How to reduce the investment of wood-plastic door panel production line?

The purchase of a wood-plastic composite (WPC) door panel line is a big investment. This is the key towards profitability for many of the companies in markets like Vietnam, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, or Turkey, as they need to maintain their production flexibility while controlling this investment. With smart engineering, we have been able to help many of our customers reduce both initial and operating costs at JIANGSU XINHE INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. Some practical steps are listed below to reduce investment without compromising product quality and production capacity.

Reduce the number of moulds through special die design

One of the most costly parts of any WPC door panel line is moulds, or extrusion dies. Manufacturers have traditionally obtained a new mould for a new door panel width to manufacture. Three different widths could require three full sets of moulds, all of which would cost tens of thousands of dollars. This doubles the original investment and storage/maintenance needs. JIANGSU XINHE INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. has developed a special die design that significantly reduces the number of moulds required. Thanks to our engineering we have developed die geometries that are adjustable, so that the same mould can be used to create a variety of panel widths. The flow channel design has been changed and interchangeable die lips enable a single mould to serve a variety of sizes that were previously handled by using two or three separate moulds. This method has a direct impact on reducing the capital expenditure. Production can begin with fewer moulds with the option of adding dedicated tooling later when the quantity of production rises. This cost reduction in the initial mould cost makes the project more viable for a new market entrant or for a business that is testing the market for WPC door panel.

Achieve different wall thicknesses by replacing only part of the mould

The thickness of an interior bedroom door panel may differ from that of a panel installed in a high traffic commercial corridor. In the traditional production line, the thickness modification requires replacement of the entire die, which is costly and time consuming. JIANGSU XINHE INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. has overcome this problem by adopting a modular mould design. Operators do not need to replace the entire mould instead they only need to replace specific sections where the wall thickness is controlled. The mould's core doesn't change. Calibrating and sizing inserts are the only ones that are changed. This modular solution offers a 60-70% reduction in the cost of thickness conversion to the price of a new mould. This versatility is priceless for manufacturers that make more than one line of products. The same basic production line can also be used to serve two market segments, the economical and the premium section, by simply replacing a small mould section when changing thickness.

Optimize extrusion line configuration for multi-purpose use

Another solution to minimize investment is to develop the production line to be flexible. A dedicated line for WPC door panels is preferable but a line that can also create other profiles is often a first choice for buyers. At JIANGSU XINHE INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. , we provide extruders and downstream equipment to help produce various kinds of products with limited changeover time. By changing the screw speed and temperature profile, and die, the same single screw or twin screw extruder can melt both WPC door panels and WPC door frames, WPC cladding panels and some PVC profiles. The multi-purpose feature allows a business to strike the door panel market and still have the potential to manufacture other viable products. Initial investment is split up into several revenue streams, thus enhancing ROI.

Plan for mould sharing across multiple lines

Mould sharing is an advanced technique for those customers that intend to expand beyond a single production line. A mould designed by JIANGSU XINHE INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. can be transferred among various kinds of extruder and very little change is required in adapter if transfer is required. This allows a company to have 3 production lines, but only 2 complete mould sets. The third line is used to run the moulds that are changed in the other two lines. This lowers overall investment in moulds for a multi-line factory by 30 percent or more. To conclude, during investment reduction of a WPC door panel production line, mould strategy should be reconsidered, modular design should be adopted, and the proper automation level and technical assistance should be provided for raw material flexibility. At JIANGSU XINHE INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO., LTD. , we are able to assist its customers in doing all these to establish a profitable and capital-efficient door panel production line.