Board Handling

Transport
In order to complete the board circulation system, empty production boards at the end of the dryside are returned to the block machine by means of a conveyor.  This cost effective solution results in a one-to-one coupling between wetside and dryside and is only used when the product range is limited.

Buffer
A buffer for the production boards is the next expansion stage. The number of boards in the buffer determines the time of the uncoupling between the wetside and the dryside.  The buffer ensures that the block machine can continue to operate, even when there is a short delay on the dryside, for example when sorting reject product.  A typical buffer capacity is about 300 boards.

Storage
The storage of production boards is the final expansion stage.  This is a consideration for a wide product range with variable production, valued-added processing and packaging cycle times.  This is also the  preferred solution if high products are produced that can only be loaded using every second storey in the curing racks and therefore up to half the boards  have to be removed out of the circulation system.

Doubling
An alternative to storage is the patented REKERS board doubler: By doubling the boards immediately after production it reduces the deflection of these boards when they carry heavy/long products.