Edge Reinforcement of Honeycomb Sandwich Panels

Protection of the fragile honeycomb core material in hollow-core panels has long been a subject of interest for the manufacturers because it is necessary to seal the panel edges to prevent damage. Traditionally this has been accomplished by using edge banding, which has the added benefit of improving panel bending strength and stiffness. This study focuses on evaluating the effects of edge banding on the bending strength and stiffness properties of honeycomb core panels. The honeycomb panels were made with a combination of different face sheet materials (3-mm hardboard or 6-mm medium-density fiberboard [MDF]), rail types (particleboard or yellow poplar [Liriodendron tulipifera]), and rail widths (10 or 38 mm), and had edge-band materials fixed to their long edges using either direct coating, stabilizer edge, or surface folding techniques. Panels made with the 6-mm MDF face sheet and 38-mm poplar rails had the highest strength properties. To safely apply edge banding to honeycomb core panels, a solid edge reinforcement material is required to prevent the core material from being crushed during the process. The surface folding technique was the best method of edge banding and significantly enhanced the maximum bending moment of honeycomb core panels—more than twice that of panels without edge banding.