The hydraulic press is used to obtain high pressure. It is used in many auto repair shops to press various shafts, bearings and gears. Home craftsmen use it for stamping parts made of plastic, rubber or metals. If your workshop doesn’t already have one, then you can try making a press yourself.
Read in the article
Purpose and functions of the press: areas of application of the device
The press has a wide range of applications. Sometimes it is a necessary item in a workshop or garage. The small device is often used in car repairs. You can use a press for silent blocks, as well as for pressing out bearings.
Such equipment is used to create briquettes from waste, when gluing two surfaces, as well as for bending metal parts. At the same time, factory devices may not be affordable for many. If you decide to make such a device with your own hands, it can easily be adapted to certain tasks.
The hydraulic principle makes life much easier. Thanks to the simple mechanism, various equipment works effectively.
So, let's take a closer look at why such a device is needed:
- pressing out various bearings, this is used in small auto repair shops;
- bending hardware of various shapes;
- providing pressure for gluing two elements;
- installation of rivets.
Try making a press with your own hands in. This device is used for pressing out and pressing in all kinds of parts. At the same time, the equipment performs a huge range of repair, maintenance and preventative work.
Let's look at some options:
- even a small car service needs hydraulic press, which you can purchase or make yourself. To make such a unit, you need to decide on the installation of a pressure gauge, the weight, dimensions and performance of the piston. Before designing a press, car models must be taken into account. Simple design not suitable for large cars;
- often necessary for the workshop and home waste paper press. If there is a large accumulation of paper, it must be disposed of. This design has average power and can operate from electrical network. Using a small device you can clean significant amount waste paper;
- useful and cardboard press, with which you can press plastic bottles and cans. At self-installation The device must take into account the parameters of the piston, frame, equipment dimensions and weight. This device uses ready-made or manual hydraulic;
- sawdust press used to create briquettes. The resulting briquettes are used for heating private houses. Such a device consists of a power frame, a base and a drive. For manual mechanism a jack is often used, and an electric motor is suitable for mechanical construction;
- homemade hay baler is a special box that is installed on a frame structure made of. Such frames can be made from metal profile. The design is made in the form of a box, but without the top part. You will need some materials to make your own hay press. Drawings with dimensions will make the task easier. It is worth using corners, metal slats and.
To make a hay machine, you need to connect the boards using metal corners. After this, the box is covered with slats. This will add strength to the product. Then you need to move on to the gate or door, which is fixed on hinges.
For assembly you will need an element for attaching to the front, a base for mounting all components, a running part and a transport pick-up. You will also need a special chamber with a gearbox and hay. Pick-up device roll type used to carry out one cycle of packaging and assembling straw or hay.
In this case, a selection of dried hay is made in the field, as well as pressing the collections. Then the sheets are formed into rolls. This process is characterized by baling without deforming the vegetation. Factory pickers have a rather complex device, which can rarely be done at home.
Waste paper units are used in points that accept various secondary raw materials. This unit is different high blood pressure approximately 15-50 tons, which helps to make bales small sizes. To load them, you can use any manipulators. High power They also have presses for fuel briquettes.
This design can be made in two types:
- The mechanical version is a simplified design with low power. In this case, the force can reach one ton;
- The more powerful ones include a homemade hydraulic device, the power of which can be up to 4 tons.
The production of a press for plastic bottles occurs in a similar way.
Press design: features of existing devices
To create a significant force over a certain area, a design is used hydraulic press, you can buy such a unit in specialized stores. This device is an effective and simple device.
If you decide to make such a structure according to the drawings, then you need to understand what it consists of:
- the lower part or base is necessary for the stability of the structure. It looks like a platform and is made of massive rolled metal. Corners made of metal and channel are suitable for this;
- racks are vertical parts of the structure. The height of the elements is calculated as the sum of the length of its rod, the height of the jack and the thickness of the fixed stop. The racks are made of steel corners welded to the base;
- the fixed stop is fixed in the upper part of the racks. To make it, use the same corner as for the racks;
- The jack allows you to develop the necessary force. This element is attached to a movable stop. It is driven by electric drive or manual control;
- the movable stop exerts the main pressure on the mechanism. Can be made from angles or strips of steel;
- The return device is used to move the movable stop to its normal position. In this case, springs are used, the degree and length of stretching are calculated depending on the parameters of the press.
How to make a simple design can be seen in the video below:
Vacuum press
When making a vacuum press with your own hands, it is worth considering that the device consists of a thermal module, a table and a vacuum chamber. Moreover, the last element often has the shape of a rectangle and is made of hard material.
This design has some features:
- the device has only manual control;
- Available materials are used for work;
- the operating speed should not be inferior to factory analogues.
The vacuum structure is assembled from the following parts:
- the frame is made from rails for the thermal module and profiled pipe. To work, you will also need an electric drill;
- the vacuum table is made from a clamping frame, clamps and a bath;
- A liquid ring pump is also required.
Thermal vacuum press is also produced by analogy.
Baler
A device such as a baler is installed as a trailing mechanism for. It is used in small farm fields and large agricultural lands. After the green mass is cut by the mower, this device processes it. In this case, rollers are formed from the stems, and then pressed bales are obtained using the unit.
Here are the advantages of using such a unit:
- drying time is reduced and hay loss is reduced;
- labor costs are reduced several times;
- the quality of hay during storage increases;
- possible self-adjustment attachment.
The most common option is the roll mechanism. Spring teeth allow you to collect a lot of grass. After this, each portion is rolled into bales. Using such a press, a minitractor can load up to 20 tons of straw in 20 days. Roll structures have small dimensions.
The roller press-bale variety makes rectangular-shaped briquettes. The grass in the windrows is picked up by the teeth and sent to the pressing compartment. Dimensions can be adjusted by technology. The bales are firmly packed and tied with twine. After this, the block is thrown onto the field.
You can also do homemade version from running timber and lumber. In this case, a large box is made from boards and a horizontal method is used to load hay. A rack or pinion press is used as a press. screw jack. Using this device, you can knit bales of straw and press them.
Tabletop mechanical press
The table press can operate either automatically or manually. Such equipment is often made of durable steel.
Using a hand press the following are processed:
- polymers and plastics;
- cardboard and foam rubber;
- all kinds of metals;
- rubber and leather.
Using a mechanical press, bearings and bushings are pressed out, stamped, and small products are cut out. This unit allows you to save time on the manufacture of parts.
Hydraulic device manual apparatus produces force using a hydraulic cylinder rod. This element contains a liquid that is compressed under pressure. The unit is used to compress, deform and connect parts.
The hole-punching version is used for stamping holes in sheets different materials. Manual mechanical devices are necessary for crimping tubular sleeves and cables.
Vibropress
Vibropress allows you to reduce the time required construction work, and also reduce their cost. The device design assumes the presence of three drives: hydraulic, mechanical and pneumatic. The operation of the unit is based on vibration pressing technology.
Even if you have instructions and the necessary drawings, creating a brick making press with your own hands may not work out. This can happen due to incorrect calculations, inaccurate adjustments and low productivity.
Electric press
The hydraulic press with electric drive has a simple device. Most often it consists of a thick corner and a channel. All elements are connected with thick bolts.
Particular attention should be paid to the frame, as it will be subject to significant mechanical loads. In this case, the thickness of the metal must be sufficient.
This device is often used in production and industry. The force is performed by the operation of an electric motor. The use of such a mechanism helps reduce the time required to conduct multiple technological processes.
Hydraulic press device for a garage: main characteristics
Sometimes you need to know how to make a hydraulic press in order to make such a unit for your garage. At the same time, practical designs can be made from available raw materials. A garage unit will require a manual drive, as well as a hydraulic one. It is necessary to decide on the type of installation: it will be desktop or floor-standing. A drawing with dimensions will also come in handy.
To produce a hydraulic press, it is important to decide on the model option. Here they can be:
- complex hydraulic design requires specialized equipment and time to work;
- the manual mechanism can be made independently;
- The standard tire design is two-speed and has hand pump. The piston is mobile;
- the floor-standing model is equipped with an overload valve and manual drive pump
For self-made you will need a cutting tool and . The advantage of garage assembly will be the ability to control every stage of installation work.
It is important to decide on the type of construction. Horizontal devices used for bending, straightening and cutting individual elements. And vertical equipment is required for unpressing and pressing parts. The hydraulic installation is used for waste disposal. This involves pressing waste paper, plastic waste and corrugated cardboard.
Devices can also be desktop or floor-mounted. In this case, the tabletop mechanism can be installed on a workbench. Presses differ in their load capacity.
Floor-standing structures have a wide range of desktop adjustments. This option can have a load capacity of up to 20 tons. They are used to disassemble and reassemble units.
There are also special safety rules for working on such equipment:
- To work, you should work in clothes without parts that could get under the press. It is important to protect your hair from such contact;
- special glasses are used for the eyes;
- V work area there should be no children or strangers;
- the parts are placed in the center of the press;
- Only high quality oils are used for jacks.
An important drive is a manually operated hydraulic pump. It is capable of reciprocally - forward movements in the working part. Hydraulic cylinders can be plunger or piston. This largely depends on the quality of the liquid used.
To make a simple unit for the garage you will need bottle jack. For a small workshop, you can choose a mechanism that can create a force of up to 10 tons. This will reduce the size of the device. You will also need a welding unit and discs for cutting metal.
Before assembly, it is important to choose only a good jack and make a solid base for it. Such a press consists of a hydraulic pump, a pressure gauge, a frame with a bed and a hydraulic cylinder. In some designs, the cylinder and pump can be replaced by a jack.
Hand press has the following advantages:
- simplicity of the device;
- lack of safety mechanisms;
- the location of the work table does not affect the working force of the structure;
- It is possible to adjust the length and height of the working stroke.
The disadvantages include the low speed of the working surface.
How to make a device for a garage can be seen in the video:
Options for do-it-yourself hydraulic press drawings
An important part of any press is the bed. To make a manual hydraulic press with your own hands, the drawings must be chosen very responsibly. The bed consists of a frame, inside of which there is a jack with a tool.
The frame of a hydraulic press must have increased strength, since it will experience loads in two directions at once.
The lower part of the frame is designed to ensure the stability of the entire structure. To calculate the internal opening of the frame, parameters such as the thickness of the working mechanism and the free stroke of the rod are summed up.
To increase the height of the workpiece, it is necessary to ensure the adjustment of the free jack rod. Here's what you can do for this:
- another plate is installed in the upper part of the frame contour, which can move along the guides;
- a removable stop is made for the mobile platform;
- Several insert spacers can be made from a solid piece of metal.
If used correct drawing, the hydraulic press will be of high quality and durable.
Do-it-yourself hydraulic press: how to make it
Figuring out how to make a press with your own hands is not difficult. To do this you will need a welding unit, an angular Sander, And steel profile. For the manufacture of hydraulic device you will need a jack. The shape of such a mechanism should be bottle-shaped.
When making a homemade hydraulic press, you will need a jack weighing from 2 to 100 tons. Depending on the purpose, the press can be either floor-standing or tabletop. The latter option is more compact.
To make a hydraulic press with your own hands you will need a grinder, welding machine and a metal drill, as well as drills of different diameters. All kinds of channels, angles and metal pipes are used as the starting material. Any hydraulic press consists of moving and stationary elements. Movable ones include return mechanisms and a movable stop, and fixed ones include racks, stops and a base.
The base of a hydraulic press for a garage can be made from any available materials. In order for the structure to be stable, it is necessary to place the center of gravity as low as possible. For floor device the base is made of thick-walled corners and channels.
When making tabletop equipment, you can use a pipe with thick walls and a square cross-section. Iron can be used if the metal thickness is approximately 10 mm. For the base you will need a high-quality stop and stands. Such elements are made from scrap materials.
Article
File format: KOMPAS-3D, AutoCAD, cdw,dwg
Number of drawings: 11
Modernization of a vacuum belt press
Graduation project
Download:
Plastic molding presses are intended for the manufacture of products from a plastic clay mass of the required shape and size. A vacuum press is used at the plant to produce siphon blanks. Although these presses are designed for processing thin ceramic masses, they also work satisfactorily on plastic fireclay masses.
A characteristic feature of the operation of belt presses is that the clay mass is enriched with air during the processing process. It penetrates the masses not only during its promotion in the press, but also in other ways. Up to 2.5% of dissolved air is contained in soil water. Mixing the mass in mixers is also associated with additional capture and pressing of air. Some of the air is in the lumps of the clay mass and if the mixing is unsatisfactory, it is not able to reach the surface and also enters the press. In general, up to 10% of air may be in the exiting timber, which sharply deteriorates the quality of the resulting strip. To restore the valuable properties of the mass, they resort to the process of deairing (deaeration) of the mass.
Vacuuming the mass allows you to: increase the density and ductility of the molded mass, reduce the deformation of the cutting wire, products are obtained with sharp edges, increase the strength, ductility and uniformity of the fired products.
The diploma project included modernization of a vacuum tape press; modernization of the feed roller, replacement of the deflector roller with a deflector scraper, changing the angle of inclination of the perforated grid, changing the high-speed stage of the gearbox, installing a sound-insulating casing on the drive gearbox.
As a result of modernization, the time for repairs is reduced, and the maintenance and repair of the press is simplified.
In the design part of the project, the following was carried out: kinematic and power calculations of the drive, calculations of the teeth of cylindrical wheels for bending endurance, calculations of gearbox shafts, test calculations of bearings, justification of the main technical characteristics of the press.
In the feasibility study of the project, a calculation was made of the change in repair costs, the duration and complexity of the repair, the calculation wages workers. The cost estimate for repairs amounted to 76,179.6 rubles. with a book value of RUB 188,810.00. The estimate for repair costs before modernization was 113,551.42 rubles.
The “Life Safety” section provides for technological and organizational measures that eliminate or minimize accidents and emergencies. Provided optimal conditions labor. The project also included calculations of local exhaust ventilation.
List of drawings:
Vacuum belt press before modernization
Vacuum belt press (modernization)
Loading funnel
Soundproof casing
Screw shaft assembly
Modernized feed roller
High speed shaft
Gear
Reflective scraper
Technical specifications
Productivity - 10t/hour
Pressing screw diameter – 445 mm
Electric motor power - 55 kW
Overall dimensions (without drive): length 3700 mm, width 950 mm, height 950mm.
Weight (without drive) - 4200 kg.
LIST OF SYMBOLS
LIST OF SHEET GRAPHIC DOCUMENTS
INTRODUCTION
1 TECHNOLOGICAL PART
1.1 Brief description of the technological process
1.2 Technological diagram
1.3 Technological characteristics equipment
1.4 Literature and patent review
2 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
3 CALCULATION PART
3.1 Initial data for design
3.2 Calculation of basic parameters
3.2.1 Calculation of press productivity
3.2.2 Calculation of electric motor power
3.3 Kinematic and power calculation of the drive
3.3.1 Calculation of gearbox parameters
3.3.2 Calculation of high-speed gear transmission
3.3.3 Checking the gear teeth and wheel for strength
3.4 Calculation of the high-speed gearbox shaft for strength
3.5 Calculation of the intermediate shaft of the gearbox for strength
3.6 Calculation of keyed connections
3.7 Calculation of rolling bearings
4 TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT
4.1 Calculation of technical and economic indicators of technical modernization at the production site
4.2 Calculation of design and production capacity and design production volume
4.3 Cost estimate for major repairs of a vacuum press
4.3.1 Frequency and complexity of repairs.
4.3.2 Calculation of the number of repair workers
4.3.3 Creation of a repair team
4.4 Calculation of the wage fund (WF)
4.5 Costs of disassembly and assembly work before and after modernization
4.6 Calculation of the cost of spare parts for repairs before and after modernization
4.7 Cost estimate for major repairs of a vacuum press
4.7.1 Calculation of modernization costs
4.7.2 Justification of production volumes of commercial products
4.8 Calculation of production costs
4.9 Main technical and economic indicators of the project
5 LIFE SAFETY
5.1 Ensuring the safety of workers
5.1.1 Characteristics of working conditions
5.2 Ensuring occupational safety
5.2.1 Electrical safety measures
5.2.2 Fire safety
Opening a small furniture manufacturing enterprise begins with the acquisition of the necessary equipment.
It’s good if you have the opportunity to purchase branded factory-made machines.
What if start-up capital very limited?
There is only one way out - to assemble some of the units yourself. You can, for example, make a vacuum press with your own hands.
When making furniture, parts made from particle boards, for example MDF, are covered with PVC film. It is also used to cover door trims. Such cladding at a low cost has an attractive appearance. But covering wood with film is not at all as simple a task as, for example, gluing wallpaper. Required special device called a vacuum press.
This machine consists of the following components:
- The bed is the base on which all the elements are assembled.
- Vacuum chamber. A durable box with an open top into which the workpieces are placed. Then it is covered with PVC film.
- A heating element (thermal module), through which the film is heated to the required temperature.
- Vacuum system – pump with additional equipment. These components are designed to pump air out of the vacuum chamber.
- A cabinet in which the electrical circuit of the machine is assembled.
When the air is pumped out, the heated film fits around the parts coated with glue in a vacuum chamber, after which the coating can only be dried and trimmed here and there.
Tools
The basic set of tools is the same as for the manufacture of any other products from a steel profile:
- inverter-type welding machine with a welding current of up to 130 A;
- electrodes with a diameter of 2 – 2.5 mm;
- grinder with a working part diameter of 150 mm and a cutting wheel for it;
- electric drill with metal drills with a diameter of 10 mm and a metal brush;
- metal scribe;
- metal scissors;
- exhaust riveter;
- roulette.
You will also need a set of wrenches.
Materials for making a press
To manufacture the machine you will need the following materials:
bed
- steel rectangular pipe 60x40x2 mm;
- the same with a section of 20x20x2 mm;
- bolts M10x60, M10x80, M10x140 with nuts and washers.
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Vacuum chamber
- steel pipe 60x40x2 mm;
- steel sheet S – 2 mm;
- rubber tape for seal;
- a stud with a diameter of 12 mm and 2 nuts for it;
- pipe DN50;
- rod with a diameter of 10 mm;
- steel pipe 20x20x2 mm.
Vacuum system
- vacuum water ring pump VVN 1-1.5-5.5;
- vacuum gauge;
- steel sheet S = 2 mm;
- ball valve for hot water;
- vacuum hose with a diameter of 50 mm.
Thermal module
- pipe with a cross section of 20x20 and 60x40 mm;
- ball bearings type 6200;
- steel sheet S = 0.5 mm;
- aluminum rivets;
- glass with tinting film;
- aluminum foil S = 0.1 mm;
- lamp KGT 220-1000-6 (22 pcs.).
Construction drawing
This version of a homemade vacuum press is supposed to be equipped with a recoil-type thermal module (see diagram below).
Other types of heaters - lifting and swing - are more difficult to manufacture and less convenient to use. The thermal module is equipped with rollers (ball bearings) and moves on rails (20x20 pipe). There is a parking space for it on the frame.
Dimensions chosen for the vacuum chamber are 2.5 x 1.4 m. This length is optimal for the manufacture of the most typical furniture facades, and the width corresponds to the most common type of PVC film.
Vacuum press drawing
It is intended to load parts with a thickness of no more than 32 mm into the chamber, so its height, taking into account the thickness of the linings, air-permeable platform and seals, is taken to be 60 mm (made from a pipe 60x40x2 mm).
The machine is configured in such a way that the clamping frame, when folded, rests on the parked heater, so no additional devices are required to keep it in the raised state. The frame tilts back thanks to a hinge (works similar to a door hinge).
Work order
The manufacture of a vacuum press is carried out as follows:
bed
The frame parts must be welded according to the drawing. Next, the seams are cleaned and drilled required holes, the rust is removed with a metal brush and the entire structure is primed for subsequent painting.
Homemade bed
Vacuum chamber
A stiffening frame should be welded from a 60x40 pipe, which will hold the bottom of the chamber (steel sheet 2 mm thick) from bending under the influence atmospheric pressure.
A part of the hinge with two eyes must be welded to one of the walls.
The clamping frame is made from the same profile and has the same dimensions as the vacuum chamber. The second part of the hinge is welded to it.
Membrane-vacuum chamber
To tightly compress the film with a clamping frame, eccentric clamps are used, which are made from a DN50 pipe, a rod with a diameter of 10 mm and square pipe 20x20 mm.
If during the manufacture of the chamber its bottom has sagged, it can be filled with a self-leveling mixture (for example, based on epoxy resin) used for the manufacture of self-leveling floors.
The finished camera must be secured with 4 bolts on special frame supports. Next, install the eccentric clamps, assemble the clamping frame hinge and glue the seal.
Homemade press
Inside the chamber, over its entire area, an MDF platform is installed, consisting of 9 perforated rectangles with grooves cut on their surface (MDF sheet thickness is 10 mm). The parts to be processed will be placed on it. Thanks to this platform, air will be pumped out throughout the entire volume of the chamber evenly, regardless of the position of the parts being processed and the film.
Vacuum system
To pump air out of the vacuum chamber, it is recommended to equip the press with a liquid ring type pump (model VVN1-1.5-5.5). The pipeline connecting the pump to the vacuum chamber must have check valve and a vacuum gauge. For reliability, you can also install a shut-off valve.
To operate the pump, you need clean water, free from mechanical impurities, for storage of which a steel tank with a volume of about 30 liters should be provided (you can weld it yourself from a steel sheet).
Vacuum pump
The pump must be installed in a strictly horizontal position (controlled by level) at concrete base, and screw it on anchor bolts. In this case, it is necessary to build walls around the unit or place it in a recess, since water will flow out of it during operation.
Water is supplied from the tank to the pump and returned through two hoses, which must withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees.
Water ring vacuum pump VVN1-6
All threaded connections in the vacuum pipeline must be sealed with FUM tape or similar material. To connect the pipeline to the vacuum chamber, a pipe is cut into the latter. It should be below the breathable platform and located in the middle of one of the walls. The pipeline is connected to the pump via a flange.
After assembling the machine, the vacuum system must be checked. The inlet of the vacuum pipeline inside the chamber is blocked with a piece of plywood, after which the pump is started. After 5 seconds, the vacuum gauge should show at least -0.85 atm.
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Thermal module
The frame of the thermal module is welded from a 20x20 pipe and is equipped with handles, as well as supports for attaching wheel axles (60x40 pipe).
The function of the wheels will be performed by type 6200 bearings.
The frame casing is made of steel sheet 0.5 mm thick with aluminum rivets.
Viewing windows measuring 40x20 cm should be cut in the side walls and tinted glass should be installed in them. Also, holes with a diameter of 50 mm with shutters should be drilled in the walls, through which it will be possible to measure the temperature of the film using a pyrometer.
Height-adjustable suspensions for KGT (quartz halogen thermal) lamps should be made from threaded rods, with insulating fiberglass plates with dimensions 40x20x2 mm secured to their ends. The pins are screwed into holes drilled in the thermal module cover. The lamps themselves are screwed to fiberglass plates with M5x20 bolts using Grover washers.
Power supply for the lamps (they are divided into several groups) is provided by RKGM wire in a heat-resistant sheath with TML type tips. Several wires from different groups are powered from a common bus in distribution box, to which the power cable is connected.
After manufacturing, the thermal module should be installed on rails welded to the frame.
Cabinet with electrical equipment
3 phase motor vacuum pump 5.5 kW power is connected via a 3-pole circuit breaker and thermal relay.
For quartz lamps heater current accuracy special significance does not have, so there is no need to install a thermal relay.
To turn the pump on and off, a contactor with two non-locking buttons is installed on the operator console.
In the event of a power outage, the contactor is blocked and when the power supply is subsequently restored, the equipment will not start arbitrarily.
In the case of lamps, blocking during a power outage is not so critical, so they can be connected via a regular 2-position switch. The advantage of this option is the following: the controls for the pump and the thermal module will be very different, and it will be impossible to confuse them.
Video on the topic
A vacuum press is a unit that allows you to produce based on MDF furniture facades with PVC films and decorative overlays for doors. It can be purchased, or you can make it at home.
The material will be devoted to how to make a vacuum press with your own hands, and what is required for this.
Remember that such work is quite complex, you need follow safety rules, because it is associated with the use of high-risk power tools and heavy structures. If you want to assemble a press with your own hands, evaluate your capabilities, and if this is difficult for you, it is better to entrust this task to a professional.
Vacuum press: purpose and principle of operation
Film furniture facades are widely used in the manufacture of cabinet or upholstered furniture thanks to the following characteristics:
- wide range of colors;
- variety of forms;
- affordable price.
Such facades are manufactured on special equipment, while the main production tool is a vacuum press. He sits down PVC film onto the surface of the MDF-based workpiece.
The press includes the following key elements:
- vacuum chamber or table;
- thermal module
The camera most often has rectangular shape and is made on the basis of a rigid material that does not compress under artificially created negative pressure from the inside. And on the outside, a PVC film is laid, the edges of which are sealed with the frame.
Film shrinking process includes the following steps:
- laying workpieces on the table;
- sealing;
- heating the films;
- air pumping;
- cooling;
- cutting out blanks and removing excess film from the facade.
Do-it-yourself vacuum press: what do you need to know?
Before working on making your own vacuum press remember the following:
If you plan the purchase of components and carry out the work correctly, the cost of a press made by yourself will be significantly lower than its factory counterpart, and you will be able to make film facades and MDF overlays at home.
Before you start making a press bed, you need to select optimal type heating unit, since this will affect not only the design of the bed, but also other elements of the press. When assembling it yourself, it is best to choose a retractable thermal module, which is easy to assemble and convenient to use, but it has large dimensions.
To make the frame you will need:
- steel profiled pipe;
- rails for the thermal module.
The design of the bed is best simulated on a computer using special 3D modeling programs.
To work you will need the following set of tools:
- small one-handed corner Grinder, the disk diameter of which is 115 or 125 mm;
- welding machine;
- electric drill;
- locksmith kit, including hammer, wrench, pencil, tape measure, etc.
Assembly work steps the beds will be like this:
- cut the steel profile into parts according to the cutting charts;
- lay them out on a flat surface in accordance with the design, level and secure with clamps;
- tack the joints of the parts, taking into account final welding on all sides or complete welding of the seams without tacks;
- knock the slag off the seams and check their quality;
- if necessary, clean them with a grinder and a grinding wheel;
- drill holes;
- clean the surface with a metal brush to remove rust;
- prime the surface;
- paint it with a brush or spray paint.
For operation, the welding machine can be selected transformer based alternating current , inverter type device or semi-automatic device.
The stage of assembling the table is the most critical stage when assembling a vacuum press with your own hands. At the design stage, decide on its size and the material on which it will be made, and also consider a method for fixing and sealing the connector elements in order to preserve the internal vacuum. The tools required for the work are the same as for the bed.
Vacuum table is a structure that includes the following elements:
- bath;
- clamping frame;
- clamps and other elements.
Vacuum bath
You need to calculate the size of the bath before assembling it. Remember that the longer it is, the more blanks it will fit, but at the same time you will use more films in one working cycle. As practice shows, its optimal length is about 2.5 meters.
The width of the structure depends on the width of the PVC film used, most manufacturers produces products with a width of 1.4 m.
And the working height of the bathtub should be provided taking into account the presence of a small space between the upper part of the facade and the film with which it will be covered. So, before the air is pumped out, the film should not touch the workpiece.
A 2 mm thick steel sheet is suitable as the bottom for the bathtub, and a profile pipe is suitable for the frame. The pre-cut pipe must be laid on a slipway, secured with clamps and all junction points welded. A sheet of steel needs to be welded on top of the stiffening frame.
Manufacturing of the clamping frame and clamps
We make the frame based on profile pipe, its dimensions must strictly correspond to the parameters of the bath. To keep the clamping frame raised, you need install 4 gas elevators, and make sure they are able to hold it.
Clamps are needed to ensure reliable and tight holding of the film during the pressing process. To do this, the upper frame must be pressed tightly and evenly against the perimeter of the bathtub. The clamps work on the principle of eccentrics; they can also be made with your own hands using rolled steel.
To install them, you need to drill holes at 8 points on the vacuum table. The upper ones are enlarged and given an oblong shape. Next, they are adjusted by installing nuts into the threads of the stud and fixed with locknuts.
If the table does not have a perfectly flat surface, then you need to cut it with a grinder welds, you don't need to do it all over again. Also, to ensure evenness, you can treat the table with special epoxy compounds, setting it strictly level and clearing the bottom of rust.
Vacuum system installation
A vacuum system is needed to remove and pump out air so that the film can easily cover the surface of the workpieces.
When installing it , consider the following points:
- it is desirable that the system components are not custom-made, and they could always be purchased at retail;
- it is best to choose inexpensive components that have satisfactory reliability and ease of use;
- the system must provide an air pumping speed and a vacuum depth that is sufficient to create typical flat facades and overlays;
- the air removal system should not be demanding environment and quality of food;
- monitoring and control elements should be simple and inform about the current pressure, and they should also be used to smoothly regulate the speed of pumping out air.
Such a system consists of the following elements:
- liquid ring vacuum pump with water tank;
- a pipeline for delivering air from the table to a pump with a tap and a pressure control device;
- tabletop for pumping air from anywhere on the table, regardless of the position of the workpieces and film.
Features of a liquid ring pump and its installation
The pump must have the following technical characteristics:
- productivity 1.57 m3/min;
- three-phase voltage of the electric motor;
- electric motor power is 5.5 kW;
- residual pressure 0.45 mmHg;
- rotation speed is 1500 rpm.
His The operating principle is as follows:
- the impeller rotates eccentrically in the cylinder in the direction of the arrow;
- There is a working cavity between the wheel hub, water rings and the body; it is divided into cells by the wheel blades;
- During operation of the pump, water is thrown from the bushing to the housing under the influence of centrifugal force, and the volume of the cells increases and air is sucked in. Then this volume decreases, and the gas is pushed out through the discharge window during compression;
- to maintain a constant volume of the ring and to remove heat, it is necessary that only pure water. It is supplied to the central hole in the pump housing and discharged through a special device that separates water from gas. This prevents water from leaving the discharge pipe along with the air.
The pump must be installed on a special foundation or in concrete floor, it should be leveled, then it is secured with anchors through standard holes. Next to it you need to place a water tank with a volume of at least 30 liters. Two tubes are attached to it, one takes water with a pump, and the second drains the waste liquid into the tank. During circulation, the water heats up, and this negatively affects the operation of the pump. To ensure its natural cooling, the tank must be made of a material that conducts heat well, in particular steel or aluminum.
The pipe supplying water to the pump must be equipped with a tap that can shut off the water when not in use. Tank and pump are connected flexible hoses and secure them with metal clamps.
When you have assembled the pipeline and secured it to the press frame, installed and connected the pump, you can test the system operation. For this purpose, provide power to the pump according to a temporary scheme using circuit breaker. But it’s better to postpone testing until the press’s electrics are ready.
How to make a thermal module with your own hands
A thermal module is a heating device that allows you to uniformly heat the film to the required temperature and hold it for some time.
This stage of work is considered the easiest when assembling a vacuum press. For the frame of the thermal module we need a steel pipe with a cross section of 20 by 20 mm. The housings of profile wheel supports and L-shaped handles for moving along the module rails will need to be welded to the frame. The wheels can be ball bearings.
Next you need a frame cover with sheet steel and secure with aluminum blind rivets. On the side of the casing you need to cut rectangular openings for viewing windows and insert silicate glass there, having previously darkened them with a tinting film. Cut one by one round hole 50 mm next to each window, this will be a control window for the purpose of measuring the temperature of the film, they also need to be equipped with sliding shutters. And to improve reflectivity, the inside of the thermal module must be equipped with aluminum foil.
To create a thermal module we will need:
- pull-out riveter;
- metal scissors;
- spanners;
- press jaws;
- device for removing insulation.
Now you need to install heating elements. Linear lamps KGT (quartz halogen thermal) are suitable for this. They have a number of advantages:
- affordable price;
- high resource;
- efficient transfer of thermal energy through radiation.
Connecting the lamps according to the electrical diagram is the final stage of assembling a vacuum press. The lamp connection diagram takes into account the requirements in terms of three-phase load symmetry and possible zonal control of groups of lamps depending on the level of distance from the center of the table.
Now you have an idea about making your own vacuum press. If you decide to take on this work, then do not forget to use personal protective equipment, since it is not only difficult, but also dangerous if safety rules are not followed.
We are starting a series of articles devoted to the issues of self-manufacturing a vacuum press for the production of furniture facades from MDF, covered with PVC films (film facades), as well as decorative door overlays. All article material is based on personal experience on organizing the production of film facades from scratch, including making the vast majority of equipment and devices with your own hands. The material in the articles does not claim to be absolutely accurate and true, but only describes one specific (special) case and an individual vision of the issues under consideration.
The articles will touch upon issues directly related to the manufacture and operation of a homemade vacuum press; related topics (for example, milling facades, applying glue, etc.) are planned to be considered in other, separate articles.
Information presentation plan:
Before starting the story, it is necessary to warn potential repeaters of the press about possible risk for their health. Making your own is a good thing, we always welcome it, but we must not forget about safety precautions. While working on the manufacture of the press, you will have to deal with electrical voltage up to 400 V, high temperatures, high-risk power tools, massive, heavy metal structures. Be aware of your own actions! Soberly evaluate your knowledge and skills! If you have doubts about the correctness of a particular operation, be sure to consult with a specialist or completely delegate the work to him. Do not neglect personal protective equipment; it is better to purchase all the essentials in advance: welder’s clothing and mask, glasses or a mask to protect the eyes and face, durable gloves for working with metal, headphones to reduce sound pressure on the ear.
Theoretical foundations of vacuum pressing of PVC films.
Film facades have been used for a very long time in the manufacture of cabinet (sometimes hard elements of upholstered) furniture, but they are still very popular due to their rich color scheme, variety of shapes and low price. Unlike some other types of furniture facades (for example, frame ones), film facades are manufactured only using specialized equipment, which requires considerable production space and energy supply. The main machine in the production of MDF facades covered with PVC films is rightfully considered a vacuum press. A vacuum (often called a thermal vacuum) press shrinks a PVC film onto the surface of an MDF workpiece (facade, door trim, etc.).
Any thermal vacuum press for the production of film facades consists of two main elements: a vacuum chamber (table, bath) and a heater (thermal module). The vacuum chamber, as a rule, has a rectangular shape (parallelepiped), all walls (except for the top) are made of rigid material (for example, steel) that is not subject to compression under the influence of artificially created negative pressure inside the chamber. PVC film is placed on top of the chamber, the edges of the film are sealed with the frame. Thus, we get a sealed volume: there is a sheet of PVC film on top, and a rigid vacuum chamber on the bottom and sides. Before covering with PVC film and sealing the internal volume of the vacuum bath, inner space In a vacuum bath, blanks of future furniture facades are laid in a certain way, pre-coated with a special heat-activated glue. At room temperature PVC film is very rigid; without heating it will not be able to wrap around the entire relief of the workpiece. Also, without heating, the film will not be able to stick to the workpiece, since the activation temperature of the glue starts at 50°C. Electric heating devices (infrared incandescent lamps or heating elements) are used to heat the film. The total power of all heating devices is high and, as a rule, ranges from one to several tens of kilowatts.
Factory-made thermal vacuum press with vertical raising of the thermal module.
Essential elements.
Note: there are presses with the so-called. upper pressure, they, in addition to pumping air from a sealed chamber from below, have another chamber above the film, into which air is pumped in excess of atmospheric pressure (additional pressure is applied to the film from above). Such presses, of course, compare favorably with a number of characteristics compared to presses without upper pressure. However, such equipment is much more difficult to manufacture independently and will not be considered in this series of articles.
So, the process of shrinking (they also say stretching) the film consists of the following sequential basic operations:
- Laying blanks on the press table.
- Covering with PVC film, sealing.
- Heating the film to a certain temperature.
- Pumping out air.
- Cooling.
- Cutting blanks, removing excess film from facades.
With a well-functioning production process, a typical stretch of one table (from covering with film to cutting out the finished facades) takes no more than 10 minutes. However, in order to achieve such results, working on a homemade vacuum press, you need to have a very large skill, a number of experimental data on drawing a particular type of film, obtained on the basis of your own trial and error. It is strongly recommended to thoroughly weigh all the pros and cons, and take on making a press with your own hands only in conditions of austerity Money, availability of free time, great desire, confidence in own strength Oh.
Setting goals. What kind of press are we building?
Before proceeding directly to the manufacture of the press, it is necessary to set the final goal, that is, to determine with what characteristics, capabilities and at what cost we should ultimately obtain a homemade vacuum press.
Anyone who has ever seriously thought about making any industrial equipment with their own hands, first of all compared the cost of self-production with the price of a similar ready-made industrial (factory) model. It is very important to do here right choice, try to answer the question “is the game worth the candle?” By overestimating your own strengths, you can irrevocably lose not only the money invested, but also a lot of invaluable time. By making an informed choice in favor of self-production, you can save a lot while gaining new knowledge and life experience.
Today, you can buy an entry-level thermal vacuum press for relatively little money. For any successful enterprise, the issue of maximizing extreme savings of money is not an urgent issue; the time spent and other aspects are more important, therefore, without hesitation, the decision is made to purchase ready-made equipment. But what should a novice private (individual) entrepreneur or newly minted entrepreneur do? small organization who are just entering the market and are often forced to count every ruble? Professional economists can offer to develop a competent business plan, conduct marketing and other research, and take out a bank loan for the required amount. This strategy is perhaps more correct and is increasingly used in our time, suggesting a quick start and a quick return on investment. However, each specific case is individual. Sometimes, due to a combination of many reasons, it is more logical to make a less popular decision: a minimum of borrowed funds, a maximum of investing your own strength and skills. This series of articles is mainly addressed to followers of this path.
If the fascinating process of making a press is not an end in itself, but the main thing is to quickly make a profit from its future operation, then there is no need to try to copy any of the latest, advanced model of a factory press famous manufacturer. We will make a press that has only the most necessary functions, having a cost close to the minimum possible (with reasonable savings). Let’s consolidate the basic postulates of building a press:
- The service life of the press is about five years. In the future, it is planned to purchase more advanced equipment or deeply modernize the existing one.
- High maintainability. Short time elimination possible malfunctions, including regarding the timing of purchases of spare parts.
- Lack of automatic or program control, manual control only.
- Use of the most common, easily accessible materials and components.
- Design and external beauty are secondary.
- The convenience and speed of working on the press should be comparable to similar characteristics of factory analogues.
- The saved monetary difference between the cost of manufacturing a press and the price of a factory analogue should be at least significant for the enterprise.
The approximate time that will be spent purchasing components and completing all work is one to three months. We will need to obtain a reliable and easy-to-use thermal vacuum press for the production of the most popular (traditionally in good demand) types of furniture film facades and door overlays based on MDF. With proper procurement planning and work execution of proper quality, the cost of a homemade press (at the time of publication of the article) should be at least two times lower than the price of any similar factory-made vacuum press.