Trespa Manufacturing Process - Decortech Exteriors

Composition: DF prepregs
Dry forming process:
Product line: Trespa Meteon
TopLab PLUS
Raw materials:
- Softwood fibres
- Phenolic resin
Description:
Prepregs are pre-compressed fibre mats, which serve as a semi-finished
product and provide the core of Trespa panels. They are produced from
softwood fibres and thermosetting phenolic resin in a process known as
called 'dry-forming'. This term indicates that the impregnated fibres are dry
air processed, as opposed to systems in which wet mixtures of fibres and
binding agents are used (e.g. fibre cement).
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Production process:
The process is basically characterised by the following steps: From their
storage area, softwood chips (1) are washed and sieved (2) to remove
contaminants such as sand. They are then ground to fibres under steam
pressure in a defibrator (3) and blown into a pipeline; at a certain point in
this line the phenolic resin is injected (4). The now impregnated fibres are
dried (5) and fall onto a conveyor belt (6), after being separated from any
irregularities through a wind sieve (7). Finally the mass of loose fibres is
compressed in a continuous press (8) and cut into sheets (prepregs) (9).
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Product composition:
softwood fibres
phenolic resin
Trespa patents production processes.

Composition: EBC surface
Production scheme:
Product line: Trespa Meteon
TopLab PLUS
Trespa Virtuon
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Raw materials:
- Impregnated kraft paper
- EBC resin
Description:
The EBC (Electron Beam Curing) surface consists of an impregnated kraft
paper substrate and a two-layer EBC resin coating; the top of this layer is
clear, the area closest to the substrate is pigmented.
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Production process:
An impregnated kraft paper substrate (1) is coated with pigmented EBC
resin (2) on a rotating silk screen-printing unit (3). A polyester film substrate
(4) is coated with a clear EBC resin (5) on a similar unit (6). During further
processing the polyester film serves as a protective and release film. Both
layers are brought together with EBC resin layers facing each other in a
lamination unit (7) and the EBC resins are cured by an electron beam (8).
The EBC surface is then coiled on a roll (9) from which it will be cut into
sheets prior to pressing.
Trespa patents production processes.
Product composition:
polyester film
clear resin
pigmented resin
kraft paper substrate
core material
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Composition: Impregnated kraft paper
Production impregnated kraft paper
Product line: Trespa Meteon
TopLab PLUS
Trespa Virtuon
Trespa Athlon
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Raw materials:
- Kraft paper
- Phenolic resin
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Description:
Impregnated kraft paper is used in the production of Trespa for two
different purposes:
- As a semi-finished product for the core of Trespa Virtuon and Trespa
Athlon.
- As a substrate (carrier) material for the production of EBC surface. In
the case of the latter, the paper is not cut into sheets, but rolled up on a
coil for further processing.
Production process:
The impregnation process takes place as follows. A roll of kraft paper (1) is
fed through a resin bath (2), which is filled with phenolic resin from a
storage tank (3). The level of resin in the paper is controlled by a system of
steel rollers (4) and directly afterwards, the paper is dried in an oven (5) by
means of a steam-heated exchanger. The volatile components that escape in
the process are extracted (6) and processed in compliance with
environmental regulations. The impregnated paper is cooled by steel rollers
(7) to stop the curing process of the resin. Final curing takes place in the
press. Finally, the paper is cut into sheets or coiled on a roll (8).
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Product composition:
phenol-formaldehyde resin
kraft paper
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Composition: Impregnated decorative paper
Production impregnated decorative paper
Product line: Trespa Athlon
Raw materials:
- Decorative paper
- Melamine resin
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Description:
A variety of papers are used for the surface of Trespa Athlon:
- Plain coloured paper in a range of colours.
- Printed paper: a decorative paper on which a pattern is printed.
- Underlay paper: used to prevent the dark core colour becoming visible
through light-coloured decorative papers.
- Overlay paper: a very thin, heavily impregnated paper used to provide
an extra protective melamine surface layer.
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Production process:
For each of these papers the impregnation process takes place in exactly the
same way as with kraft paper. In the case of decorative paper, (1) is one of
the papers described above and (3) is melamine resin. The paper is always
cut into sheets (8). Due to lack of in-house capacity, the impregnation
process is sub-contracted to a specialist.
Product composition
phenol-formaldehyde resin
kraft paper

Composition: Pressing
Product line: Trespa Meteon
TopLab PLUS
Trespa Virtuon
Trespa Athlon
Description:
The final stage of production is panel pressing. The semi-finished products
for both core and decorative surface are brought together in press packages.
These packages are subjected to high pressure (approx. 90 bar) and high
temperature (approx. 160 °C). Both pressure and temperature are applied in
a computer-controlled cycle. During this press cycle - the duration of which
varies with the thickness of the panels - the reactive resins in the semifinished
products are completely and irreversibly cured, to form a
homogeneous end product. After the press cycle, the panels are trimmed to
size, inspected for quality and packaged for transport.
Pressing
press 2: 15 day lights
2550 x 1860 mm
press 3: 15 day lights
3050 x 1530 mm
press 5: 8 daylights
3650 x 1860 mm
press 6: 20 day lights
3730 x 1860 mm
press 7: 30 day lights
4200 x 2200 mm
Press package (Trespa Meteon)
press packages
press body
polster paper
texture mould
EBC surface
prepregs
EBC surface
texture mould
polster paper
transport plate
press body