Paulownia Wood Processing
When it comes to processing Paulownia wood, nothing goes to waste. This versatile tree offers various components that are valuable for different purposes:
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The heartwood or Lumber, obtained from the trunk's center, is ideal for crafting furniture, carpentry, and construction projects. Its high quality makes it perfect for edged wood creations.
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The bark of Paulownia is not left behind, either. It can be transformed into compost or used as a source of energy.
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Wood chips can be transformed into pulp, cardboard, wood panels, they also are an excellent resource for paper production.
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Finally, sawdust, a byproduct of the processing, can be utilized to manufacture plywood or as an energy source.
From Trunk to wood Log
Displayed in the photo, the trunk of the tree embodies the natural, raw state of the wood, still concealed by its bark. During the preparation stage, any unwanted components like branches, shrinkage, or curvature are eliminated to facilitate sawing.
Following the removal of unwanted parts, the trunks undergo cutting and debarking, which leads to sorting them based on their various qualities. Some of these sorted trunks are then cut lengthwise, and the thickness of the cuts is determined by the type of wood.
During this stage, the trunks remain unshaped and are referred to as 'logs.'
Drying and wood Processing
Drying is a crucial step in the process of further processing the wood, as it aims to reduce its moisture content to 10-12%.
The two main methods of drying are:
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Natural drying ;
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Artificial dryers, as illustrated in the diagram.
Lumbering involves transforming the log into a sawn board with four sharp edges and a smooth surface, resulting in rectangular pieces of wood.
The thickness and length of the boards are often influenced by the type of wood and may determine the board's name, such as rafter, plank, frieze, etc.
There are numerous techniques for processing the trunk to produce the desired lumber.
The simplest method involves cutting the log into planks with successive parallel cuts.
Other methods, such as the slab cut, overturn cut, colonial cut, chunk cut, Moreau cut, Dutch cut, mesh cut, and Cantibay cut, enable the log to be processed into various lumber types.
By utilizing these cutting techniques, logs can be tailored to create unique and specific lumber products.
Efficiency of wood Processing
When processing wood, it's crucial to consider the yield, which is the ratio of the volume of products to the volume of raw material. However, material loss can occur due to several factors.
The first cause of material loss is the sawing operation, which produces sawdust and chips. This loss can be calculated based on the kerf thickness and the surface area of the cuts. Roughly, this material loss amounts to 1.2 times the ratio of the kerf thickness to the thickness of the lumber produced.
The second cause is geometrical: producing lumber from a cylindrical log creates elements with a non-rectangular cross-section, which must be eliminated. The choice of cutting method directly impacts the geometric yield.
Lastly, material loss can result from singularities, defects in the wood, and human error.
To determine the overall throughput loss yield of a log, multiply the three yields described above. In the case of Paulownia, the overall yield loss generally ranges between 25% and 45%.
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