How to make cabinet doors has always been a hot topic for carpenters and cabinet door making factories. Because cabinetry has been an indispensable part of home decoration all the time. Whether for kitchen cabinets or bedroom closets, aesthetics and practicality have always been what people are chasing for. The beauty of cabinets is mainly reflected in the design of the cabinet doors, because there are plenty of styles in cabinet door making. If you are a cabinet door making manufacturer, in the face of surging orders, have you ever thought of using CNC machines to make cabinet doors? If yes, do you know what CNC machines you should use to make cabinet doors?
This article will briefly introduce how to make cabinet doors with CNC machines, and recommend a cabinet door making production solution. What’s more, it introduces 10 CNC machines included in the cabinet door production solution along with the steps of how to build cabinet doors.
Machines used in how to make cabinet doors
If you just want to replace the broken cabinet doors in your house, you can choose to use simple manual tools to make cabinet doors. Such tools may include table saw, hand-held wood polishing machine, electric drill, etc. While for mass production factories, CNC machines are the best choice. The high automation degree of CNC machinery greatly improves the cabinet door making efficiency. And the finished cabinet doors have high precision and good repeatability, which ensures the consistency of the products.
For cabinet door making factories, I recommend a production solution to solve the problem of how to make cabinet doors. This solution is especially designed for making PVC filmed cabinet doors.
This solution mainly consists of such CNC machines as 1325 linear ATC machining center, edge banding machine, side drilling machine, vacuum press machine, precision saw, hinge drill and metal strip cutting machine. Flexible combinations of these CNC machines can achieve multiple processes, and create an automatic production line meeting customer requirements. This production line is quite suitable for making cabinets and cabinet doors.
Step 1 of how to make cabinet doors: selecting material
The first thing to consider for how to build cabinet doors is to select materials.
Today we are discussing how to build cabinet doors with wood, so there will be no further details on how to build cabinet doors of metal, glass and other materials. Wood cabinet doors usually adopt materials like solid wood, particle board, melamine board, plywood, MDF, etc.
Cabinet doors made of different materials have different characteristics. You may select the materials according to your production needs or customer requirements.
Step 2 of how to make cabinet doors: designing, engraving, cutting
Once selecting the material, you can start the cabinet door making.
In this step to build cabinet doors, I recommend a CNC router for cabinet door designing, cutting and engraving.
Workflow of using 1325 linear ATC machining center to make cabinet doors
#1: Design cabinet door patterns
You can use the CNC router software to make designs for custom cabinet doors. There are two types of CNC router software used in this process, i.e. CAD and CAM. CAD software is to turn the cabinet door style in your mind into a digital drawing. And then import the CAD drawing into the CAM software. The CAM software will automatically generate a G code and transmit the G code to the controller of the 1325 linear ATC machine center.
#2: Load a wood panel onto the worktable
Select a smooth and flawless wood panel and load it onto the worktable of the machining center. The machine center has automatic loading assistance rollers, which helps with the panel loading. The full vacuum table is capable for securing the panel firmly.
#3: Start the machine center.
After completion of the design and loading process, start the machine center to make cabinet doors. The subsequent engraving and cutting work is achieved automatically by the machining center automatically, so you can just monitor the machining process. The high automation degree significantly increases the cabinet door making efficiency.
Check the following video to see how to make cabinet doors with our ELECNC-1530 ATC machining center for the cutting process. The size of the ATC machining center is customized to meet custom cabinet doors making demands.
What’s more, you can at the same time choose automatic loading and unloading platform, automatic labeling device and other automatic devices for this machining center. All this automatic CNC machines can greatly increase the machining efficiency.
Step 3 of how to make cabinet doors: edge banding & corner trimming
After cutting the panels, the cutting surface and edges are rough or sharp, easy to hide dirt and also unattractive. In addition, due to the production process of the panels, there will be formaldehyde release. So it is necessary to band the exposed edges.
The process of edge banding in the course of how to make cabinet doors can not only hide the rough and ugly panel inside. It can also inhibit the release of formaldehyde. So edge banding can make the home more environmentally friendly and healthy.
Straight edge banding
The CNC machine used in this step of how to make cabinet doors is the edge banding machine.
Workflow of using the edge banding machine in cabinet door making
#1: Select the edge band with appropriate thickness and color based on your production needs. Then put the edge band on the rotary table at the starting position. Pull the end of the edge band into the edge banding machine.
#2: Set the parameters via the touch screen control panel of the edge banding machine. For example, panel thickness, band thickness, speed, etc.
#3: Place and press the cabinet door on the worktable and then push it forward slowly.
#4: When half of the cabinet door is fed, you can let it go automatically. The edge banding machine will complete the gluing, banding, trimming and scraping process automatically.
#5: Go to the other end of the edge banding machine to fetch the cabinet door after banding.
#6: If the other edges of the cabinet door require edge banding, repeat the above workflow from #3 to #5 to band the necessary edges.
Working video of this edge banding machine in the process of making cabinet doors is shown in the following:
Curved edge banding
The above edge banding machine is suitable for banding straight edges. For irregular or curve edges in how to make cabinet doors process, we also have the fold-arm curve edge banding machine.
Workflow of using this curve edge banding machine in cabinet door making:
#1: Switch on the folding arm curve edge banding machine.
#2: Put the cabinet door panel on the folding arm worktable.
#3: Adjust the folding arm to appropriate position and step on the pedal switch.
#4: Move the panel slowly to band the curved edges.
Since this machine does not have automatic trimming and scraping functions, so the cabinet door may require subsequent trimming and polishing treatment.
Check the following video to see how the fold-arm curve edge banding machine bands the curved edges during the how to build cabinet doors process.
Corner rounding
After banding the panel edges, you’ll get four sharp and straight corners. Many customers may require round corners to avoid being scratched. Hence it may also need corner trimming process.
This is a profiling corner rounding machine. It is able to trim the cabinet doors after completing the edge banding step of the make cabinet doors process.
Workflow of the corner rounding machine
#1: Switch on the corner rounding machine.
#2: Put the cabinet door panel on the worktable.
#3: Push forward the panel slowly to round the upper left corner.
#4: Rotate the penal to round the other corners one by one.
If you want to see how the corner rounding machine works in the process of making cabinet doors, please check this video:
Step 4 of how to make cabinet doors: polishing
The cabinet door panels need to go through the polishing process to make the surface more smooth during the how to make cabinet doors process. Polishing is also conducive to the following film pressing process.
The CNC machine used in this step of make cabinet doors is the CNC wood polishing machine. It is mainly for rough and fine sanding, buffing and polishing the plane and curve surface of wood boards and door panels.
Workflow of using the CNC wood sanding machine to make cabinet doors
#1: Switch on the wood sanding machine by pressing relevant buttons.
#2: Rotate the knobs separately to adjust the rotate speed of the grinders.
#3: Put the cabinet doors on the conveyor belt. The polishing process will be done automatically.
#4: Fetch the cabinet doors after polishing at the other end of the wood polishing machine.
The cabinet doors after polishing have smooth and perfect surface for the subsequent cabinet door making process.
If you would like to see the working video of a CNC wood polishing machine in the course of how to build cabinet doors, please check the video below.
Step 5 of how to make cabinet doors: vacuum filming
This process is for the PVC filmed cabinet door making. As suggested in the name, this process is to paste a PVC film on the cabinet door panels under high temperature during the cabinet door making process. The filmed cabinet doors have certain characteristics, such as fire resistant, waterproof, climate resistant etc. Besides, the PVC film is available in various colors and patterns, like wood grain, stone patterns, ice veins, orange peel grain etc.
In this step of how to make cabinet doors, you will need the vacuum press machine.
Workflow of using vacuum press machine in the make cabinet doors process:
#1: Set the necessary parameters on the control penal, and start the preheating process.
#2: Lift the frame and put the cabinet doors orderly on the worktable.
#3: Select a PVC film with the required color and thickness and cover all the cabinet doors.
#4: Lower down and secure the frame to fix the PVC film. Cut the film along with the frame edge with a knife.
#5: After the set temperature is reached, press the start button to conduct the vacuum filming process automatically.
#6: After completion of the vacuum filming process, the vacuum press machine will convey the cabinet doors automatically. Be sure to let the cabinet doors cool down before you pick them up.
The surface of the cabinet doors after filming is smooth and free of any bubbles. And the wood grain on the PVC film looks very natural.
The following video shows the working process of the vacuum press machine. You can set the temperature and see the vacuum time and real-time temperature from the control penal. At the mean time, you can see the filming process through the observation window on the side of the machine.
Step 6 of how to make cabinet doors: drilling & grooving
Depending on specific production requirements, cabinet doors may also need to be drilled and slotted for the installation of hinges, screws, door handles, etc. Machines in this step of how to make cabinet doors include the side CNC drilling machine, hinge drill machine, sliding table saw, etc.
Side drilling
The CNC machine used in this step is the side drilling machine.
Workflow of the using side drilling machine in cabinet door making process
#1: Select appropriate drill heads according to your cabinet door making requirements.
#2: Put the cabinet door panels in suitable position.
#3: Set the parameters and machining mode on the control panel corresponding to your specific machining demands, such as for drilling blind holes, making fixed grooves, drilling pinholes, etc.
#4: Press the start button to start the drilling process automatically.
Check this video to see how the side drilling machine works during the how to make cabinet doors process.
Drilling hinge holes
In case of installing cabinet doors with hinges, it requires drilling hinges holes on the panels. In this step of how to make cabinet doors, we also have an ideal CNC machine to drill hinge holes, i.e. the hinge drill machine.
There are two types of hinge drill machine, one head hinge drill machine and double-head hinge drill machine.
Workflow of using the hinge drill machine in the make cabinet doors process
#1: Select appropriate drill heads according to the cabinet door making demands.
#2: Adjust and set the position of the damper and the precise scale. This is very important for ensuring the drilling precision.
#3: Put the cabinet door panels on the worktable and under the drill heads. Make sure the drilling position is right.
#4: Rotate the knob to work position and step on the pedal switch. If you just use one of the two heads of the machine, just rotate the knob corresponding to the head. If you want two heads to work simultaneously, you need to rotate the two knobs to work position.
#5: After stepping on the pedal switch, the hinge drill machine will work automatically.
The holes are in precise position and dimension and the surface is smooth.
This video shows the operation of a double-head hinge drill machine in the process of how to make cabinet doors. The two heads can work simultaneously and separately. It is equipped with a pedal switch and the operation is very simple.
Other cutting or grooving process
Sometimes, you may also need to cut the cabinet door panels in certain angles. Or make grooves on the panels based on the specific working requirements. If the quantity is not large, I recommend you using a sliding table saw to achieve this goal.
Workflow of using the sliding table saw in the make cabinet doors process
#1: Adjust the height and angle of the head saw and the auxiliary saw by the knob or rocker arm. If you don’t need to cut inclined edges, then there is no need to adjust the blade angle.
#2: Put and fix the cabinet door panel on the worktable with relevant fixtures.
#3: Turn on the power of the two saw blades.
#4: Push the panel forward slowly for cutting or grooving. Be careful.
The cutting and grooving surface is smooth and free of any burrs or rags. The following video shows the 6132Y sliding table saw for wood working from Blue Elephant. It shows how the precision saw cuts board at 90° and 45°, and how the slot cutting works during the how to build cabinet doors process.
Step 7 of how to make cabinet doors: decoration
After completing the above steps, the cabinet doors are basically finished. But if the customer has other requirements, you may also need to do some simple decoration of the cabinet doors. For example, install the metal trim.
Cutting metal trim during the how to build cabinet doors process requires a CNC machine named T-shaped metal strip cutting machine.
Workflow of using the metal strip cutting machine
#1: Adjust the positioners according to the actual cutting position. You can put the metal strip on the worktable for determining the cutting position.
#2: Put the metal strip into corresponding slot.
#3: Start the cutting saws to start cutting.
#4: After complete cutting in the first position, lift the first positioner and move the metal strip forward until it reaches the second positioner. Repeat this process until finishing all the cutting demands.
See the video blow to understand how this machine works during the course of how to build cabinet doors.
How to make cabinet doors safely
When using CNC machines to make cabinet doors, there are several matters that need to pay attention to.
- Be sure to read the operation instructions of each CNC machine carefully. And operate the machines in strict accordance with these instructions.
- Wear appropriate personal protection equipment when operating the CNC machines during the how to make cabinet doors process.
- In case of cutting materials that have a large quantity of dust, such as MDF, be sure to wear a mask. Avoid inhaling too much dust, causing relevant diseases.
- CNC machines, like the vacuum press machine, could generate high temperature during the process of how to make cabinet doors. So please keep away from the machine and do not touch with bare hands.
- When choosing CNC machine manufacturers, I recommend choosing the CNC machine manufacturers that have guarantee on their CNC machines and complete services.
Conclusion
The above steps of how to make cabinet doors apply to the cabinet doors with common designs and PVC films. For other types of cabinet doors, such as laminated or baking varnish cabinet doors, the production steps and processes will be somewhat different.
The answers to the question of how to make cabinet doors are various. But for the cabinet door making manufacturers, to achieve mass production, the cabinet door making production solution is no doubt the best choice.
The features of high automation level, high precision and efficiency of CNC machines greatly improve the production efficiency of cabinet door making. At the same time, the production solution of how to make cabinet doors increases the production output, improves product precision and saves both manpower and raw materials. In addtion, the CNC machines in the cabinet door production solution can be freely combined. One production line can achieve multiple processes, and make custom cabinet doors meeting various customer requirements.
