These are wood working machines (feed-through machines) with 4 spindles in a row for the foursided processing of workpieces through planing. The workpieces are guided by feed rollers (transport rollers) along the milling spindles.

Design and principle

A table is mounted on a elongated machine frame. The machine frame is equipped with motors to drive the spindles. In most cases four side planers are assembled with four spindles, which are arranged below, right, left and above the table. The workpiece passes the with cutter heads tipped spindles via toothed wheels.

The process is divided into following steps:

Caracteristics that distinguish it to a moulder are:

Four side planers process workpieces with rectangular, flat side surfaces. Only in exceptional cases they can profile up to 10 mm deep. The spindles are adjustable axially and radially to max. 10 mm. Older four side planers often don't offer any adjustment. In contrast, moulders profile rectangular workpieces and their spindles are adjustable to more than 10 mm.