Industry professionals know that primer application on wooden panels is typically carried out using one of three methods: roller coating, spray coating or curtain coating. Each approach has its own pros and cons, depending on various factors.
The introduction of vacuum technology helps overcome many of the limitations of traditional systems—without necessarily replacing them entirely—offering new opportunities and benefits, especially for manufacturers of cabinet doors, panels, and bathroom furniture.
Vacuum coating technology creates a low-pressure environment to improve the primer application process, ensuring uniform and efficient coating.
During this process, panels are placed inside a vacuum chamber, where air is extracted to lower the pressure around the surfaces. The reduced pressure allows lacquers and primers to penetrate deeper into the wood grain, improving adhesion and minimising the risk of bubbles or imperfections.
Additionally, vacuum technology plays a crucial role in eliminating air bubbles that can cause uneven finishes. This results in a smoother, more uniform coating that enhances both the appearance and durability of the finished product.
THE MOST ADVANCED FINISHING SOLUTIONS
Any flat panel made of wood or wood-based materials, including those with rounded edges, can be coated using vacuum technology.
This makes it an ideal solution for manufacturers aiming for uniform finishes while minimising imperfections and achieving extremely smooth surfaces. The vacuum process takes place in a controlled environment, reducing the risk of dust contamination. This is the key to higher precision and longer-lasting products.
Compared to spray coating, vacuum coating also results in faster drying times, enabling quicker production cycles and reducing material waste. This innovation not only improves the aesthetic quality of panels, but also improves the operational efficiency of production processes.
The result? Perfectly finished surfaces with minimal material waste and much better final quality.
Given the advantages of vacuum technology, Cefla Finishing has developed a user-friendly solution for processing flat panels with rounded edges, J-Pull versions, and panels with ABS edges.
Smartvacuum is a machine capable of applying 100% UV acrylic lacquer in a single pass, without any physical contact between the application head and the substrate. Thanks to vacuum technology, it deposits between 90 and 140 g/m² of product with extreme precision and uniformity, avoiding build-ups on any part of the panel.
The flash-off phase takes place after primer application and before final drying in a UV-R oven.
The use of 100% solid UV products makes the process more sustainable, and the finish remains more stable over time compared to polyurethane or polyester-based products, also requiring shorter drying times.
As mentioned, vacuum technology offers numerous advantages over other finishing methods, but this does not mean it should be seen as an exclusive alternative to existing solutions. To truly appreciate its benefits, companies should evaluate their traditional finishing lines and determine the best integration between existing machinery and vacuum technology.
Roller coating is one of the most widely used surface finishing techniques for flat panels. The process typically involves:
Curtain coating is performed using machines called curtain coaters. These systems utilise liquid coatings that form a curtain of lacquer that falls onto the moving panel in a uniform fashion, allowing even coating application. The steps typically include:
Spray coating lines use a closed-loop system for applying polyurethane or polyester-based primers in multiple layers on flat surfaces and edges. This set-up requires extended drying times, as panels must be stabilised at appropriate intervals before sanding and finishing.
When correctly implemented alongside traditional techniques, vacuum technology enhances finishing processes, making them more efficient and sustainable.
The eco-friendly nature of 100% UV acrylic lacquers offers several advantages, reducing material consumption, costs, lead times, handling requirements and equipment footprint.
Additionally, when vacuum application is integrated with traditional methods:
By implementing Cefla Finishing’s Smartvacuum, the finishing line would consist of the following steps:
Smartvacuum works best when paired with another Cefla Finishing solution: Smartedge, a machine for edge coating, filling and sanding, configurable with modular options to meet different quality and productivity needs.
The coating application can be performed with a traditional vertical roller, a patented soft vertical roller that automatically adapts to edge shapes without the need for counter-shapes, or using vacuum technology.
Smartedge and Smartvacuum share both technique and lacquer. This ensures optimal continuity between the flat surface and the panel edge.
The result? A smoother finish compared to conventional application techniques, especially on panels with rounded edges. This reduces the number of steps required to process semi-finished products and, most importantly, helps achieve a high-quality final product.
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