To go the extra mile in understanding SPC flooring, let’s take a look at how it’s made. SPC is manufactured through the following six primary processes.
Mixing
To begin, a combination of raw materials is placed into a mixing machine. Once inside, the raw materials are heated up to 125 – 130 degrees Celsius in order to remove any water vapor inside the material. Once complete, the material is then cooled inside the mixing machine to prevent the occurrence of early plasticization or processing auxiliary decomposition.
Extrusion
Moving from the mixing machine, the raw material then goes through an extrusion process. Here, temperature control is crucial in order for the material to plasticize correctly. The material is ran through five zones, with the first two being the hottest (around 200 degrees Celsius) and slowly declining throughout the remaining three zones.
Calendaring
Once the material is fully plasticized into a mold, it is then time for the material to begin a process known as calendering. Here, a series of heated rollers are used to compound the mold into a continuous sheet. By manipulating the rolls, the width and thickness of the sheet can be controlled with precise accuracy and consistency. Once the desired thickness is reached, it is then embossed under heat and pressure. Engraved rollers apply the textured design onto the face of the product which can be a light “tick” or a “deep” emboss. Once the texture is applied, the scratch and scuff Top Coat will be applied and sent to the drawer.
Drawer
The drawing machine, used with frequency control, is connected with a motor directly, which is a perfect match to the production line speed and is used to deliver the material to the cutter.
Cutter
Here, the material is crosscut to meet the correct guideline standard. The cutter is signaled by a sensitive and accurate photoelectric switch to ensure clean and equal cuts.
Automatic Plate-Lifting Machine
Once the material has been cut, the automatic plate-lifting machine will lift and stack the final product into the packing area for pick-up.