These robots sand and paint 1,200 doors a week

Houtonderneming Koninklijke Dekker in Vianen has been working on automation for a long time. The interconnected production line that makes the process steps of sanding, varnishing and drying happen automatically is a novelty in the industry.

Royal Dekker commissioned the first fully robotized production line about five years ago. Robbert Jan Dekker explains: 'With this we are able to produce every week assemble 1200 door frame combinations, complete with hinges. One combination used to take two workers at least 40 minutes. The robot takes 3 minutes and 20 seconds. In these times when it is increasingly difficult to get staff, automation and robotization is the only way to maintain production.'

And so Koninklijke Dekker developed a fully automatic sanding, varnishing and drying line for doors. This is a "first" in the industry. The production line is remarkably compact. 'This is possible, of course, because no people have to walk in between,' explains Dekker. 'Robotic arms and robotic hands do the work. An operator keeps an eye on the line and ensures that the supply and removal runs smoothly.'

With robots eighty doors per day

Technicians at Dekker were closely involved in the development of the new production line. 'It's been a long process,' Dekker explains. 'Two years we started by listing requirements and wishes and made the first drawings. Of course, you want optimal use of space, time and materials. The line we eventually developed can process about eighty doors per day. The sanding and application of lacquer takes about half an hour. Then the door is placed in a conditioned tunnel to dry. So factors such as humidity and ambient temperature do not affect the drying process, and that benefits the quality enormously.'

Innovations, prototypes and ideas

Houtonderneming Koninklijke Dekker presented the sanding, varnishing and drying line at the end of May during the Open Doors and Facade Days in Vianen. 'We invite our dealers on those days and they visited in large numbers at this edition as well. They like it that we present our innovations - like this time the fully automatic sanding, painting and drying street - but they are curious about the prototypes and ideas we show them. This is because we include our customers in the development processes. They have a voice in what we do and don't put into production. I think that is important because they sit at the table with the end customers and therefore know the market very well. Also, those who hang the doors have an enormous amount of technical knowledge and we can benefit from that. A door can be 'beautiful', but if the assembly is very complicated, it is not a good door after all. So we like to hear tips about this and then we do something with them.

With the times

Will Royal Dekker automate or robotize more production lines after the sanding, varnishing and drying line? 'That is a necessity if we want to remain competitive with foreign timber companies,' states Robbert Jan Dekker, who is the fourth generation Dekker. 'Just about everything has changed since my great-grandfather founded this timber company in 1885. The common thread in the 140 years of our history, is moving with the times. Adjust, innovate and keep going. We've always done that, and we continue to do that.'