Thin PMMA sheets | Cefla Finishing

Processing thin sheets in PMMA is a delicate operation and producers will want to ensure the finished product is not only aesthetically attractive, but also resistant over time. Many such sheets are used to cover panels and provide a glossy or mirror-like finish, so the surface has to be top quality with zero defects. Since we designed and installed the first roller coating solution specially tailored to process these sheets, our customers appreciate the following features:

combination of upper application roller and lower support roller working together
cleaning system developed for the lower support roller
processing environment created to avoid dust pollution

A closer look at the application process

Produced to provide a lasting finish and appealing surface, thin extruded PMMA sheets are a delicate semi-processed material when it comes to coating them. This has led us to develop a process which is suited to such a substrate as it passes through the roller coater, in a controlled environment where dust is kept outside.

The application unit is made of 2 rollers (topside for coating application, beneath the sheets to provide physical support) that firmly act on the plastic sheet leaving no space for sheet warping as it is fed through the machine. A scraper blade which removes excess lacquer from the lower application roller also contributes to optimising the coating process of such thin sheets.

Line integration for a complete solution

Further to the specially developed roller coating equipment, the line can be completed with pressurised booths including air filtration and conditioning systems to avoid dust pollution and guarantee a controlled processing environment.

Prior to the coating stages, careful surface cleaning operations are also performed to ensure spotless surface finishes. Together with each customer we will select the most appropriate solution according to the desired result.

Following the coating stages, the PMMA sheets can be dried in different ovens. Our UV-I inert curing solution maximises the ultimate physical resistance. This solution also drastically reduces the need for photoinitiators, making it a more sustainable process and reducing related costs.

If you require a deep matt finish, our excimer matting technologies are also an environmentally-friendly option using less nitrogen than standard solutions. Exydry is an oven designed to process flat surfaces and will ensure a fingerprint-proof, soft-touch, deep matt finish, even on slightly raised panels.

Equipment you may consider to handle the entire process

Cefla Finishing has the broadest range of finishing technologies and machines that have been designed to deal with specific processes such as PMMA sheets. Here is a list of those machines with relevant links:

Roller coating solutions
UV-I inert curing oven
Exydry excimer matting oven
Pieffe compact vertical oven

And if your requirement includes an aspect which may need a tailored detail or a solution taking into account variables such as special lacquers, production volumes or available floorspace, our Finishing LAB in Imola or one of the satellite laboratories in China and the USA are available to examine the potential solution.

Contact us and you can fix an appointment with our specialists and maybe run a live test.

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Solutions that will give your thin PMMA sheets the perfect finish

Discover the machinery that allows you to achieve these results

UV-I

Exydry

Pieffe