A method for manufacturing a panel, the panel having a thickness in a range of 1.5 to 6.5 mm and including at least one substrate layer and a printed decoration layer covered by a protection layer. The method includes the steps of providing a granulate containing PVC and fillers, and having a cylindrical shape with a cylinder diameter in the range of 2.5 to 3.5 mm and a cylinder height in the range of 0.2-2.0 mm, melting the granulates and forming the substrate layer by means of molten granulates. The layer have a thickness of 1 to 3.5 mm. The method also includes forming a laminated complex by applying the printed decoration layer and the protection layer to at least the substrate layer by laminating or coating.

A laminating apparatus, in which films can be heated sufficiently, has a simple structure and allows films to be loaded easily. The laminating apparatus includes a sheet feed mechanism unit configured to convey a sheet into an apparatus main body, a film supply unit, and a press-bonding mechanism unit configured to perform a thermal press-bonding process while sandwiching the sheet between a pair of films. A sheet feed unit including the sheet feed mechanism unit is appropriately changeable between an open state and a closed state. The film supply unit includes rollers at supply positions where the films sufficiently wind around heating rollers of the press-bonding mechanism unit. The sheet feed unit includes counter rollers configured to abut the rollers in the closed state and separate from the rollers in the open state.

A method for manufacturing a panel including a reinforcement sheet having the steps of: providing a first layer of thermoplastic material, providing a reinforcement sheet, laying the reinforcement sheet and the first layer onto each other, applying a second layer of thermoplastic material on top of the reinforcement sheet at a side facing away from the first layer, at least partially melting the thermoplastic materials of the first layer and the second layer, adhering the at least partially melted first layer, the at least partially melted second layer and the reinforcement sheet to each other so as to form the panel. Additionally, the reinforcement sheet and the first layer are adhered to each other by pressing them together after at least partially melting the thermoplastic material of the first layer, but before applying the second layer of thermoplastic material onto the reinforcement sheet.

A method for manufacturing a panel including a reinforcement sheet comprises the steps of: providing a first layer of thermoplastic material, providing a reinforcement sheet, laying the reinforcement sheet and the first layer onto each other, applying a second layer of thermoplastic material on top of the reinforcement sheet at a side facing away from the first layer, at least partially melting the thermoplastic materials of the first layer and the second layer, adhering the at least partially melted first layer, the at least partially melted second layer and the reinforcement sheet to each other so as to form the panel, wherein the reinforcement sheet and the first layer are adhered to each other by pressing them together after at least partially melting the thermoplastic material of the first layer, but before applying the second layer of thermoplastic material onto the reinforcement sheet.

A laminating machine comprises at least one material source, configured as a sheet feeder, for sheets of a material to be laminated. The laminating machine further comprises at least one laminating unit. The laminating machine also comprises at least two lamination sources, each for at least one web-type laminating material. The laminating machine additionally comprises at least one laminating unit for producing a material web, which is laminated on both sides, from the sheets and the respective at least one laminating material. At least one lamination control device is disposed downstream of a laminating region of the laminating unit, along a transportation path provided for the transporting of the laminated material web. The control device monitors a control region, lying outside a transport region that is occupied by the transportation path provided for the laminated material web.

According to the lamination apparatus and the lamination method, a fast-curing adhesive can be used and which can improve die quality of a composite film and enables application of a low-viscosity coating liquid. The lamination apparatus 1 includes a first coating unit 12 that applies, as a coating liquid, one of a main agent and a curing agent of a two-component curable adhesive to a first web W1; a second coating unit 14 that applies, as a coating liquid, the other one of the mam agent and the coating agent of the two-component curable adhesive to a second web W2, the other one being the one not applied to the first web W1; and a bonding unit 151 that bonds a coating liquid-applied surface of the first web W1 and a coating liquid-applied surface of the second web together. The second coating unit 14 is a gravure coating machine.

A process for producing a surface covering with an embossed printed surface is described. A substrate (16) is continuously moved through a production line, and this substrate (16) is first provided, in a printing equipment (12), with a printed pattern and thereafter, in an embossing equipment (14), with an embossed pattern, which is registered with the printed pattern. The printing equipment (12) produces the printed pattern in-line with the production of the embossed pattern. During printing in the printing equipment (12), the printed pattern is stretched or compressed, dynamically responsive to indicators of misalignments between the printed pattern and the embossed pattern, so as to correct or prevent the misalignments. A production line for carrying out this process is also proposed.

Provided is a production method for an optical laminate, which is excellent in production efficiency even through use of a thin glass. The production method for an optical laminate of the present invention includes: a thin glass production step of producing a thin glass having a thickness of 100 m or less; and a lamination step of laminating an optical film on one surface, or each of both surfaces, of the thin glass, the thin glass production step and the lamination step being performed in an integrated line, the lamination step including bonding the optical film onto the thin glass under a state in which the thin glass is supported.

A process for producing a surface covering with an embossed printed surface is described. A substrate (16) is continuously moved through a production line, and this substrate (16) is first provided, in a printing equipment (12), with a printed pattern and thereafter, in an embossing equipment (14), with an embossed pattern, which is registered with the printed pattern. The printing equipment (12) produces the printed pattern in-line with the production of the embossed pattern. During printing in the printing equipment (12), the printed pattern is stretched or compressed, dynamically responsive to indicators of misalignments between the printed pattern and the embossed pattern, so as to correct or prevent the misalignments. A production line for carrying out this process is also proposed.

A process for laminating a polyester film onto a major surface of a metal strip and to a laminated metal strip produced thereby, or a can produced therefrom.