Chipboard Coding

Definition of Task

Edges of chipboards with lengths from 15 to 21 meters (50 to 69 feet) are marked on the side directly after the sanding machine
Print information is the manufacturer name, the production location, the emission character, the exact production date and time
Print height is 5 mm (0.2 inch) for small and 10 mm (0.4 inch) for large chipboards

Chipboards are cut into two or three pieces and are then stacked, the individual coding of the edges has to represent a closed and well readable lined up print image
Conveyer which transports the chipboards past the print head accelerates, from approx. 60 m/min (200 ft/min) on up to 90 m/min (295 ft/min), during the coding process
Ambient temperatures are relatively constant at around +46° Celsius (115° Fahrenheit)

In order to maintain a constant distance between the chipboards with the various sizes and formats and the print heads, REA designed a distance balance device to automatically adjust the distance between the print head and the chipboard
To eliminate the slip effect of the shaft encoder wheel, which occurs with the contact of each new chipboard, a specially designed encoder bracket was installed to apply pressure to prevent contact slip between the encoder wheel and the material surface
Coth print heights are allocated by scripting language