improved
internal bond transverse tensile strength.
The reasons favoring the continuous units
acceptance are the substantial differences in pressing
technology. In contrast to traditional cycle presses,
continuous presses can be operated with a defined
pressure and temperature profile over the whole
effective length.The high number of hydraulic
cylinders employed across the width of the
production line, together with the use of a thinner
heating platen, means that a continuous press is able
to deliver more efficient steam release across the full
production width. Oval steam nests, as used in cycle
presses (where steam can only evaporate via the
edges by opening the press), no longer exist.
However, material savings of 5% did not trigger
any reactions by the competitors, as long as only one
user turned this advantage into profit.This situation
changed as soon as Siempelkamp launched its
ContiRoll and Bison simultaneously presented its
Hydro-Dyn-press, the latter having a completely
different design concept.
Apart from the material savings due to reduced
density, further savings were achieved through
minimal sanding allowance.This is possible because
the continuous press imparts to the pressed panel
very compact surface layers and is already quite
accurately calibrated for thickness.The sanding
removes 0.2-0.3 mm each side of the panel

11

(continuous press), compared with 0.4-0.6 mm

(single-opening press) and 0.6-1.0 mm (multi-daylight
units). Continuous presses are economical consumers
of electrical and thermal energy.They need minimal
hydraulic forces, the only purpose of which is to
maintain the pressure applied, or to decrease or
increase it slightly, whereas cycle presses shuttle back
and forth between zero and maximum.
Also with regard to driving forces, continuous
presses show a favorable balance. Although press belt
drives must be specified sufficiently strong for starting
the press, their power consumption is considerably
reduced during continuous operation. With cycle
presses, especially multi-daylight presses for feeding,
closing and opening, each load of panels requires high
and sudden amounts of energy.
Savings of thermal energy result from the
deaeration of the web in the continuous presss
conical infeed and absence of any dead time with
radiation losses involved.
Panel-size variability is as easily achieved with
modern multi-daylight presses as with continuous
presses; however, with the former, capacity losses
have to be accepted not only in case of reduction of
width, but also of length.
As dead times are completely eliminated in
continuous presses, their capacity, depending on
product-specific heating times, remains constant. With
cycle presses, however, the capacity decreases with
decreasing product thickness, as the negative impact
of their constant dead times gains importance; for
panels below 8 mm thickness, the process becomes
uneconomical and a technological risk due to the
deaeration problems. On cycle presses, no thin panels

12

Ksters/Contipress: heating and cooling

are produced (with one exception: hard fiberboard,

which can be deaerated through the screens used in
pressing).
Technological press data show a further plus for
continuous presses.The pressing time factor
approaches 4.0 s/mm for the optimal panel thickness
of 16-19 mm. It strongly depends on press
temperature, which can reach almost 240C. Other
factors are of less, but still measurable influence: an
extension of the press length of 10 m means an
advantage of approx. 0.5 s/mm, i.e., a 40 m long press
can achieve a time saving of approx. 1.0 s/mm
compared with a 20 m press.The pressing width
obviously plays a more-important role with cycle
presses than with continuous presses.This is due to
the deaeration problems mentioned above. For cycle
presses, an increase of press time of 0.5 s/mm per
300 mm effective width is mentioned. If it amounted
to about 5.0 s/mm for one of the 1.2 m (4-ft) wide
pioneer units, it would amount to 7.0 s/mm for an 8-ft
unit. Spano, however, mentioned only a time
difference of 0.5 s/mm, between the narrowest
(1850 mm) and the widest (2630 mm) ksters press.
Another possibility of press time reduction with
system-dependent efficiency is cooling under
pressure without loss of heat energy. Since a cooling
section reduces internal steam pressure in the panel
effectively, press times can be shortened and partly
converted into curing time. Furthermore, the press
can be entered with higher mat moistures, thus
resulting in higher production capacity as a result
of improved heat transfer. Other advantages are a
decrease in board swelling and an increase in board
moisture which is closer to the equilibrium moisture
content.
Unfortunately, this cooling is in direct contradiction
to the heating-up of the press. An economic cooling
of single-opening or multi-daylight presses is not
possible due to the mass of the heating platen, which
has to be cooled down and heated up again in each
pressing cycle. Even in continuous presses the amount
of heat energy stored in the material of the rolling
system has been too high to allow economic cooling.
It was Ksters once again who, in 1997, solved this
problem.The latest generation of ksters press is
equipped with an integrated cooling zone at the
outlet end of the press.The rolling system of the
ksters press, a chain system, is driven by pressure
between heating platens, product and the turning

steel belts, whereas no separate drives are needed.

The chain system can be easily divided into two separate
systems within an extremely short distance, splitting
the press into a heating zone and a cooling zone.
This means that the chain in the heating zone
remains hot and the chain in the cooling zone
remains cool all the time.
Therefore, in the cooling zone of the ksters
press only the steel belts have to be cooled in
addition to the board, not the rolling system. The
effective cooling zone length covers 25% - 30% of
the total press length.
The first four ksters press-based MDF lines
featuring integrated cooling zones went into
succesful operation in 1998 and by 2001 the first
such paricleboard line together with further MDF
lines had also been supplied.
The wear of roller elements, however, is an almost
negligible cost factor.Todays steel press belts are no
longer the high-cost factor they were in earlier times
either, as the alloys are constantly being improved, the
belts made thicker and stronger and repair easier.
After more than two decades of the ksters press
operation, the estimates are becoming more reliable.
Cycle presses, based on industry experience, must
be replaced after 20 years at the latest.Their frames
and hydraulic elements are subject to wear and fatigue
due to the pressing cycles.This does not apply to
continuous presses. In fact, the oldest ksters press,
installed in 1977 at Spano, remains fully operable.
Therefore, a lifetime of 30 years could be realistic,
provided that the press is properly serviced.
There is one obvious argument against continuous
presses: they need more-sensitive controls. Cycle
presses are comparable to a blacksmiths hammers,
whereas continuous presses are more like punching
tools. Continuous presses must be in thermal balance
in order to function properly.
Sensitivity to the processed particle material,
however, disappears with the increasing thickness
of steel press belts. Such high-quality steels, together
with the increased thickness, reduce wear and the
belt-tracking problems which have sometimes caused
significant problems.
It can be concluded, after comparing the various
disadvantages and advantages, that the continuous
press technology absolutely is the future as we have
seen now in the new century.

6. Continuous pressing technology for the

production of wood based panels with
steel press belts
Apart from the extrusion press, there is no
continuously working press system that does not use
steel press belts.They all function according to the
principle of single-opening presses.The steel belts
known from the Bartrev press were only carriers of
the mat as they are still used in single-opening cycle
presses.The lower belt is extended to provide a
forming zone, if mat-forming is discontinuous.
6.1 Continuous roller bed presses
The steel belts used in todays continuous presses are
driven components subject to high tensile stresses,
depending on the strength of the frictional forces, and
are the principal element of such presses. Without
them, nothing would happen.
To overcome the main problem to avoid or
minimize gliding friction acting on the belt the
concept of the ball bearing has been transferred to
the belt support within the press: the press platen
corresponds to the (fixed) internal ring of the ball
bearing, the roller elements of the press systems to
the balls and the steel belt to the movable outer ring
of the bearing.
Movable elements and a number of procedures
make the difference between discontinuous pressing
techniques:
Carpets formed by roller chain strands in close
succession (see page 15) or roller bars extending
over the whole plate width (see page 20) and
rolling off between the press plates and the steel
belts, with their return strands running above/
below the press.
End drums with diameters increasing with the
press belt thickness, their surface mostly ribbed
with friction linings for transmission of the driving
forces and for safe belt control.
Infeeds which can be adapted to the different
configurations of chips, strands, flakes and fibers, to
the degree of compaction i.e. thickness and
density of the web, and to different kinds of raw
materials.
More or less flexible, sometimes articulated
upper and lower press plates, which serve in the
short high-pressure zone on the infeed side,
together with the movable press infeed, to control
the mat thickness and to influence the density.

13

The latest generation Contipress with self-stabilized press body structure

S teel press belts are active, driven elements, which

draw the product through the pressure zones,
tensioned and guided hydraulically.The precise
synchronization of upper and lower belts eliminates
any shearing forces on the product.
The press characteristics of these systems are
called isochoric, which means that they work with
varying pressures on the inevitable local differences of
raw density. Isochoric systems calibrate products to a
uniform thickness independent of such density
differences. All traditional single-opening and multidaylight presses have the same press characteristics.
Different thickness of the roller elements results in
different heat transfer between heating plate and
steel belt.This difference can be compensated by a
higher infeed temperature of the heat carrier. All
systems work at a speed of abt. 4.5 s/mm for
particleboard and abt. 9.0 s/mm for MDF.The speed
is also closely related to press length (reducing
pressing time) and press width (increasing pressing
time).

14

6.1.1 Ksters/Contipress History

After the last Bartrev press had gone out of service
(refer to section 4), some time went by before the
Ksters company in Krefeld launched a new generation
of continuous flat bed presses. In 1977, the first
ksters press was put into service at the Spano
companys particleboard mill in Belgium.
Since then, the names of both the press
(Contipress by Siempelkamp) and the customer

(METSO Panelboard) have changed but the

outstanding feature remains a rotating carpet of
individual rollers without a separate drive.
The numerous small rolls are of varying lengths;
therefore, a wave-like arrangement of the roller links
is necessary.This arrangement ensures a uniform
pressure distribution on the pressed surface, as every
point is constantly rolled-over (see page 15).
The design allows very narrow arcs of the roller
carpet, which simplifies a subdivision of the complete
press, in order to obtain a highly efficient cooling zone
on the outfeed side.The narrow pressureless area of
the separating line remains covered by the steel press
belt (see page 12).
The carpet of small rollers of only 12.5 mm in
diameter with its narrow center distance reduces the
bending stress of the steel press belts by the
counter-pressure of the compressed product a
stress which inevitably increases with the space
between bigger roller elements.
The roller carpet elements are recirculated in a
closed carpet above and below the press, on rollers
in a heat-insulated channel, where most of the
residual heat is conserved.
The fact that the rollers in the roller carpet are only
12.5 mm in diameter leads to a large surface contact
between the steel belts and the heating platens.This
in turn gives a very efficient heat transfer, meaning
that the temperature difference between the heating
platens and the belt surfaces is very low. For a
standard particleboard press, it can be as low as
10-20C.This efficient heat transfer allows lower

The roller carpet is composed of a great number of rollers (12.5 mm diameter) connected by the links. The roller carpet elements used at the
outside of the roller carpet are 550 mm wide, allowing a width variation of the product of more than 2 feet.
As a result of the different roller lengths, the fabric shows a special pattern with the characteristic wave-like lines formed by the links; this
arrangement ensures good pressure distribution and leaves no line marks on the panel.

heating oil temperatures, giving energy savings and

reducing the risk of fire. Conversely, if the
panelboard mills line is limited in productivity, a
higher oil temperature similar to other presses on the
market may be used, thereby increasing the effective
capacity of the line.
After several years of research work, a new roller
carpet design is now available to press users, thus
allowing the mill operators to change the working
width of their board production lines by more than
2 feet. With the redesign of the roller carpet to
incorporate somewhat wider roller segments, the
presses can make a swing of two feet with no loss in
product quality or operating efficiency.Thus the new
roller carpet design gives the panelboard producers
additional flexibility to meet the changing demands
from the marketplace (see above).
The press frame construction in combination
with the press profile control system is another
important feature of the Contipress.The
windowframe is manufactured out of a solid plate of
steel where the window is milled out.The upper
heating platen, designed as a rigid counter-bearing, is
connected to the upper part of the frame.
The control of the press profile was
uncompromising right from the beginning: the
lower heating platen, 70 mm thick, softly yielding,
rests on numerous hydraulic cylinders with a center
distance of only 300 mm over the whole pressing

width, resulting in one cylinder per foot of width.

The hydraulic cylinders in each press frame have
their own HNC controlled, proportional hydraulic
valve which is integrated, together with its thickness
(press platen distance) measuring system, into a
computer-controlled system. Groups of individual
frames can be controlled by either distance or
pressure, whichever is preferred.The use of differential
cylinders (with 2 pressure chambers of different
size resulting in 4 pressure steps) over the width of
the press frames allows so-called "cross correction",
delivering varying pressure over the press width.
This keeps the spreading forces of the consolidating
product in balance with the pressure applied and
enables all variations resulting from wood species,
spreading density, wood moisture and steam pressure
to be compensated for. The accurately controlled
calibration at the outlet end makes it possible to
guarantee thickness tolerance of less than 0.10 mm.
Up to 2007, Contipress has been manufactured
to lengths of more than 50 m, with a product width
upto 3.30 m and operating press speeds of up to
90m/min. Worldwide service for these presses
is delivered by Siempelkamp Maschinen- und
Anlagenbau, Krefeld.

15

Siempelkamp ContiRoll System 3 sizes

6.1.2 The ContiRollsystem from

Siempelkamp

16

In 1984, Siempelkamp entered the market with a

system based on a continuous rod carpet.The
technique was not new. Early patents existed in
Sweden and are still used by Sandvik for special plants.
It was considered an important breakthrough for this
German company at that time to have turned to the
production of wood based panels via the continuous
method.The firm had established itself as a market
leader in their particular sector of press technology.
It is considered to be the principal company among
the various competitors who supply turnkey plants
ready for operation from a single source; certain
components not made by Siempelkamp are
out-sourced and integrated into the overall
production process, e.g. such equipment that is
required for fiber preparation and panel sanding.

The first ContiRoll was delivered to LouisianaPacific Corp., USA, for MDF and was hailed as a major
news event in the panel field. Its effective length was
16 m. Suddenly, continuous press technology had
become accepted for both particleboard and MDF.
The ContiRoll was constantly improved and
adapted to the new findings of continuous press
technology. One of the basic features, however,
remained unchanged: the frame construction,
which mirrored that used in cycle-pressing. Heavy
longitudinal girders take up the high counteracting
forces resulting from the high belt tension which is
necessary for continuous pressing; the foundations
thus have to support only the dead weight of the
press, eliminating the need for anchoring rods with
additional foundations to take up horizontal forces
(see page 21).
Both the upper and the lower press platens in

the feed area are 60 mm thick.The lower plate is

the fixed counter support for the flexibly mounted
upper platen, which can be accurately adapted
to the conditions and requirements in the press
gap thanks to its double-acting pressing hydraulics.
Product thickness and density profile are very
flexibly controlled over the whole length.This is
also to the advantage of lower-density MDF in the
area of 450 kg/m3, which is very much in demand
today.The upper end of the spectrum is covered
by thin boards of densities of abt. 960 kg/m3.These
boards came under the designation of HDF, High
Density Fiberboard. In view of the fact that light
(i.e. low density), standard and thick (both in the
middle range of around 750 kg/m3) are now made
on generally similar ContiRolls, one can see the
numerous possibilities of a wide range of applications
of MDF boards made by the continuous press.
Across the effective press width, the product
thickness is also accurately controlled by a close
sequence of press plungers.Thickness control on the
longitudinal and transversal profiles is part of a very
complex press control system and enables thickness
tolerances as small as +/- 0.1 mm.
The radii of the press infeed can be optimized
for any mat thickness by means of the hydraulics.
Following the infeed drums, the steel belt is fed into
the curved press infeed section. Here the required
thermal energy is immediately provided for the highdensity outer layers of HDF, which, with the close
thickness tolerance, means that the sanding step can
be eliminated but the panel can still attain a surface
which can be laminated or wet-finished.
All parameters determining the raw density and
the compaction geometry can be stored and the
programs requested within the complex plant
control system.
The roller carpet for transmitting the pressure
forces, which is typical for this system, is formed by
rotating rods going across the full width of the press
plate below the upper platen and above the lower
one (see page 20).
By using these full-width roller elements, edge
impressions on the steel belts as they might be
caused by narrower rollers are avoided. (The marks
resulting from such impressions are sometimes visible
on the pressed panel.) Rods used as full-width roller
elements cause no gliding friction at all but merely
rolling friction; therefore, the lubricant consumption is

low. The rods are flexibly supported by chains at

both ends, which ensure orderly return and safe
re-entrance.The chains do not serve for guiding,
as the rods run freely at a secured distance of
2 mm through the pressing zone, and back in the flat,
heat-insulated ducts above/below the press frame, in
which the steel belts are also returned.
Continuous, full-width roller elements offer
another advantage: the uninterrupted, homogeneous
heat transfer from the heating plate to the steel
belt.The combination of components chosen by
Siempelkamp for the ContiRoll press, i.e. heating
plate full-width rods steel belt, is matchless from
the heat-technological point of view, as it minimizes
the number of heat transfer functions. The integrity
of heat transfer from the heating plate to the rods is
further improved by the microfinish of the heating
plate surface, which ensures full contact with the rods.
The high share of supporting area between plate and
rods has another positive effect: it reduces belt
displacement.
The first generation ContiRoll worked to speeds
of 300 mm/s. With todays improved technology, the
presses are running at speeds of up to 2000 mm/s.
The presses are longer, and very thin panels can now
be produced. A 33.8 m long thin panel ContiRoll
can produce 2-mm-thick MDF at a speed of 1650
mm/s, with a daily capacity of 660 m3.
Over time, the many presses built and learning
processes that took place were of special importance
for the steel belt. It was found that the belt lifetime
depends mainly on the design of the components of
the press which are in direct contact with the belts.
Right from the beginning, drums with a big diameter
had been used for the drive and return terminals
in order to keep the bending stress of the belts low.
This, of course, only makes sense if bending radii at
other points are equally large.Therefore, the design
of the ContiRoll press avoids joints and break points
along the path of the steel belts.Transitions between
different radii are gradual. Guiding elements for the
steel belts are designed as roller baskets with the
belt-supporting rollers arranged on a circular arc
section with big radius.This applies both to the feed
terminal of the press and to the controls of the
return strands of the belts.
Siempelkamp attached great importance to the
compilation of binding specifications for the steel belts.
They have been available for quite a long time and

17

Siempelkamps ContiRoll Press, 7 x 55,3 m for MDF, Location: Yildiz Kimya, Turkey

18

include all relevant data such as dimensions, material

specifications, technical-physical values, tolerance data,
finish, grinding pattern in the weld area, etc. By now,
comprehensive information on endurance and fatigue
strength has been added to these data.
The quality of the steel belts has a great influence
on the quality of the pressed board the higher the
pressing speed, the stronger the influence.This applies
especially to the belt geometry in the area of the
longitudinal welds. As a result of the grinding of the
seams, there is a slight depression in this area
compared with the surrounding surfaces of the two
belt halves. Although the thickness differences are
minimal, any improvement even if only 0.01 mm is
welcome. Due to the inherent stiffness of the steel
belts, with lower pressures they do not come into
close contact with the rods in the area of the
depression, with the consequence that the heat
transfer is different from the neighboring zones.This
results in a different technological effect on the
pressed product.The end product, therefore, can
show differences in the technical-physical values and

the surface color.The development of the belts was

forced by Siempelkamp with special regard to this
aspect, which is of particular importance in the
production of thin MDF, which can be prepared for
market without going through the sanding step.The
slightest thickness variations within the boards can
cause problems when lacquer is applied.
Siempelkamp pioneered the use of thicker steel
belts firstly with 2.7 mm and, more recently, 3.5 mm!
Such belts offer a number of significant advantages
to the user which more than compensate for the
higher price of the belts, thus offering a higher heat
potential.This has a technologically favorable effect
in the infeed area of the press, i.e. reduction of the
heating factor.The belts have a higher thickness
rigidity and are, therefore, less susceptible to damage.
The considerably higher transversal rigidity results in a
stable and smooth belt run.
Another aspect of steel belt development was the
reduction of belt width. Originally the belt edges
covered the side plates of the chains accompanying
the rod carpet to protect them against contamination.

Therefore, the belts had to be much wider than the

heated press plates.The temperature of the belt edge
zones beyond the heated area was much lower than
that of the belt areas in contact with the mat, which
caused comparatively high tensions resulting in edge
damage (cracks).Todays belts are narrower than the
rods of the roller carpet, and their width in turn
exceeds the heating plate width only slightly.
Contamination of the side chains is avoided by
suction devices which clean off the edge zones of the
belts at the infeed.This method is more efficient than
the former protection method.
Along with the reduction of the belt width,
Siempelkamp attached great importance to the
machining of the belt edges.They are now specially
machined according to the latest standards of
mechanical engineering in order to eliminate edge
and peak tensions, thus gaining longer belt life.
The aforementioned reduction of the belt width
can, of course, only be seen in relation to the heating
plate width.
Another development was the use of very wide

Siempelkamp ContiRoll Press

steel belts for new, wider presses.These belts could

not be made just by joining two belt strips by a
longitudinal weld and Siempelkamp cooperated
closely with the steel belt manufacturers.The width of
the strips had to be planned carefully as did the
position of the welds in the upper and lower belt in
the press. Under no circumstances may the welds
be positioned exactly opposite each other (this, of
course, also applies to belts composed of three strips;
however, in that case it is much easier with a view to
the economical use of belt material).
The care of steel belts, which are the
most-expensive components of a press, is not
only important in the press itself. Siempelkamp
has incorporated comprehensive precautions for
protection of the steel belts well ahead of the press,
and ample control and cleaning equipment at proper
points in the press.The first safety device in an MDF
line is a sifter for eliminating undesirable foreign
matter from the fiber stream ahead of the production
lines.The sifter is followed by equalizing spreading
rollers (at the fiber spreaders) which break up fiber

19

bundles and glue lumps before the mat is formed.

As with all types of pressed products, a metal
detector incorporated into the line will trigger the
removal from the line of any mat portion containing
metal particles.The sensitivity of the coil is
automatically adjusted by the setting of the thickness
of the boards to be pressed. As a further precaution
in particleboard lines, a magnet is installed directly
after the spreading machines so any magnetized
metal parts are removed from the mat before they
pass the metal detector. (Magnets are not used in
MDF lines, as they would be unreliable due to the
felting of the fibers.)
At the prepress, sensors scan any thickness
increase in the mat which could cause asymmetrical
pressure application and belt displacement in the
ContiRoll press and trigger automatic rejection.
Ahead of the ContiRoll, a thickness control instrument
is positioned to prevent accidental accumulations of
particles or foreign matter on the mat from getting
into the press, where they could cause extreme local
stresses and consequent belt damage. Defective mat
sections are automatically rejected. Lines for the
production of thin panels, when threatened, are
automatically stopped by a secondary control unit.

20

Rod carpet typical of Siempelkamp ContiRoll press

With the new thin panel presses a compactor

is used to press the mat to nominal thickness and
thereby removing of risk of steel belt damage.
At the press outfeed on thin panel lines, cleaning
and safety devices are mounted for both belts to
ensure that product residues do not adhere to the
belts and are not carried along on the belt.
The efficient cleaning systems for the steel belts
feature rotating metal brushes for the product sides
of the belts and plate-type scrapers for the inside of
the belts to prevent accumulation of lubricant.
The protection of the steel belts begins even
before production commences, namely, after the
erection of the press, when the belts must be
drawn into the press enclosure.To make sure that
this job is done properly, the winding of the belts
in the delivery coil, for instance, is prescribed in the
above-mentioned specifications, considering the local
erection situation.
Siempelkamps scope of delivery always includes
the unwinding and drawing-in facilities, which are
temporarily fixed to the press during erection and
which ensure safe and careful handling of the belts
during the installation.These facilities are, of course,
designed in accordance with all relevant regulations
for the safety of erection personnel. Furthermore, in
the Erection Manual for ContiRoll presses, 25 of 41
pages are dedicated to the installation of the steel
belts, clear evidence of the importance attached to
the proper handling of these valuable components.

View of ContiRoll infeed end. On the left, the belt infeed drums are directly followed by the return and entrance of the rod carpet. In
the high-pressure zone, the frames are arranged in pairs. On the right can be seen how closely the press cylinders are spaced to enable
precision adjustment of the flexibly supported upper press plate.

View of ContiRoll outlet end

with rod carpet return, belt tension
terminal and drive

21

Widest Dieffenbacher press at

Footner/Canada: heating plate width
approx. 4000 mm board width for
approx. 3900 mm product width

6.1.3 Dieffenbacher CPS

Dieffenbacher Conti-Panel System
an innovative, user-oriented technological
concept
With the successful introduction of the continuous
Conti-Panel System, Dieffenbacher has underlined its
position as a world-leading manufacturer of presses
and press lines for wood-based panels.This innovative
concept is the result of many years of experience in
hydraulic press manufacture, in conjunction with the
use of the most-modern high-tech control elements.
The CPS is a synergistic product from the domain of
metal forming and plastics molding presses, achieving
dynamic accuracies in the range of some thousandths
of millimeters, e.g. on parallel motion control systems.
The CPS embodies a close cooperation with the
user: It is a highly flexible press with a low rate of wear,
fully meeting users demands:

H
 igh specific performance based on high
availability
Operator-friendly controls
Transparency in modular setup, remarkable
robustness
Good access and simple maintenance facilities

22

At Dieffenbacher, the principle for further

developments and long-term sales strategy is to
include the user and his concrete ideas of innovation
and technology in the realization of such complex
lines.Thus it is ensured that only reliable, mature and
optimized systems will go into operation.

The Dieffenbacher Conti-Panel System features an

all-round press; it is suited for the production of
particleboard, MDF, HDF, OSB, LVL and other
wood-based panels. High capacities, consistent
finished product quality and maximum flexibility are
guaranteed, among other factors, by:

a n online adjustable infeed geometry (wedge

compactor)
high advance speeds of up to 2000 mm/s
fast compression phase
optimized heat supply at the right time
adjustable position or pressure control (online)
minimum thickness tolerances
highly flexible forming profiles, length- and
crosswise
modular tie rod design with pressure cylinders
arranged on the outside
optimum range of width adjustability

Operational principle of the

Dieffenbacher CPS:
Heat supply and distribution
Depending on the length of the press, the
Dieffenbacher Conti-Panel System is provided with a
suitable number of heating circuits.
Pressure and heat are transferred by platens that are
heated through thermal oil channels and protected
by thin protection plates.The heat is transmitted via
rolling rods onto rotating steel belts and hence onto
the material to be pressed.
By the use of suitable material pairs unhardened
heating plates with high thermal conductivity and
well-hardened thin protection plates combined with
wear-resistant function elements the CPS meets
the criteria imposed by the user with regard to an
effective heat transfer (see page 24).
To increase the heat supply, the rolling rod and steel
belt systems are guided back in an insulating
channel. A preheating device for the rolling rods
supplies additional heat energy that is available right
at the inlet. With this feature, it is also possible to
achieve a high degree of process stability.
Heat transfer from the heating platens onto the steel
belts is a dynamic process using the turning
rolling rods that ensure a uniform, uninterrupted heat
supply over the entire width.
Operational principle of the
Dieffenbacher CPS:
Pressure build-up and distribution
For the Conti-Panel System, Dieffenbacher uses the
proven modular frame design with the pressure
cylinders arranged along both sides of the press, on
the outside.
This leads to advantages that have been proven in
practical use, such as good access for maintenance
purposes and gentle operating conditions for the
hydraulic components to ensure a long service life.
The open frame design comprises a stationary frame
bottom part (table) and a moving upper part (ram).
Forces are transmitted via removable pull rods that
are fastened to the table.
In the middle of the press, calibrating (multipot)
cylinders are installed in the frames. By means of
these cylinders, it is possible to select the cross
profiles that are necessary according to technological
requirements in keeping with the customers request.

The cylinders are controlled by proportional

control valves and form closed-loop control circuits,
together with the digital position pickups.Thus panels
with optimum thickness tolerances and high process
stability can be produced.
By a deliberate separation of functions and the
highly versatile design of the heating platen system,
the press profile can be set online in an optimum
manner in longitudinal and transverse directions to
suit the respective product demands.
As a result of a new concept, the frame supports are
able to compensate for thermal expansion.The
advantage is that the platen temperature can be
changed without any restriction and without
interrupting the production.This is also a major
benefit for the CPS user.
The press infeed section (see page 24) is specially
designed to meet the requirements of panel production
using different raw materials, i.e. particleboard, MDF
or OSB.
The wedge compactor equipped with an intelligent
double joint system can adjust automatically to the
respective mat height and can be set to any angular
position. Hence the compression speed curve can be
set in an optimum manner in this zone, which is an
important phase in the technological process.
Maximum pressure and high temperatures are
available at the earliest moment possible.Thus the
crucial conditions for the shortest possible pressing
times and panel products are optimized for minimum
sanding allowance, and best possible density
profiles are achieved.

23

Heated press plate

Protection plate
Rolling rods, 21 mm thick

Hollow chain
Steel press belt

Connecting rod

The rolling rods of the CPS are connected coaxially with the links of the hollow chain by resilient rods

Infeed of the rolling rods by means of gear wheels and spring leafs at both ends.
Footner OSB production with belt width 4,080 mm, belt thickness 3.0 mm.

24

Dieffenbacher press for

particle boards

Dieffenbacher press for

MDF boards

Smallest Dieffenbacher press for LVL production: heating plate

width approx. 1300 mm board width, approx. 1400 mm product width

25

6.1.4 Hymmen IsoPress and IsoRoll

Hymmen is the only supplier in the field of
continuous double belt presses to offer both
isobaric and isochoric press systems, and is leader
in various product applications which make use of
these technologies.
Isobaric double belt presses:
The isobaric press is based on the environmentally
friendly air cushion system and is characterized by
an optimal distribution of pressure and an exact
control of the temperature profile. Isobaric presses
generate pressures up to 100 bar and temperatures
up to 400C. An additional specific advantage of this
technology is the ability to achieve a heating- and
cooling process without a pressure interruption.The
working width of an isobaric press can be up to 2300
mm, while the press length depends on capacity
requirements and the press technology.
The isobaric Double Belt Press is suited to the
lamination of board material as well as the pressing of
roll material & granulates, such as:

With an experience based on having sold more than

170 double belt presses, Hymmen takes a worldwide
dominating position on the market for the continuous
production of decorative and technical laminates as
well as laminate floorings.
Isochoric double belt presses:
The strengths of the isochoric double belt press are in
the field of pressing soft materials out of granulate or
roll material together to one product with a defined
material thickness.
Isochoric presses can be constructed for heating- as
also particularly combined heating- and cooling
processes.
Typical production fields are

Fibreboards
Cork or rubber flooring
Industrial laminates
Rubber boards
Heavy transport belts

Decorative laminates (CPL)

Technical laminates (Copper cladded laminates for
printed circuit boards, ski-laminates)
Melamine lamination of flooring & furniture
boards
PVC & rubber flooring
Lightweight conveyor belts
Plastic cards & further high-tech products made
out of composites
Hymmen double belt press Iso Roll Type ISR

26

Hymmen double belt press Iso Press Type HPL

6.1.5 Held Technologie GmbH

The beginning of isobaric press technology
In 1975, the Held company brought the first
isobaric Double Belt Press (DBP) to the world.
Further pioneering achievements followed, bringing
technological leadership to the company in its field of
isobaric presses:
Worlds first isobaric high-pressure DBP providing
a surface pressure of 100 bars (1,450 psi),
Worlds first isobaric high-temperature DBP to
provide a heating temperature of 400C (750F),
Worlds first isobaric high-speed DBP for
production speed as high as 48m/min (160 fpm).
At the beginning of the 1970s a DBP was nothing
new; its principle had been known for quite a while.
Even the idea of exerting completely uniform
pressure upon a surface by means of an isobaric
cushion had already been conceived. However,
until then it seemed impossible to press a fluid
medium against a moving steel belt and hold it there
without leakage. Only the seal system developed
by Held made an old dream come true: continuous
production under isobaric pressure.
A business partner in the furniture industry had
triggered the development by requesting a machine
that could make thermo-set edge-banding strips on a
roll. He had enough of wasting material only because
the available strips of fixed length never quite fit his
application.
This challenge eventually led to the building of
the first isobaric DBP, on which resin-impregnated
paper could be laminated into endless edge-banding
material under the influence of pressure and
temperature. With a useful width of 500 mm (20 in.)
the machine had only relatively modest dimensions.
Its reaction zone, i.e. the working area between the
steel belts, could not yet be heated; therefore, the
necessary process heat had to be loaded on to
the belts by heating the inlet drums. For reasons of
simplicity air was chosen as the pressure medium
for the pressure cushion. At 7 bars (100 psi) the
generated pressure was far below the level reached
by modern oil-supported DBPs. But at least it was
possible for the first time to produce from roll to roll,
i.e. continuously, even though production speed was
rather modest compared with todays numbers:
1.8 m/min with a 2.1 m long reaction zone.Today, ten
times that output is achieved.

Worlds first Isobaric press (1975), 200C, 7 bar

The machine proved so useful that a licensee was

soon found and the concept developed by Held went
on to form the basis of all isobaric DBPs used around
the world.
Evolution of the high-performance press
high pressure and high temperature
This success encouraged research into how to
improve efficiency and productivity. Higher cushion
pressure would permit the use of more cost-effective
paper with lower resin content, but would result in
increased leakage of the air from the pressure cushion,
leading to considerable waste of energy which would
render the economic advantage useless. A pressure
medium more viscous than air promised to be kept
more easily on the moving belts without leakage.The
solution was the oil-supported DBP. The oil-cushion
brought a very helpful side-effect: an extremely
efficient lubrication of the seal system, an advantage,
whose importance became apparent only much later
when air-cushion machines had problems handling
high process pressure. Oil-cushion machines could be
run with 80 bars continuously without compromising
the life expectancy of the seals or generating blisters
on the product.They were also found fundamentally
more advantageous with regard to safety. Like all
liquids, oil is incompressible and therefore cannot

Basic design of an isobaric DBP

27

store any mechanical energy by being reduced in

volume. In contrast, all gases are compressible, so
under pressure they contain a considerable amount
of energy. In the event of an accident, air cushions can
release their stored energy in an explosion.
After a way had been found to feed process heat
directly into the reaction zone where it was really
needed, further benefits were reaped: higher output
(the additional supply of energy permits higher
production speed) and energy savings (lower thermal
losses by reducing heat radiated by the inlet drums).
First, indirectly heated heat bridges, and later on
directly heated heat bars provided solutions that
went far beyond the original goal and permitted
the processing of new materials demanding much
higher process temperatures (up to 400C or 750F).
Excellent heat conduction through direct contact of
the metallic heat bars with the steel belts allows the
transfer of large amounts of thermal energy with
high efficiency.The directly heated reaction zone
is an outstanding feature which proves extremely
useful in particular with thicker materials that can be
processed at significantly higher speeds.

28

choosing a higher production speed could reduce

this effect by reducing the webs residence time in
the inlet region. Unfortunately, this will not help, since
the higher speed will also require a faster curing resin,
which in turn will also pre-cure in less time. A number
of protective devices have been devised to avoid the
effect, but have mostly proven ineffective, since they
can only influence the very outer part of the nip.
A sufficiently low inlet drum temperature is
needed to eliminate the problem and ensure that
surface curing only starts when the material in
under pressure in the reaction zone. Of course, this
temperature pattern can only be achieved if enough
heat can be applied to the belts inside the pressure
zone, enabling the high process temperature to be
reached here and here alone.This also makes possible
the processing of thin plastic films, which would
otherwise tear and melt at first contact with the hot
belts in the nip of the press.

Better quality through lower inlet

temperature
Heating the reaction zone provides further important
advantages: melting and tearing of thin plastic films or
detrimental pre-curing of laminate surfaces by heat
radiated by the hot belts in the nip region of the press,
which can happen when heating the belts only via the
inlet drums, is now easily avoided when running with
a low inlet drum temperature.
If a resin impregnated web does not enter the
press sufficiently flat, stripe patterns from variations
in gloss level are unavoidable. One might imagine that

Decorative laminate HPL vs. CPL

The quality of a laminate is highly dependent upon
the pressure level it was subjected to during the
manufacturing process.The old DIN 16 926 standard
(since superseded by EN 438) stipulated a working
pressure of 70 bar for the production of HPL (High
Pressure Laminate), which air-cushion machines
could not provide. As a result, continuously-produced
laminate was, for a long time, considered a low quality
product.
Today, while the quality of Low Pressure Laminate
is still not comparable with that of genuine HPL, the
market share now being won by CPL shows that
there are applications for which low pressure CPL is
perfectly well suited. Furthermore, as oil-supported
DBPs are now available with working pressure of up

Service friendly: high-performance heating platen can be drawn out

User friendly: setting the gap-width is just a push button operation

High-performance DBP for decorative laminate, two formats, 1.30 m and 1.50 m, 80 bars, 30 m/min (CLEAF, Italy)

to 80 bars, this differentiation no longer makes sense.

Indeed, the only differentiation that remains relevant
is that of press type (cycle or continuous press).
And it is Held's isobaric, hydro-static DBP >system
contilam< that holds the advantage, delivering
continuous HPL (CHPL), a material that offers the
lowest production costs and optimum laminate
uniformity.
DBP or cycle press?
The principles of isobaric DBP operation offer a
number of other important advantages.
A DBP can produce uniform quality more easily
than a cycle press as every piece of laminate is
subjected to exactly the same pressure, temperature,
and residence time. Differences in temperature
history between various pieces of laminate cannot
occur in a continuous press, but are unavoidable in a
cycle press due to each laminate's relative position
in a multi-daylight press. And for very long pieces of
laminate, there is no alternative to a continuous DBP.
With regard to the basic question: "Cycle
press or continuous press?", a comparison with
the printing industry may be of interest. When
Gutenberg invented book printing, he used a cycle
press. However, today's printed matter is, with few
exceptions, manufactured on high-speed rotary
printing presses. Why so? Because they are more
economical.This is why the future belongs to
continuous processes, and why examples can be
found in every industry.
Profitability
Further aspects contribute to the superior
profitability of DBP-based laminate manufacture.
Almost complete automation means the entire
process can be run with just two operators (one to
supply material and one to unload finished product)
and also results in low handling losses.

In times of rising energy costs, a directly-heated,

hydro-static DBP >system contilam< is particularly
economical. Heat is supplied directly to the pressure/
heating zone, i.e. where it is needed.The pressure
medium only needs to convey pressure - it does not
need to carry process heat.This means there is no
need to circulate a large amount of pressure medium
and heat/pressure losses are reduced to a minimum.
Since a DBP never needs to open its gap for loading
and unloading of material, it uses energy even more
efficiently. And last but not least, trim waste only
occurs on two sides while cycle press laminate needs
to have all four sides trimmed.
High-gloss laminate heating and cooling
under pressure
Cost-effective manufacturing of high-gloss laminate
is another application for Held's isobaric DBPs
due to their efficient cooling without affecting
process pressure.The cooling process is particularly
economical as heating/cooling zones are thermally
isolated from each other, and therefore remain at
their respective temperature levels. Heat only needs
to be extracted from the material and the thin steel
belts (1 mm thick) passing the press whereas, in a
multi-daylight-press, the thick press platens
(ca. 100 mm thick) must also be cooled, rendering
a process with heating and cooling rather
uneconomical.
Isochoric or isobaric?
One question remains regarding DBP operating
principles: "Which is best: isochoric (mechanical,
supported by rollers) or isobaric (fluid, supported by
air or oil)?"
Isochoric presses are well established in the
processing of compressible materials such as particle
board made from wood chips.Their inherent
calibrating effect is an advantage here; the unavoidably

29

Continuous high-gloss laminate, two formats, 1.35 m and 1.55 m, 80 bars, 30 m/min (Westag & Getalit)

non-uniform compaction and hence non-uniform

density is acceptable for this type of product.
Other materials need processing with a
completely uniform surface pressure.Those with
demanding visible surfaces which soften during the
manufacturing process, for instance, can only be
produced continuously on an isobaric DBP where
there no risk of pressure differences impacting on
the material and distorting the pattern. For similar
reasons, copper-clad laminate for demanding
electronic applications require a process as free from
tensions as possible in order to eliminate the risk
of tensions trapped in the laminate being released
during soldering and warping the product. As well as
delivering the necessary uniformity of pressure, an
oil-supported, hydrostatic DBP offers the additional
advantages of high profitability and the ability to

30

be used in cleanrooms - a prerequisite for this

application - making it the ideal choice.

High-temperature press suitable for clean-room operation, pressure

zone 0.7 m x 3.1 m, 400C, 80 bars, 20 m/min

Worlds largest isobaric DBP for decorative laminate. Press platens 5.20 m x 2.30 m, 80 bars, 48 m/min (SIT Gruppo Mauro Saviola, Italy)

Continuous press Pagnoni Easylam for engineered parquet, pressing hot platens 1000 x 4200 mm

6.1.6 Pagnoni Easylam

In the late 90s, Pagnoni Impianti, the Italian

manufacturer of single/multi-opening presses for
panels production (particleboard, MDF, plywood,
HPL) and short cycle lamination (with melamine or
phenol papers), entered the continuous press market
with its Pagnoni Easylam, a double steel belt press
specifically designed to apply glued overlays and to
flatten veneer on boards.
In these applications the press is the bottleneck
of the whole process: conventional multi-daylight
presses are very slow and high frequency presses
have often failed to live up to users expectations.
The innovative technology behind the Pagnoni
Easylam not only removes this bottleneck through
its inherent speed but also offers the additional
advantage that the lack of press loading/unloading
dead time allows the use of fast reaction glues, further
increasing the production capacity of the line.

The press
The Pagnoni Easylam press is modular in design and
its main elements are the drums, the hot platens, the
rollers, the bearings and the steel belts.
The press structure consists of 2 m long modules.
The upper part moves vertically in relation to
the lower one, while the lower section lays on
base beams which are fixed to the foundation.
The structure is open on one side to allow easy
replacement of the steel belt.
Two motorized drums and two idle ones, 1200
mm diameter, provide the drive and guiding/
tensioning of the steel belts.The in-feed drums
are heated with thermal oil, through axial rotary
joints, and the temperature in each drum can be
independently adjusted.
The sliding platens are placed between the upper/
lower structures and the relevant steel belt.They
are made up of modular elements, positioned side
by side. Each element consists of a canalized platen
(with heating circulation to ensure correct working

31

temperature), and a frame which is fixed to the base

platen and supports the bearings and the rollers. Each
frame can be easily disassembled for maintenance
purposes.Two heating circuits enable different
temperatures to be set in the platens.
This new press belongs to the family of isochoric
presses, but is significantly different from other such
presses in that there is no rod carpet moving inside
the press; instead, independent rollers rotate on their
own axis on a bed of ball bearings. With this patented
system, the squareness of the rollers and axial
feed is guaranteed by the accuracy of mechanical
construction, thereby avoiding any difficulty in
the steel belts guidance.This ensures outstanding
precision (max. 1 mm deviation) around the
theoretical movement axis, even with asymmetrical
loads. Furthermore, the rollers always remain warm,
enabling considerable savings in energy costs.
Pagnoni Impianti uses Sandvik 1,4 mm thick
stainless steel belts.The out-feed drums drive the
belts; their tension is provided by 2+2 cylinders
placed on the in-feed drums.The guide is controlled
by lateral sensors which, based on the position of
the belt with respect to the longitudinal press axis,
adjust the pressure in the tensioning cylinders.The
out-feed drums are equipped with cleaning scrapers
and rotating brushes to remove any glue waste.The
inner part of the belts is also continuously cleaned by
brushes, moving transversally.
Pagnoni Easylam characteristics
Specific pressure:
max 80 N/cm2
Inlet drums temperature:
max 150C
Hot platens temperature:
max 120C
Mechanical speed:
max 30 m/min
Heating circuits:
no. 4 independent
Press opening/closing control: with electronic

control
Pagnoni Easylam is available in several standard
sizes with widths varying from 350 mm to 2300
mm and lengths from 1900 mm to 8200 mm.The
flexibility in size makes it easy to combine press
length and width to meet customers technical and
commercial needs.

32

Designed for versatility

The Easylam continuous press has been designed
by Pagnonis technical team to deliver maximum
flexibility through the ability to:
-
-

-

respond quickly to production changes

process panels that have been inaccurately or
randomly positioned on the introduction belt
carry out different processes with the same press

Pagnoni Easylam gets great results in terms

of production capacity, final product quality and
operating costs for a whole range of products/
processes including panel veneering, two and
three layers engineered flooring, five components
doors (honeycomb frame + thin MDF + veneer),
five components doors post (chipboard + MDF
+ veneer), thin plywood (up to 7 ply), tops for
postforming made with MDF or chipboard overlaid
with glossy HPL.

Pagnoni Easylam panel veneering 2300x8200 mm

(A view of the security roller installed before the upper inlet drum)

7. Steel belts for wood based panels

Steel belt manufacturer Sandvik has a number of
significant firsts to its credit, not least of which was
the development of the worlds first steel belt in 1901.
This was used for the transportation of sawdust, and
the company has maintained its close connection
with the wood industry to this day.
In 1957, Sandvik was responsible for introducing
the steel belt to the wood based panel industry,
when the first press to be fed by a steel belt, a singleopening intermittent press, was developed by Bhre
& Greten in Springe, Germany.
Just a few years later, Sandvik itself designed the
basis of the presses that have had such a major
impact on this industry over the last two decades,
building the first double belt press with a roller bed.
With this level of involvement over the years, it will
come as no surprise to learn that the largest single
market for Sandvik steels belts is the WBP industry.
While the company does still make its own double
belt presses (only for fiberglass reinforced
thermoplastics), as far as the WBP industry is
concerned, it is as a specialist manufacturer of steel
belts that its name is best known.The companys steel
belts are now at the heart of press systems worldwide.
Over the years, special grades have been
developed to cope with the changing and ever-moredemanding requirements. Improvements continue to
be made in the manufacturing process, but the
essential qualities that make the steel belt ideal for
this process remain virtually unchanged.
A properly manufactured steel belt combines
hardness and strength with flexibility, a smooth
surface and excellent heat transferability. It is durable,
resistant to corrosion and easily maintained. Once
the steel belt was introduced to the market in the
1950s, it didnt take long for WBP producers or press
manufacturers to recognize this unique combination
of qualities, and Sandvik has continued to build on
these fundamental benefits ever since.
Steel grades 1300C and the new 1320C
The steel grade used in single-opening presses has
traditionally been Sandvik 1300C, a hardened and
tempered carbon steel. Over the 50-plus years
that these presses have been in use, more than a
thousand 1300C belts have been supplied, and some
have given their users well over two decades of
reliable service.

The late 90s saw the introduction of a new steel

grade suitable for this application, Sandvik 1320C, a
low carbon, dual phase steel (with a microstructure
of martensite and ferrite) which has excellent
mechanical and fatigue properties but is particularly
notable for its welding characteristics.
By eliminating the need to carry out post-weld
annealing (even though the weld is harder than the
parent material, it will run without cracking),
installation costs are lower than those for the 1300C
grade. In fact, with the correct tools, it is possible for a
customer to carry out the welding in-house.
High strength steel belts 1500 SM + 1650 SM
When the Bison-Mende process for the continuous
production of thin board was introduced in 1971, it
became clear that steel grade 1300C lacked the
fatigue strength necessary to withstand the
comparatively high reversed bending stresses that this
type of press generates.
In this process, the tension of the steel belt
contributes proportionally, along with two or three
press rollers, to the total pressure, causing permanent
reversed bending stresses and considerable pulling
forces on the belt. A new steel grade, 1450SM (later
modified to 1500SM), was introduced to cope with
these demands and was complemented in 1980 by
the development of the improved grade 1650SM.
Both grades are used today and are characterized by
their high strength, both inherent and in the weld area.
As continuous pressing technology developed
further, the demands placed upon the steel belt also
increased. Belts were called upon to handle
production of MDF as thin as 1 mm but, at the other
extreme, also relatively coarse-surfaced oriented
strand board (OSB) and thick MDF and particleboard.
Demand grew for heavier and stronger belts. In every
case, however, uniform surface quality and close
thickness tolerances remained as essential belt
parameters.
Ever-higher belt speeds and pressures call for
thicker steel belts, and, at the same time, the belts
mechanical properties (strength and hardness) have
to be optimized to ensure operation for many years.

33

Sandviks range of steel belt grades enables the company to offer the appropriate product for all requirements. Most
common in the WBP industry are grades 1300C, 1320C, 1500SM and 1650SM, for belts from 1.2-3.5 mm thickness,
with the width of the belts between 1,200-4 ,620 mm.

January 1999 - Cancels edition March 1994

Sandvik 1300C

Hardened and Tempered Carbon Steel Belt

The Sandvik 1300C belt grade is made of hardened and

tempered carbon steel and is characterized by:

Very good static strength

Very good fatigue strength
Very good thermal properties
Excellent wear resistance
Good repairability

Sandvik 1320C

Micro Alloyed Dual Phase Carbon Steel Belt

The Sandvik 1320C belt grade is a dual phase carbon

steel, which matrix consists of 75% martensite and 25%
ferrite. Sandvik 1320C is characterized by:

Very good static strength

Very good fatigue strength
Very good thermal properties
Excellent wear resistance
Good repairability

Chemical composition, nominal values %

C

Si

Mn

Cr

0.65

0.25

0.65

0.20

Chemical composition, nominal values %

Static strength
Standard strength at room temperature, nominal values
Position

Matrix
Transverse weld
(heat treated)

Yield
Tensile
Elongation
strength
strength
A5
MPa
ksi
MPa
ksi
(%)
1200

174

1280

186

11

880

128

990

144

] for more details please ask for our separate data sheet.

34

Si

Mn

Al

Nb

0.15

0.50

1.80

0.04

0.03

Static strength
Standard strength at room temperature, nominal values
Position

Yield
Tensile
Elongation
strength
strength
A5
MPa
ksi
MPa
ksi
(%)

Matrix
1250
Transverse weld
(not heat treated) 890

181

1340

194

129

1000

145

] for more details please ask for our separate data sheet.

Sandvik 1500SM Sandvik 1650SM

Precipitation Hardened Martensitic Stainless
Steel Belt

Precipitation Hardened Martensitic Stainless

Steel Belt

The Sandvik 1500SM belt grade is made of a low carbon,

martensitic precipitation-hardened, stainless steel of type
15-5PH and is characterized by:

The Sandvik 1650SM belt grade is made of a low carbon,

martensitic precipitation-hardened, stainless steel of type
15-7PH and is characterized by:

Excellent static strength

Excellent fatigue strength
Good corrosion resistance
Very good wear resistance
Very good repairability

Chemical composition, nominal values %

Chemical composition, nominal values %

Si

Mn

Cr

Ni

Cu

Nb & Ta

0.07

1.0

1.0

15.0

3.5

0.3

Static strength
Standard strength at room temperature, nominal values
Position

Yield
Tensile
Elongation
strength
strength
A5
MPa
ksi
MPa
ksi
(%)

Matrix
1420
Transverse weld
(not heat treated) 1100

206

1500

217

160

1150

166

] for more details please ask for our separate data sheet.

Excellent static strength

Excellent fatigue strength
Good corrosion resistance
Very good wear resistance
Very good repairability

Si

Mn

Cr

Ni

Cu

Ti

Mo

0.08

1.5

1.0

14.0

0.7

0.3

0.8

Static strength
Standard strength at room temperature, nominal values
Position

Yield
Tensile
Elongation
strength
strength
A5
MPa ksi
MPa
ksi
(%)

Matrix
1580
Transverse weld
(heat treated)
1250
Transverse weld
(not heat treated) 1100

229

1600

232

181

1300

189

159

1150

167

] for more details please ask for our separate data sheet.

35

8. Sandvik Surface Solutions

Stainless steel press plates and endless press
belts for the production of laminates and
coated particle boards
fundamentals, maintenance and trends
Today, it is quite common to use both discontinuous
short-cycle presses and continuous double-belt
presses for the production of:

36

Premium laminates for worktops in kitchens and

similar postforming elements,
Standard laminates,
Thin laminates or abrasion-resistant laminates for
the flooring industry
Direct coating of wooden particle boards,

Short-cycle presses are mainly used if there is

a demand for a multitude of different decors and
surface textures and this is imparted by the use of
press plates.
For high-capacity, mass production of such
products, continuous production lines are used
(Fig. 1).The process itself, the joining of the resin
impregnated dcor paper (with or without cover foil)
to the particle board, is performed on a double-belt
press.
The necessary pressure is applied by a high
pressure air cushion (alternatively by oil pressure).
Examples of double-belt production systems are
shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
Two endless press belts are necessary for production:
an upper and a lower endless press belt, both of
which circulate around the infeed and outlet drums.
The belts transfer the necessary pressure and
temperature in the various zones of the reaction
process by means of the pressure cushion, while the

surface texture of the endless press belt which is in

contact with the product surface applies the final
texture onto the laminate.
The press belts are made out of endless, and
subsequently hard chrome-plated stainless steel
belts.The upper belt usually features a deeper and
more intensive texture, while the lower belts are
sometimes only ground or smooth (also known as
satin-finished belts).
The most important technical requirements for
endless press belts are:

High life time - generally measured by the total

amount of product produced over the belt's
lifetime; a longer belt life means fewer shutdowns
and lower production costs.
High wear resistance of the surface texture under
thermal loads.
High mechanical resistance to loads - stress in
longitudinal direction, thermally-caused stress and
pressure load from the pressure cushion.
High chemical resistance to the resin, foils and
the mated coating itself.
Low adhesion of coating particles, foils, resins.
Reproducible surface texture in very fine detail.

2
8

3
1

Fig. 1: Example of a production line based on a double-belt press system

1.
2.
3.
4.

Decoiling station
Double-belt press
Cooling device
Decor paper coiling device

Dimensions
There are approximately 35 double-belt press
systems in use around the world for the production
of coated particle boards and laminates.The belts are
usually 1100-2300 mm wide with an overall length of
9-15 m.The typical thickness varies from 1,2-2 mm.

5.
6.
7.
8.

Grinding machine
Edge cutting station
Coiling system
Cutting station

Material
Due to the stringent requirements previously
mentioned, martensitic stainless steel belts are
generally used for this application.The thermal
conductivity of this material is comparable with
austenitic stainless steel but the thermal expansion is
significantly lower.
Therefore, this kind of steel is not as susceptible
to buckling/bumping under thermal loads caused by
the different temperature zones within the laminating
process.

Fig. 2 and Fig. 3: Double-belt press for the continuous production of decorative and technical laminates

37

The benefits of this material include:

Excellent mechanical values (stress/strain).

Good thermal conductivity.
Good surfaces hardness.
A highly-controllable behaviour in the etching
process.
Good joint-welding capabilities.
Good behaviour within the polishing process.

The purity of the raw material is very important

for the quality of the final product. By avoiding
material defects during the milling of the coil material,
the possibility of surface defects on the final finish can
also be minimized.
The typical production process begins with
preliminary grinding of the raw, coiled martensitic
material. Next, the coil edges are chamfered (Fig. 4).
The coil material is then cut to the correct length
and the butting edges prepared for the welding.Today,
two geometrical different welding approaches are
generally used: the 'cross-wise' welding seam (usually
at 85 degrees) and the 'spiral' weld seam.

38

The 'cross-wise' weld seam is easier to produce the risk of bumping or edge failures is low (Fig. 5). On
the other hand, the shorter weld seam has to
withstand the complete stress of the belt in longitudinal
direction. If there are variations within the welding
process, the weld seam might be visible on the final
belt and product.This risk is avoided by means of
grinding and heat treatment of the weld seam.
The 'spiral' weld seam distributes the longitudinal
belt stress over a much longer weld length, which
gives a better load condition for the weld seam. On
the other hand, the weld seam is much longer and
more difficult to produce.
However, the pros and cons of one method
over the other are mostly theoretical.To date, no
statistically-significant advantage has been proven
for either method in terms of the final life time of
endless press belts. One reason might be statistical
failures such as belt damage caused by accidents in
the production environment. In other words, belts
are generally destroyed in other ways before the belt
weld has any impact on life expectancy.
After the welding process, the belt is ground

coil

cutting

edge preparing

pad grinding

printing

etching

hard chrome plating

edge cutting

gloss adjustment

final quality check

packaging

Fig. 4: The typical and most important steps for the production of an endless press belt

welding

Fig. 5: Geometrical failures during the welding process of endless press belts - examples: A) bumping, B) edge failure

(Fig. 4). Grinding is performed by means of rotating,

flat, continually-oscillating grinding pads and is
undertaken in different directions to avoid the risk of
grinding marks.
Grinding is carried out on both the inner and
outer side of the belt to ensure the material remains
completely flat at the end of the process.
The next stage is a multi-step, printing process,
during which the texture is applied to the outer side
of the belt. After cleaning of the outer surface, the
first level of the texture is finished in the first etching
process. Subsequent processes of printing and
etching are repeated until the final three-dimensional
texture is reached.There could be as many as eight
printing and etching steps to produce a single final
texture.
The belt is then hard-chrome plated to protect
against chemical and physical damage, the final width
is adjusted and the belt edges finished.
Sometimes, the surface gloss level of the belt is
adjusted by mechanical or chemical methods before
and/or after the chroming; this might affect the whole
belt or just locally to achieve a desired surface texture.
Mechanical polishing does not affect the texture,
whereas chemical polishing does remove some
material and can therefore affect the final texture
over multiple polishings. Each method is effective if
controlled properly.
The final quality inspection is only a small part
of the whole quality check chain. Prior to and after
each single production step, all belt parameters are
checked to avoid later failures. Nevertheless, the
production risk is high: material defects in the raw
material can be extremely difficult to recognize prior
to the final etching process as they are often hidden
under a perfect outer surface of the coil material.

Packing details are previously agreed with the

customer. When packaging continuous belts for
shipping, they are often tensioned in a special belt
transport fixture before being crated and made ready
for despatch.
The above is just a general description of the
production process. Additional variables exist
depending upon the texture of the belt, such as the
special surface treatment methods necessary for
preparing high-gloss endless press belts (Fig. 6) or
belts with special matt-gloss surface effects.
Lifetime and maintenance of endless
press belts
The surface quality of the belt directly affects the
quality of the final product.The lifetime of the press
belt is a significant economic parameter for the
production line.Therefore, the lifetime of the belt is of
utmost importance.
Prior to the first use, the belt needs to be
'tempered' on the double-belt press system. During
this procedure the belt temperature is increased
in incremental steps.The tempering process takes
approximately one to two shifts.
Independent from the initial state of the belt,
the lifetime - defined by the maximum length of
produced material - also depends upon further
parameters, such as:

Belt maintenance:
- regular cleaning of the belt (Fig. 7)
- regular checks of the surface for damage and
effecting repair, if possible
- regular checks of the belt edges and belt-edge
maintenance

39

Fig. 6: Endless press belt with high-gloss surface

Unexpected and unfortunate damage

- by dropping small parts within the production
unit, these small parts go between the drum
and the belt or between the two belts and can
damage either or both.
- mechanical damage caused during transport,
installation or setup of the belt
Failures in the process or in the material feed
can result in adhesion of the material, in turn
resulting in mechanical damage.

Compliance with the machine parameters

recommended and prescribed by the machine
designer (pre-stressing of the belt and over-
aggressive hydraulics in belt steering)

As noted, there are many factors that will affect

the ultimate cycle life of a given press belt.Therefore, a
general statement about the expected lifetime of
endless press belts is difficult. Furthermore, the lifetime
is dependant upon the type of surface texture and on
the client's range of accepted texture finish on the final
product.This latter restraint changes depending upon
specific customers, markets and production standards.

40

Fig. 7: Endless press belt before and after refurbishment / cleaning

Assuming careful handling and regular maintenance

for the whole process chain and proactive care of the
press belt today, the typical lifetime of a belt is in the
range of three to five million running meters. In the
event of major mechanical damage to a textured belt,
repair will not be possible due to the detailed texture
on the surface of the upper belt. However, minor
surface damage might be repaired and corrected
by de-chroming and re- chroming of the belt, if that
damage has not penetrated through to the textured
surface. Normally, the producers keep a stock of
spare belts, the quantity of which is based upon the
individual client's past experience of the belt lifetime
due to incidences encountered.
Todays producers are offering training workshops
for production and maintenance staff where correct
handling and maintenance is taught and practiced.
Outlook
The production of textured, endless press belts today
has reached a very high technological level but there
are still improvements expected from
on-going research and development.The actual
lifetime of some belts has been doubled within the
last few years. One of the reasons for this advance
is a continuous improvement in raw material quality
and major improvements in metallurgical and
mechanical treatment of the weld seam.
In the past, endless press belts were mainly used
for the production of so-called standard and mass
surface textures. Nowadays, more belt customers are
requesting much more complicated textures. One
example is the high-gloss, 'mirror-finished' surfaces
which are in production - other examples are deeper
textures such as the "handscraped-textures" (Fig. 8)
with the touch of a real 'weathered and worn' wood

surface or the rough, broken stone surfaces.

Therefore, a larger variety of textures and surface
textures on the press belts is expected in the future
where the final product offers a higher quality rating
and higher value impression.This leads to even more
complex production steps within the endless press
belt production process.

Fig. 8: Endless press belt on belt carrier unit with "handscraped" texture

41

Steel belt production

9. Innovation and investment

42

Alongside the development of new grades with

improved physical and mechanical properties,
Sandvik has also responded to market demand for
new dimensions in terms of increased width,
thickness and length.
In 1997, this resulted in yet another technological
breakthrough, with the supply of the first 3 mm thick
steel belt.This was designed to meet the high stress
demands placed upon the press by harsh-textured
OSB (oriented strand board) material and was
incorporated into a ContiRoll.
Shortly thereafter 3 mm belts were also used for a
continuous CPS press for production of LVL
(Laminated Veneer Lumber) panels. Now 3 mm belts
are standard for the production of OSB and LVL with
improved belt life due to the high thickness and
stability. For the special production of thin board (1.53 mm) Siempelkamp has introduced a new press design with 3.5 mm thick steel belts, which are designed
to provide greater resistance to damage caused by
glue lumps and other defects.The first such line has
been operational since the end of 2007 and has been
showing good results.

With the growth enjoyed by the WBP industry,

Sandvik has been proactive in terms of research and
development, recognizing the need to continually improve the tolerances it can offer thickness deviation,
flatness and straightness and its ability to meet evershorter delivery times.
The companys most recently-installed production
line is used primarily for the manufacture of highstrength steel belts for double-belt presses, and the
system, so efficiently automated that it can be
managed by a single operator, incorporates the very
latest manufacturing technologies to ensure the
highest quality at all times. For instance, lasers are
used throughout production to monitor and control
the surface of the belt.
The line enables Sandvik to produce belts up to
3,5 mm thick, 180 m long and up to 4620 mm wide
ground on both sides to perfect tolerances, and the
increased flexibility resulting from the investment
means faster delivery times for customers.
Further investments in the range of US $40 million are
planned at the belt-producing facility in
Sandviken, Sweden, with almost 50 per cent of that
sum going into a new press belt production line.

Maximizing customer productivity

Whatever the length, width or grade, every Sandvik
steel belt is designed to offer reliable service for many
years.This is achieved through a series of stringently
controlled manufacturing processes.
Belts wider than 1580 mm have to be longitudinally
welded from 2 or 3 single strips.The first step for
each individual strip consists of flattening, straightening,
trimming and preparing the edges for welding.This is
followed by automatic longitudinal welding and heat
treatment, which hardens and strengthens the steel
to the required values.

Levelling and grinding unit at Sandvik workshop

After cooling, the longitudinal weld is smoothed

and ground on both sides, the belt edges cut parallel
to the exact width, and the cut edges rounded. Finally
the ends of the belt are prepared for endless welding,
which is achieved after the belt is drawn onto the
press. The cross weld is then ground to ensure that
no visible trace is left on the panel.
Once in operational service, though, accidents in
WBP mills may happen and, without the appropriate
remedial treatment, such mishaps can threaten the
working life of a steel belt.

43

The worlds widest grinding line capable of grinding belts up to 4620 mm wide installed in Sandviken/Sweden

At the beginning of 2000, to meet increasing

worldwide demand for heavy steel belts ground on
both sides, Sandvik installed a new grinding machine
at its steel belt factory in Sweden.The machine, the
largest of its kind in the world, gave Sandvik the ability
to produce steel belts up to 15 tons in weight, up to
4620 mm wide and up to 3.5 mm thick. This project
formed just part of a major ten year investment
programme put into place by Sandvik to maintain its
role as a leading supplier to the WBP industry.

44

Service in Brazil

10. Sandvik site service

Serving the worlds WBP business with
efficient repair solutions
Round-the-clock service has been one of the key
requirements of the WBP industry since its earliest
days and Sandvik has satisfied this need with the
development of a genuinely global service network.
While this remains a key aspect of Sandviks service
offering, the company also recognises the need for
basic repairs to be carried out by in-house personnel
in order to keep downtime to the minimum.This has
led to the development of the Sandvik QuickTools
portfolio, an evolving range of tools designed make
repair work as easy as possible for Sandvik engineers
and trained in-house maintenance crews alike.

Sandvik QuickDiscTM
The QuickDisc is probably the most widely used
repair tool in the range, and combines proven metalcutting technology from Sandvik Coromant with
the specific belt repair expertise gained by Sandvik
Process Systems in the WBP field.
The tool is clamped to the belt surface by means
of suction pads and a rotating tipped cutter cuts out
a circular area of belt containing the damage. An
identically-sized disc, cut from belt off-cut, is welded
in place and the join ground until virtually invisible.
The cutting system has no limitations in terms of steel
grade or belt thickness. Precision discs from 70-300
mm diameter can easily be cut out and inserted with
help of the QuickClamping tool.

Sandvik's QuickDisc

Sandvik QuickClamper
When inserting a circular blank into a damaged
steel belt, thick copper or aluminum plates are used
to achieve proper cooling to the weld area.These
plates are kept at place with a device equipped with
pneumatic system for pressure and holding.The body
of the QuickDisc is used on the bottom side of the
belt and the QuickClamper is used on the upper
side to provide maximum space for welding and
inspection of the repair.
Steel belt repair kit

45

Sandvik QuickGrinder
An air driven belt grinding unit, customized for safe
and efficient removal of material remaining from
repair or installation welding. A 50 mm wide grinding
belt is used to smooth out variations in thickness over
a wide area; a safety guiding system is also provided
to avoid grinding mistakes by digging or slipping.

Sandvik QuickCutter
The use of ever-thicker belts has created a real challenge
in terms of in-house cutting. Sandviks QuickCutter is an
easy-to-use hand machine equipped with a cemented
carbide cutting disc and guided by an accurate linear
unit to achieve a straight direct weldable cut.

Sandvik QuickCutter
Sandvik QuickGrinder, designed for the efficient removal of excess
material or deformations resulting from the welding process, either
in new belt installations or following repair work such as disc inserts.

Sandvik QuickBlaster
The Sandvik QuickBlaster is an innovative remedial
solution for deformed belts. It offers a quick, cost
effective method of flattening out deformed steel
belts without interrupting production. Sandvik
developed the shot peening method of repairing
heavily deformed and troughed belts in the 1980s.
Using the same principle, todays QuickBlaster tool
is used by hundreds of press owners to repair belt
deformation without having to turn the belt.

Sandvik QuickExpert
The reduction of costly downtime has been
the driving force behind the development of
the QuickExpert programme, with efficient and
frequent inspections prolonging belt life and allowing
scheduling of planned repair and maintenance.This
initiative has also seen the development of an on-line
tool enabling users to calculate the actual cost savings
that could be achieved in their own businesses by
reducing downtime.

Belt inspection

Shot peening with the QuickBlaster

46

Sandvik QuickSlitter & QuickDresser

These are among the latest additions to this
continuously developing tool series and are used on
belt edges.The QuickSlitter is used to slit a slice from
the complete belt length before the QuickDresser
is used to shape the edge to its original form (using
carbide inserts from Sandvik Coromant).

11. Questions and answers for DBP

2. Problems and maintenance

1. Lifetime of the belts

2.1 Can variations in mat thickness cause problems?

The risk is greatest when you start up production
and/or change thickness, or when you have a
combination of thin mat, high density and high speed:
the resistance of the mat may be too low in relation
to the pressure of air inside the mat, causing it to
burst and resulting in a local variation of the mat
thickness.This could in turn lead to high stresses in the
belt of such magnitude to cause permanent
deformation of the belt; such local deformation will
eventually result in cracks of the steel belt.

1.1 How long can a belt last?

Steel belts are designed to have the same operating
life as the press itself but, in practice, their working life
will be limited by general wear and tear.The belts with
the longest known operational life were installed by
Sandvik in a Siempelkamp line in Meppen/Germany,
now owned by Sonae group.These ran for 13 years
producing thick MDF before finally needing replacing in 2001.
1.2 What can reduce the working life of a belt?
Many factors can adversely affect the life of a belt but
primary causes include:
Too many instances of damage sufficiently severe to
mark the board
An excessively high percentage of rejects or lower
grade board
Accidents during operation
Increased belt speed, e.g. up to 120 m/min for thin
board (glues and resins allow faster processing,
hence more revolutions and bending cycles)
Inexperienced staff
1.3 Why do I need spare belts?
Accidents can and do happen and downtime costs
can be very high. As a result, the loss of only a few
days production can equate to cost of a new belt.
If an accident happens, Sandviks support people will
do their utmost to help, but manufacturing a new belt
will still take several weeks.Your insurance company
may well insist that you keep at least one spare belt to
keep your premium down.
1.4 Are belts more at risk when a new plant
is started up?
Experience shows that it is particularly important
to hold a spare belt or belts when starting up a new
plant as the risk of damage through accidents is higher
than normal due to inexperienced maintenance and
operational people. However, even if personnel are
well-trained, the start-up of new systems/processes
still carries an increased risk such as from foreign
particles, double-matting especially when running
thin board.

During normal running, the risk is lower unless you

have a very light and dust-prone wood fiber. Speed of
steel belt and feeding belt must match exactly.
2.2 What other issues can result in damage
to steel belts?
There are many, but here are a few:
Metal objects in press (but most modern lines now
have metal detectors)
Uneven mat forming
Glue lumps
Tracking problems
Chain breakage
Mistreatment of belt edge(s)
Poor cleaning too much dust and chips
Fires caused by oil and dust
Unsuitable lubricating oil or excessively high
temperature that carbonizes oil
Troughing
Roller and chain condition can also affect belt life
Wrong pressure setting
2.3 What causes belt tracking problem?
Belt displacement can be caused by a number of
different factors, but 80-90% of such problems result
from mat-forming. Other possible causes include:
Deviations, distortions and tolerances in respect to
the optimum straightness.
Varying pressure, temperatures and speeds.
Uneven tensioning of chain or rollers can have an
extremely negative impact on belt tracking.
Sandvik belts are tested in our production plant
without using a belt tracking control unit. Every steel
belt is verified according to known specification.

47

2.4 Why are white marks visible after inserting

a round belt piece?
Uneven thickness and flatness in the weld leads to
non-uniform hardening of the glue due to different heat
transfer properties. Also, the heat transfer properties
of the weld itself are about 5% lower than those of
the parent material. It is very difficult to make a repair
invisible, especially with thin board.
Best results will be obtained by using Sandviks QuickTool repair system to create and insert a replacement
disc and then treating the repair using the Sandvik
belt-grinding unit. Other important factors behind an
effective invisible repair include the type of glue used
and the kind of wood being processed.
2.5 Why shot peening?
One of the most common problems in the press is
belt deformation in the form of elongation of the
back or roller side, caused by rollers or a chain making
an impression on the surface.The result is a curled or
troughed belt and the most efficient method of repair
is shot-peening. Using compressed air, hardened steel
balls of different size (depending on the belt thickness
and grade) are blasted onto the belt surface in order
to achieve an elongation, or to even out the stresses
between product side and back side of the belt.
When the differences in stress and elongation are
eliminated, the belt is once again returned to its
original flat condition.
2.6 What routine inspections are recommended
for the belt itself?
Visual inspections of:

48

2.8 How is a belt cleaned in the machine?

Most double belt presses are provided with metal
brushes and, in normal use, these will provide all the
cleaning necessary. However, if the belt surface is still
not clean, a small belt grinder can be used or a Scotch
Brite type brush.
Very sticky and coarse impurities must be removed
with mechanical scrapers and then ground off. Sandvik
can also supply a mobile belt grinder for removal of
surface deposits. In some cases, dry ice can be used
for cleaning, but it is not very efficient and raises costs
considerably. Laser cleaning is not cost effective.
Another possible way of cleaning is to add a few % of
melamine adhesive and run production for a few days.
2.9 Can a Sandvik belt and a Berndorf belt be used in
the same DBP?
Yes, both belts are controlled individually and
therefore do not influence each other.The only
consideration is the position of the longitudinal welds
(to avoid overlapping).
2.10 Can the upper belt and lower belts be of different
thicknesses?
Yes, but their respective speeds will have to be adjusted
individually. Check the adjustment by marking both belts
at the inlet and outlet to see if the marking coincides.
2.11 What is the best way to detect a crack?
Most cracks can be detected by the naked eye look
out for visible oil marks on the board or visible light
reflection on the belt surface (edge cracks). Other
methods include:

Magna flux test

Penetrant test
MilliQ test

Belt edges
Belt surface (clean inside at regular intervals and
inspect as most fatigue cracks start from inside; oil
on the board product indicates a crack as oil seeps
through)
Belt shape
Belt tracking
Brake parts, dirt and lubrication

2.12 How long can a crack be before you have to

repair it?
Transversal cracks are the most common and can be
up to 25 mm at the belt edge or 50 mm inside the
belt before they must be repaired.

2.7 What is the highest suitable belt temperature for

repairs?
100C. It is impractical for technicians to work at
higher temperatures.

Longitudinal cracks can be longer than this as risk of

belt rupture is much less, but remember that its easier
to repair a short crack than a long one! Repair
according to Sandvik instructions PS-SB-4451 and 4452.

2.13 What about scratches to the belt?

Small scratches without burr do not affect belt life
and no remedial action is needed as long as they do
not influence the product. Larger scratches or those
with burr should be treated to minimize risk.

3.5 Why is grinding necessary?

Grinding improves the thickness and flatness of a steel
belt, especially over the longitudinal weld. It also
gives the defect-free surface needed for production
of unsanded board.

2.14 Dents and deformations

See Sandvik instructions PS-SB-4450.

4. Running-in of belts

3. Belt thickness and belt quality

3.1 Is it possible to change to thicker belts?
The basic answer is yes, but the plant manufacturer
must be consulted first and Sandvik cannot guarantee
any improvements in results. Most presses are
designed so that the thickness can be increased to the
next nominal standard dimension, i.e.

from 1.8 to 2.0 (2.3) mm

from 2.0 to 2.3 mm
from 2.3 to 2.7 mm
from 2.7 to 3.0 mm
3.2 Is it better to work with a thicker belt?
Thicker belts are certainly more resistant to hard
particles and dents and less susceptible to troughing.
However, a thicker belt is also more sensitive to fatigue
due to surface defects, and the bending stress is higher.
3.3 Whats the difference between using a 1500SM
and a 1650SM steel belt?
Both are martensitic hardened steel: 1650SM has a
higher strength and better fatigue values, but in practice
1500SM has worked without problems. Previously,
the main reason for using 1500SM was that 1650SM
was not available in a 2.7 or 3.0 mm thickness.This is
no longer the case so we would now recommend
SM1650SM. However, 1500SM is still available for
users who want a spare belt in the same grade.
3.4 What type of ground belt surface finishes does
Sandvik offer?
Sandvik grind both belt sides for all surface finishes,
but the tolerances vary with lowest values for SK-O
and best SK-2

Mill finish (SK-0)

Ground one side (SK-1)
Ground both sides (SK-2)

4.1 What tension should the belt be run in at start-up?

At 100% (approx. 50 N/mm2).
4.2 What determines this specific tension?
Proper belt tracking.
4.3 When should the protective tape be removed
from the belt?
The tape on the inside of the belt should be removed
when drawing the belt into the press. Remove the
tape on the product side before test run and test
heating.
4.4 How should the press be heated-up during
running-in?
Normally a modern press can be heated-up with
approx. 1C/min.
4.5 How should belt tracking be performed
during set up?
Drums and belt tracking rollers should be adjusted
manually during test run.The system should only be
switched to automatic once the belts are running
uniformly.
4.6 Is oil supplied during running in?
Yes, by drop metering pump (at 30% of the usual with
product oil feed rate).
4.7 Should any checks be carried out before production is started?
Speed difference on drives of belts and rollers should
be checked and, if necessary, adjusted.

49

5. Safety devices

7. General

5.1 What safety devices are normally used?

7.1 Is there a difference between belts for MDF and

particle board?
Yes, thin MDF is more demanding, requiring closer
tolerances for thickness and surface finish of the belts.

Fire / heat / smoke detecting systems.

Chip screen with magnet trap.
Scrap trap.
Glue lump trap in dryer.
Metal detector in mat-forming section, etc.
Scrapers on belt insides.
Safety switches for belt tracking.
GreCon dieffensor.
6. Oil
6.1 What sort of oil is usually used and
recommended?
Klber or Optimol.
6.2 How is the oil fed during production?
The oil is fed in drops via a metering pump.Visual
inspection is used to assess the correct amount.
6.3 Does the oil need cleaning?
No.
6.4 How is oil removed from roller side of the belts?
Belt scraper to tray (a certain amount is allowed to
pass the belt scraper).

50

7.2 Can different widths be produced in the press?

Yes they can but in order to avoid deformation of
belts the press should not run too long with narrower
width belts (maximum 2-3 days at a time with up to
600 mm [2 ft] difference).
7.3 Does Sandvik recommend one particular press
manufacturer?
No, not at all. All OEMs have their advantages and, as
long as they use Sandvik steel belts, were more than
happy to work with them all.

Sandvik Group
The Sandvik Group is a high technology engineering group,
with advanced products and world-leading positions in
selected areas. Operations comprise the Tooling, Mining and
Construction, and the Materials Technology business areas.
The group has 50,000 employees and representations in 130
countries.
Sandvik Materials Technology
Sandvik Materials Technology is a business area within the Sandvik
Group and a world-leading manufacturer of high value-added
products in advanced stainless materials, special alloys, metallic and
ceramic resistance materials, as well as process plants. The product
areas comprises Tube, Strip, Wire, Kanthal, Process Systems and
Med Tech.
Sandvik Process Systems itself made up of two product
centres, Belts (incl. Press Plates) and Industrial Processing.
Quality Assurance
Sandvik Materials Technology has a quality management system
approved by internationally recognised organisations. We hold
for example: ASME Quality System Certificate as a Materials
Organisation, approval to ISO 9001 and QS 9000, as well as
approvals from LRQA, JIS and other organisations as a materials
manufacturer.
Environment
Environmental awareness is an integral part of our business and
is at the forefront of all activities within our operation. We hold
approval to ISO 14001.

51

Partners in press belt performance

52

PS-SB 440 ENG 2.09 Printed in Germany

Sandviks position in the WBP and laminate industry is virtually unique, with
the company operating in partnership with double-belt press manufacturers
and the panel producers themselves. As well as being one of its major
strengths, this also places the company in a position of responsibility.
The investment that has been put into R&D, the global network of service
teams, the ever-increasing range of belt grades and new repair techniques
that maximize the operational life of steel belts the combination of all of
these factors is a clear demonstration of Sandviks determination to live up to
its leadership responsibility and to continue supporting this industry far into
the third millennium.

www.smt.sandvik.com/sps