Page 44 - FDMAsia NovDec 2024

42 TECHNOLOGY NOV/DEC 2024 FDM ASIA | www.fdmasia.com

tests, highlighting the importance of material choice for durability.
Moreover, the number and spacing of dowels in ready-to-
assemble furniture joints can affect the bending moment capacity,
showcasing the interplay between strength and aesthetics.

Therefore, when choosing corner joints, it is crucial to
balance these factors to achieve the desired strength, durability,
and visual appeal of the particleboard furniture.
to a standard joint without these modifications.
This improvement occurs because the changes in shape Influence of Corner Joint Type
help spread the stress and allow the glue to absorb more The corner joint design choices affect the overall strength
energy, which slows down the damage caused by repeated of particleboard furniture. Particleboards exhibit higher creep
bending and pulling. deflection under cyclic conditions, indicating susceptibility to
Jansen et al. demonstrated that laser edgebanding technology stress over time. However, certain joint types can mitigate

not only improves the efficiency of the bonding process but this effect.
also enhances bond strength and durability. Their thermal Research has shown that factors such as the type of
aging tests (30 days at 60 deg C) showed that laser-bonded composite board, gluing technique, and spacing between
edges achieve comparable strength to conventional methods. fitting elements such as biscuits or dowels play a crucial role
The ability to use high-temperature adhesives reduces joint in determining the strength of corner joints in particleboard
failure and enhances impermeability, verified by ISO 15148:2002 furniture.
water absorption tests, which showed lower water uptake in For example, corner joints constructed with wood biscuits

laser-bonded samples. glued in slots tend to be stronger than those made with
The laser process minimises chipping and creates a strong plastic biscuits, demonstrating the importance of material and
bond even in deeper wood layers, offering a clean appearance construction method choices.
with no visible adhesive joints. Glued-in dowel joints show lower strength loss after cyclic
This method allows quick adjustments for different materials, loading than other types of joints. Additionally, the spacing
saving time by eliminating preheating or cleaning downtime. between biscuits in multiple-biscuit corner joints can affect the
The technology’s flexibility and strength make it ideal for total strength in tension and compression tests, highlighting the
mass production. need for strategic design decisions to optimise the strength
and durability of particleboard furniture joints.

Corner Joints Studies Using wood biscuits with edge-banded MDF, joints are stiffer
When selecting corner joints for particleboard furniture, trade- than those constructed with edge-banded particleboards. The
offs exist between strength, durability, and aesthetics. Research bending moment capacity of corner joints increases with the
indicates that the type of fastener used significantly affects number of dowels and decreases with a certain dowel spacing.
joint strength and bending moment resistance. Tankut and Tankut showed that the composite board used
For instance, cam-connecting fittings and glued dowel influences the strength of the joints, with melamine-coated
joints can enhance strength but may not be as durable as fibreboards exhibiting a 40 percent higher bending moment

other options. Additionally, the thickness of the edgebanding resistance than melamine-coated particleboards.
materials can influence the joint strength under compression The type of fastener used, quality of the particleboard,