The abrasive sanding of Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis): an industrial perspective

Hevea brasiliensis ) as a raw material for high-volume furniture production, information on its sanding properties is relatively sparse. This study was carried out to provide some fundamental understanding of the sanding properties of the material, from an industrial perspective. The results suggest that the sanding process is suitable for low to moderate stock removal, for it ensures optimal process economics. Further, silicone carbide abrasive belts perform better than aluminum oxide abrasive belts for the sanding of Rubberwood. A simple method was used to estimate the economic belt life, which will help derive effective belt change schedules in order to enhance the productivity of the process.

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Optimization of finger-jointing in rubberwood processing

The study evaluated the finger-jointing configuration of furniture-grade Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) lumber. It was found that fingers of 15 mm in length using PVAc adhesive produced optimum results in terms of bending strength and process economics. Furthermore, finger jointing contributes to yield improvement in Rubberwood processing and will continue to be widely used in the Rubberwood furniture manufacturing industry.     

Profilschleifen—Stand der Technik

Preference is given, nowadays, to furniture with profiled parts. In the manufacturing of profiles sanding is the last but one working stage. This requires the use of modern sanding techniques, and, in industrial furniture production, of modern sanding machines and sanding units. This paper describes abrasive disks, cores and sanding units, as well as suitability and function of modern profile sanding machines, and their respective advantages and disadvantages.     

An investigation into the tool wearing characteristics of rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) laminated veneer lumber

Peripheral machining of Rubberwood LVL and solid Rubberwood were carried out on a computer numerical control router, using cemented tungsten carbide cutters. The cutter wear rate and power consumption showed similar patterns of increment. Rubberwood LVL was found to be four times as abrasive as solid Rubberwood, and a combination of wear mechanisms were involved in contrast, to abrasion which was the predominant mechanism when machining solid Rubberwood. The use of a simple wear model based on the Taylor’s tool life equation has enabled the total tool wear to be quantified. This information can be expanded into useful production data for the Rubberwood based high-volume Furniture manufacturing industry.     

Optimal Surface Roughness for High-Quality Finish on Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis)

In an effort to establish a reference value for optimal surface roughness for high quality finish on Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis), a series of experiments were carried out using samples sanded with different grit sizes and applied with a clear lacquer. The results show that the surface roughness produced by the grit size 240 provided the highest surface finish quality, both in terms of coating film adhesion and sheen. This finding will have far reaching implications on Rubberwood furniture manufacturing practices as it enables the manufacturers to adopt a standard for surface roughness to ensure the highest quality finish.     

Particle Size Distribution of Wood Dust in Rubberwood (Hevea Brasiliensis) Furniture Manufacturing

The study evaluated the concentration and particle size distribution of air-borne wood dust in the Rubberwood furniture manufacturing industry. Air quality samples were measured at routing and hand-sanding work stations in furniture factories using the micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) air-quality measuring instrument. It was found that less than 25% of the air-borne wood dust particles at the two work stations were less than 10 μm in size, which in turn did not pose major respiratory health hazards. However, the high wood dust concentrations at the two work stations is a matter of concern, and efforts must be taken to minimize the air-borne wood dust exposure levels workers are subjected to in the Rubberwood furniture manufacturing industry.     

The abrasive sanding of Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis): an industrial perspective

) as a raw material for high-volume furniture production, information on its sanding properties is relatively sparse. This study was carried out to provide some fundamental understanding of the sanding properties of the material, from an industrial perspective. The results suggest that the sanding process is suitable for low to moderate stock removal, for it ensures optimal process economics. Further, silicone carbide abrasive belts perform better than aluminum oxide abrasive belts for the sanding of Rubberwood. A simple method was used to estimate the economic belt life, which will help derive effective belt change schedules in order to enhance the productivity of the process.     

Drying quality of rubberwood: an industrial perspective

In this study, the kiln drying yield of 30 mm Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) used for the furniture manufacturing industry in South East Asia was evaluated. The results showed that the average yield loss was 10%, and end-checks, splits and warping were the most common drying defects. It was found that sawn timber from older trees (>?21 years) were less prone to drying defects, and the use of stress relieving treatments significantly reduced the incidence of drying defects.     

Finishing characteristics of heat treated and compressed Rubberwood

The finishing characteristics of heat-treated and compressed Rubberwood were studied. It was found that heat-treated samples had significantly lower finish adhesion strength compared to the conventionally kiln-dried Rubberwood samples, which were used as control specimens. Further, compression of the specimens had also reduced its surface roughness, with an adverse effect on the finish adhesion strength. Inevitably, the use of heat treated and compressed wood in furniture may be suitable for applications, where lower finish adhesion strength could be tolerated at the expense of better finish film quality and process economics, especially in the manufacture of outdoor wooden furniture.     

Effects of pre-steaming on the drying quality of Rubberwood

In this study, the kiln drying yield of 30 mm Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) furniture stocks with pre-steaming treatment was evaluated. The results revealed that pre-steaming increased the permeability of the wood, hence increasing the drying rate while reducing drying defects. It was found that the pre-steaming treatment should be included in the drying of Rubberwood in order to reduce the overall drying costs as well as improving its quality.     

Drying quality of rubberwood: an industrial perspective

In this study, the kiln drying yield of 30 mm Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) used for the furniture manufacturing industry in South East Asia was evaluated. The results showed that the average yield loss was 10%, and end-checks, splits and warping were the most common drying defects. It was found that sawn timber from older trees (> 21 years) were less prone to drying defects, and the use of stress relieving treatments significantly reduced the incidence of drying defects.     

An assessment of Malaysian wooden furniture manufacturers’ readiness to embrace chain of custody (COC) certification

Although Malaysia is a major producer and exporter of wood products in the world, the status of wood products certification in the industry is relatively unknown. Therefore, a study was carried out to assess the status of chain of custody certification among wooden furniture manufacturers using a structured questionnaire to interview firms who had participated at the annual Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF). Results collated indicate that the readiness to adopt chain of custody certification among wooden furniture manufacturers was low. The lack of price premiums, limited market potential and high cost was cited as the primary reasons deterring furniture manufacturers from adopting chain of custody certification. Furthermore, the use of plantation wood resources, such as Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis), perceived to be certified wood resources, reflects the lack of understanding among the manufacturers. This study shows that an increasing adoption of chain of custody certification among wooden furniture manufacturers in Malaysia can be realized in the market organisation, especially with regards to price premiums and market requirements.     

Dust-generation characteristics of hardwoods during sanding processes

A study of the factors that influence dust-generation during the sanding process of Malaysian hardwoods was undertaken. It was found that the amount of wood removed during the sanding process predetermined dust-generation, although the wood density and abrasive grit used also played a role. Consequently, low density wood species produced higher dust-concentration due to its relative ease of sanding, and vice-versa. The results of the study suggest that minimizing dust-generation during the hardwood sanding process could be achieved by ensuring minimal amount of wood removal as well as the use of the coarsest possible abrasive grit in the process.     

Research on GA-BP neural network model of surface roughness in air drum sanding process for poplar

Roughness is an important property of wood surface and has a significant influence on the interface bonding strength and surface coating quality. At present, there is little research on theoretical models for poplar fine sanding. In this study, poplar wood was fine-sanded with an air drum. An orthogonal experiment was carried out to study the effects of abrasive grain size, feed rate, belt speed, air drum deformation and air drum pressure on the surface roughness of poplar wood. The simulation models of the longitudinal roughness and the lateral roughness of the sanding surface were established based on BP neural network optimized by genetic algorithm (GA-BP neural network), and verified by the experimental data. The results show that the influence of sanding parameters on longitudinal roughness and lateral roughness is similar. The order of influence is abrasive grain size?>?belt speed?>?feed speed?>?air drum deformation and air drum pressure. The longitudinal roughness and lateral roughness of the surface of the poplar can be well predicted by GA-BP neural network. The average relative error of the predicted longitudinal roughness and lateral roughness are 2.67% and 2.65%, respectively.

     

Minimizing dust emission during routing operation of rubberwood

The study evaluated airborne dust emission (0.1–10 µm) during the routing operation of Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) in the furniture industry in South East Asia. It was found that the average chip thickness of 0.1 mm and wood moisture content of 12–14% minimized dust emission, while the cutting tool rake angle had little influence on dust emission. The study shows that adverse economic implications due to health hazards posed by airborne dust emissions during wood machining can be reduced by manipulating the average chip thickness and work-piece moisture content.     

CIMS在家具生产中的应用

借助于电子计算机,不但可以使产品的制造过程实现自动化(如采用CNC设备),还可以使产品设计和经营管理自动化。一种能够使企业整个生产和经营活动的过程实现集成与优化的计算机控制系统,就称为计算机集成制造系统(Computer Integrated Manufacturing System,简称CIMS)。     

Bonding surface-modified Karri and Jarrah with resorcinol formaldehyde

A series of abrasive papers were used to sand machined regrowth karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) and regrowth jarrah (E. marginata) wood surfaces. Shear test specimens were then prepared by gluing sanded wood blocks with resorcinol-formaldehyde and pressing them at 1500 kPa and 20°C for 7 hours. Wettability measurements on sanded wood surfaces and strength tests on shear test specimens were used to assess the ability of the sanding treatment to improve adhesive performance. The effect of sanding on wettability and shear strength varied according to the abrasiveness of the sanding treatment. Application of the coarsest abrasive (80 grit) significantly improved wettability and shear (adhesive) strength in both dry and wet conditions. A positive correlation between wettability and shear strength occurred only after sanding. SEM observations revealed different morphological structures of the glueline in sanded and non-sanded surfaces.     

Minimizing dust emission during routing operation of rubberwood

The study evaluated airborne dust emission (0.1–10 μm) during the routing operation of Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) in the furniture industry in South East Asia. It was found that the average chip thickness of 0.1 mm and wood moisture content of 12–14% minimized dust emission, while the cutting tool rake angle had little influence on dust emission. The study shows that adverse economic implications due to health hazards posed by airborne dust emissions during wood machining can be reduced by manipulating the average chip thickness and work-piece moisture content.     

提高家具产品绿色性能的有效途径

家具的“绿色设计”是近几年业界十分关注的课题之一。进行绿色设计必须对影响产品绿色性能的各个因素有所了解。本文根据家具产品生命周期各阶段的特点,对产品需求、设计、生产、销售、使用等环节进行分析,提出了改进产品绿色性能的几条主要途径。     

Bending and fatigue strength of mortise and tenon furniture joints made from oil palm lumber

The bending and fatigue strengths of rectangular mortise and tenon furniture joints made from oil palm lumber and solid Rubberwood were compared. The results showed that the ultimate bending moment of the oil palm lumber joints were half of the strength value of Rubberwood joints. The results showed that for both materials the allowable design stresses for rectangular mortise and tenon joints could be set at 20% of its bending strength.