Continuous Sandwich Panel Line

The Continuous Sandwich Panel Line is an efficient and automated production equipment mainly used for producing various sandwich panels, such as polyurethane sandwich panels, rock wool sandwich panels, etc. These sandwich panels have a wide range of applications in various fields such as construction, decoration, curtain walls, and furniture.

sandwich panel line

A Continuous Sandwich Panel Line usually consists of multiple parts, including an uncoiler, a steel plate lifting device, a laminating and shearing device, a reinforcing device, a main forming machine, a steel plate connection device, a steel plate preheating device, a rock wool (or polyurethane) system, a high-pressure foaming machine (if applicable), a side sealing device, a double track machine, a double track machine heating device, an automatic band saw cutting device, a discharge conveyor roller, a cooling system, an automatic palletizing machine, and a strapping machine. These parts work together to complete the entire process from raw material uncoiling to finished product packaging.

FEATURES

• Highly automated: The Continuous Sandwich Panel Line adopts advanced automation control systems to achieve full process automation from raw material input to finished product output. This greatly improves production efficiency and reduces labor costs.

• High flexibility: The production line can be configured and combined according to customer needs to adapt to the production of sandwich panels of different types and specifications. For example, through simple switching, the production line can easily produce various products such as roof sandwich panels, wall sandwich panels, and cold storage sandwich panels.

• Energy saving and environmental protection: Modern Continuous Sandwich Panel Lines focus on energy-saving and environmental protection design, adopting efficient and energy-saving production processes and equipment to reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution.

• Stable quality: The production line adopts modular standard design, and the important components processed by CNC machine tools ensure the quality and stability of the production line. At the same time, the highly integrated and interconnected control system concentrates all control points in the main control center, achieving parameter linkage and fault self diagnosis for the entire line control, ensuring the stability of product quality.

The sandwich panels produced by the Continuous Sandwich Panel Line have excellent insulation, heat insulation, sound insulation, fire resistance and other properties, and are widely used in various fields such as construction, decoration, curtain wall, furniture, ships, solar energy, agriculture, electricity, household appliances, etc. Especially in the field of construction, sandwich panels are widely welcomed as wall, roof, and ceiling materials due to their advantages of light weight, high strength, and easy construction.

With the country's emphasis on energy conservation, environmental protection, and sustainable development, as well as the rapid development of industries such as construction and decoration, the market demand for Continuous Sandwich Panel Lines continues to grow. Meanwhile, with the continuous advancement and innovation of technology, the automation level, production efficiency, and product quality of the production line will be further improved. In the future, Continuous Sandwich Panel Lines will pay more attention to intelligent, green, and customized production to meet the diverse needs of the market.

The Continuous Sandwich Panel Line, as an efficient and automated production equipment, plays an important role in various fields such as construction and decoration. With the continuous advancement of technology and the growth of market demand, its development prospects will become even broader.

A continuous sandwich panel line is a fully automated integrated production system designed to manufacture sandwich panels in a non-interrupted workflow, combining efficiency, consistency, and flexibility to meet diverse industrial and construction needs. Unlike discontinuous production methods that require manual intervention between processes, continuous lines streamline the entire manufacturing cycle from raw material feeding to finished product stacking, ensuring uniform quality and high productivity for mass production. The core value of such lines lies in their ability to produce panels with customized thicknesses, surface profiles, and core materials, adapting to the evolving demands of energy conservation, environmental protection, and structural safety across various sectors.

The structure of a continuous sandwich panel line is composed of interconnected functional sections, each performing a specific role in the production process while maintaining seamless coordination with adjacent units. The entire system operates under unified control, with each section optimized to ensure smooth material flow and consistent processing parameters. At the starting end of the line, the uncoiling and feeding section is installed to handle metal coils, which serve as the facing materials for sandwich panels. This section typically includes uncoiling units with automatic coil connection systems, allowing two coils to be joined without stopping the production line, thus maximizing operational efficiency. Metal sheet levelers and trimming devices are also integrated here to correct any flatness defects and adjust the width of the facing materials, ensuring they meet the required specifications for subsequent processing. In some configurations, corona treatment units may be added to enhance the wettability of the metal surfaces and eliminate static electricity, which improves the adhesion between the facing materials and the core, thereby boosting the overall quality of the finished panels.

Following the feeding section is the roll forming section, which shapes the upper and lower metal facings into desired profiles. Equipped with upper and lower forming groups, this section can produce various surface patterns, such as trapezoidal, corrugated, or flat profiles, based on the application requirements of the final panels. Individually controlled pre-heaters are installed before the forming process to heat the metal sheets to an optimal temperature, which is crucial for ensuring uniform bonding with the core material later. The roll forming process is highly precise, with adjustable parameters to accommodate different thicknesses of metal facings, ranging from thin sheets for lightweight panels to thicker sheets for load-bearing structures.

The foaming and bonding section is the core of the continuous sandwich panel line, responsible for forming the insulating core and bonding it to the metal facings. This section typically includes a multi-component dosing system that accurately mixes raw materials, such as isocyanate, polyol, foaming agents, catalysts, and additives, to produce the core material. The dosing system ensures precise control of the mixing ratio, which directly affects the density, strength, and insulating performance of the core. After mixing, the raw materials are evenly sprayed between the pre-formed upper and lower facings, which then enter a double-belt pressing system. The double-belt conveyor consists of two parallel, heated belts that apply uniform pressure and temperature to the sandwich structure, facilitating the foaming and curing of the core material. The temperature and pressure in this section are strictly controlled to ensure complete curing and strong bonding between the core and facings, preventing delamination and ensuring structural integrity. For lines producing mineral wool core panels, this section is replaced or supplemented with a mineral wool feeding and laminating system, which cuts mineral wool into appropriate sizes, applies adhesive, and bonds it to the metal facings in a continuous manner.

After the bonding process, the continuous sandwich structure moves to the cutting section, where it is cut into finished panels of the required length. The cutting system is equipped with automatic flying saws or disk blades that can cut the moving panel without stopping the production line, ensuring high efficiency and precise length control. The cutting blades are designed to minimize dust and debris, especially for mineral wool core panels, and some lines are equipped with dust collection systems to maintain a clean production environment. Following cutting, the finished panels enter a cooling section, where they are cooled to room temperature to prevent deformation and ensure dimensional stability. The cooling system may use air cooling or water cooling, depending on the core material and production speed, and the panels are held in a vertical or horizontal position to maintain flatness during cooling. Finally, the panels are transferred to a handling and stacking section, where they are automatically stacked, flipped, or wrapped for storage and transportation. The stacking system is adjustable to accommodate different panel sizes and weights, reducing manual labor and minimizing the risk of damage to the finished products.

The performance of a continuous sandwich panel line is defined by its efficiency, precision, flexibility, and reliability, all of which are critical for meeting industrial production standards. Productivity is one of the key performance indicators, with modern continuous lines capable of producing up to 2,000,000 square meters of panels per year, depending on the panel thickness and production speed. The line speed can reach up to 15 meters per minute, allowing for large-scale mass production to meet high-volume orders. Precision is another important characteristic, with the line capable of maintaining tight tolerances for panel thickness, length, and surface flatness. The automated control system, which integrates advanced software and sensors, ensures consistent processing parameters throughout the production process, reducing human error and ensuring uniform quality across all finished panels.

Flexibility is a notable performance feature of continuous sandwich panel lines, as they can be customized to produce panels with different specifications and core materials without major modifications. This adaptability allows manufacturers to respond quickly to changing market demands, producing panels for various applications with minimal downtime. For example, a single line can be adjusted to produce polyurethane (PU) core panels for thermal insulation, mineral wool core panels for fire resistance, or expanded polystyrene (EPS) core panels for lightweight applications. The modular design of many continuous lines also allows for easy expansion or modification of functional sections, such as adding new forming tools or upgrading the dosing system, to enhance production capabilities.

Reliability is another critical performance aspect, as continuous production requires stable operation over long periods. The components of the line are designed to withstand heavy-duty use, with durable belts, precise gears, and corrosion-resistant materials ensuring a long service life. The automated control system includes fault detection and alarm functions, which can quickly identify issues such as material shortages, equipment malfunctions, or parameter deviations, allowing for timely maintenance and minimizing production downtime. Additionally, the energy efficiency of modern continuous lines is continuously improved, with optimized heating systems, energy-saving motors, and waste reduction measures reducing overall energy consumption and environmental impact.

Continuous sandwich panel lines can be classified into different types based on the core material they produce, as the core material determines the performance and application scope of the finished panels. The most common types include PU/polyisocyanurate (PIR) core lines, mineral wool core lines, EPS core lines, and hybrid core lines. PU/PIR core lines are widely used for producing high-performance insulating panels, as PU and PIR cores offer excellent thermal insulation, low density, and good mechanical strength. PIR cores have higher fire resistance and thermal stability compared to PU cores, making them suitable for applications with strict fire safety requirements. These lines are equipped with high-pressure foaming systems that ensure uniform foaming and high closed-cell rates, typically above 90%, which enhances the insulating performance and water resistance of the panels.

Mineral wool core lines are designed to produce fire-resistant and sound-insulating panels, using mineral wool as the core material. Mineral wool has excellent fire resistance, non-combustibility, and sound absorption properties, making it ideal for applications in industrial buildings, public facilities, and areas with high fire safety standards. These lines include specialized equipment for cutting mineral wool into lamellae or trapezoidal shapes, applying adhesive, and laminating it with metal facings in a continuous process. The laminating system ensures strong bonding between the mineral wool core and metal facings, and dustless cutting systems are often integrated to reduce waste and improve workplace safety.

EPS core lines produce lightweight sandwich panels with expanded polystyrene cores, which are known for their low cost, lightweight, and good thermal insulation. These lines integrate roll forming and laminating systems, which can be operated independently or in conjunction, providing flexibility in production. The EPS core is bonded to the metal facings using adhesive, and the line can produce panels with various surface profiles for use in low-rise buildings, temporary structures, or interior partitions. Hybrid core lines combine different core materials, such as PU and mineral wool, to leverage the advantages of each material, producing panels with both excellent thermal insulation and fire resistance. These lines are highly customizable and are often used for specialized applications where multiple performance requirements need to be met.

The applications of continuous sandwich panel lines are closely linked to the performance of the panels they produce, spanning the construction, industrial, cold storage, and transportation sectors, among others. In the construction industry, continuous sandwich panel lines are widely used to produce wall and roof panels for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. The panels produced by these lines offer integrated functions of enclosure, thermal insulation, sound insulation, and decoration, reducing the need for multiple construction steps and shortening the construction cycle. For example, trapezoidal roof panels produced by continuous lines are commonly used in industrial factories and warehouses due to their excellent load-bearing capacity and water resistance, while flat wall panels are used in commercial buildings and residential complexes for their aesthetic appeal and thermal insulation performance.

The cold storage and refrigeration industry is another major application area for continuous sandwich panel lines. Panels produced by PU/PIR core lines have excellent thermal insulation properties, with low thermal conductivity that helps maintain stable internal temperatures in cold storage facilities. These panels are also moisture-proof and airtight, preventing condensation and ensuring energy efficiency in refrigeration systems. Continuous lines can produce panels with customized thicknesses to meet different temperature requirements, from regular cold storage for food preservation to ultra-low temperature warehouses for pharmaceutical storage. Additionally, the fast production speed of continuous lines allows for the rapid construction of large-scale cold storage facilities, meeting the growing demand for cold chain logistics.

In the industrial sector, continuous sandwich panel lines are used to produce panels for industrial equipment enclosures, clean rooms, and workshop partitions. Mineral wool core panels produced by these lines are ideal for equipment enclosures due to their fire resistance and sound absorption properties, reducing noise pollution and improving workplace safety. Clean room panels, often produced with EPS or PU cores and smooth surface facings, are used in pharmaceutical, electronic, and food processing facilities, where hygiene and dust control are critical. The panels are easy to clean and maintain, and their modular design allows for flexible assembly and expansion of clean room spaces.

The transportation sector also benefits from continuous sandwich panel lines, with panels used in the manufacturing of truck bodies, trailer walls, and container houses. Lightweight EPS or PU core panels reduce the overall weight of vehicles, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, while maintaining structural strength and thermal insulation. Container houses, which are increasingly used for temporary accommodation, construction camps, and emergency shelters, are often produced using continuous sandwich panel lines due to their fast production speed and modular design. The panels can be customized to meet different size and performance requirements, making them suitable for a wide range of temporary and mobile structures.

In addition to these major sectors, continuous sandwich panel lines are also used in the production of specialized panels for agricultural buildings, such as greenhouses and livestock sheds, where thermal insulation and durability are important. The panels produced by these lines can withstand harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures and humidity, ensuring long service life and reducing maintenance costs. With the growing emphasis on energy conservation and environmental protection, continuous sandwich panel lines are also evolving to produce more eco-friendly panels, using renewable raw materials and reducing energy consumption during production.

In conclusion, continuous sandwich panel lines are advanced automated production systems that play a crucial role in the manufacturing of high-quality sandwich panels. Their integrated structure, superior performance, diverse types, and wide-ranging applications make them indispensable in modern construction, industrial, and transportation sectors. The seamless workflow of continuous lines ensures high productivity and uniform quality, while their flexibility allows for customization to meet specific application requirements. As technology advances, continuous sandwich panel lines are expected to become more energy-efficient, intelligent, and versatile, further expanding their application scope and contributing to the development of sustainable and efficient building materials. The ability to produce panels with integrated functions of insulation, fire resistance, sound absorption, and structural strength makes continuous sandwich panel lines a key driver of innovation in the building materials industry, supporting the transition towards greener and more efficient construction practices.