Cutting foam in the production of upholstered furniture - a step-by-step process

TL;DR: The production of upholstered furniture requires precise cutting of polyurethane foam in three stages: cutting blocks into boards (PARK horizontal cutter), cutting into pieces (PPA vertical cutter) and optional cutting of 3D shapes (KPO contour cutter). DZIERGWA supplies complete technological lines for furniture factories.

Step 1: Selection of upholstery foam

The production of upholstered furniture requires foams with precisely defined parameters:

Seat:

• Density: 30–40 kg/m³ (standard) or 40–50 kg/m³ (premium)
• ILD hardness: 25–40 N (soft) or 40–60 N (hard)
• Thickness: 80–120 mm

Backrest:

• Density: 20–30 kg/m³
• ILD hardness: 15–30 N
• Thickness: 40–80 mm

Headrests and pillows:

• Memory foam (viscoelastic) or HR (High Resilience)
• Density: 40–60 kg/m³

Step 2: Cutting blocks into slabs - PARK horizontal cutter

Foam blocks are delivered in standard dimensions: 2000×1000×1000 mm or 2400×1200×1200 mm. The first stage is cutting the block into horizontal boards of a given thickness.

The DZIERGWA horizontal cutter PARK type performs this task automatically:

• The belt conveyor feeds the block to the work table
• Automatic pneumatic pressure stabilizes the material
• The cutting body performs horizontal cuts on linear guides
• Minimum cutting thickness: 7 mm
• Precision: ±1 mm

In automatic CNC mode, the operator programs the entire stack of cuts at once - the machine cuts all the boards sequentially without operator intervention.

Step 3: Cutting boards into pieces - PPA vertical cutter

The boards from the horizontal cutter go to the vertical cutter PPA, where they are cut into pieces with dimensions corresponding to individual elements of the furniture (seat, backrest, side, pillow).

The CNC controller with a touch panel allows you to program a cutting sequence - e.g. 3 types of pieces from one board, made in a sequence that minimizes waste.

Typical format dimensions:

• 3-seater sofa seat: 570×520 mm
• Backrest: 570×450 mm
• Armrest: 150×500 mm

Step 4: Cutting 3D shapes - KPO contour cutter

Modern upholstered furniture often requires profiled elements - bevels, curves, ergonomic recesses. The DZIERGWA contour cutter KPO type cuts these shapes using a knife guided by a CNC controller.

The cutting program is created in the devFOAM 2 software or imported as a DXF file. Program preparation time for a new element: 5–15 minutes.

Waste minimization - cutting optimization

The modern software of DZIERGWA cutters allows for optimization of the cutting system, minimizing foam waste. In furniture factories, foam waste reaches 8-15% - optimizing cutting programs can reduce it to 5-8%.

PUR foam waste can be recycled using the rebonding method - small offcuts are used to produce new blocks for less demanding applications.

Complete DZIRGWA line for furniture manufacturers

DZIERGWA supplies complete technological lines:

• PARK horizontal cutting machine - cutting blocks into boards
• PPA vertical cutting machine - cutting into pieces
• KPO contour cutter - cutting out shapes
• Pad milling machine - seat profiling

All machines are designed for a specific plant and its needs. Contact us - we will prepare a free quote and design of the technological line.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How many square meters of foam can the DZIERGWA production line process per shift?

Performance depends on machine models and product range. Typically, a furniture plant with a PPA and PARK cutting machine processes 500–2000 m² of foam per shift.

How long does it take to set up the machine when changing the product range?

On a CNC machine with saved recipes - 2-5 minutes. Operators can recall a saved cutting program with one touch of the screen.