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WOOD COMPOSITES AND BONDED WOOD PRODUCTS
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Research on the production of wood, bonded wood, and wood based composites has focused on the development of engineered structural wood products, the manufacturing of laminated veneer lumber, wood chipping techniques, the formulation of new resin chemistries, and increasing utilization efficiency
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and recycling. Specific advances due to the research at the Wood Utilization Centers include:
- The investigation of the technical and economic feasibility of producing MDF in Southeast Alaska .
- Increased wood savings and enhanced strength resulting in high performance structural wood products using Kevlar™ and other re-inforcers in wood composites.
- Development of environmentally sound adhesives and bonding agents from natural tannins, with a potential savings per plywood mill of $1.27 million per year.
- Pioneering work on the controlled orientation of wood fibers in composites to produce molded products.
- Refinement of processing technology for laminated veneer lumber for furniture, flooring, and other specialty industries.
- The production of bio-degradable thermoplastics from wood that are amenable to injection molding, transfer molding, sheet casting, and extrusion molding.
- Development of a new environmentally-friendly formaldehyde-free adhesive for use in making wood composite materials.
STRUCTURAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND PRESERVATION
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Research efforts are underway to better utilize wood raw material including underutilized species, insect, diseased, and fire damaged trees, as well as immature trees as part of better forest practices. Specifically this research includes:
The completion of an in-grade lumber testing program for Alaska , Cedar, Alaska Hemlock, Sitka Spruce and White Spruce). |
Determining the strength and stiffness properties for joints and frames in upholstered furniture to allow innovative furniture design..
A gene that is expressed visually by green fluorescence was successfully inserted into a fungus allowing scientists to study how biological or chemical control agents can more effectively control decay.
WOOD PROCESSING AND MACHINING
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The Wood Utilization Research Centers have pioneered new manufacturing, machining, and lumber grading technologies that provide a safer, healthier workplace, maximize yield, reduce waster, reduce harvest pressure on the resource base, and provide technology advances and substantial annual savings to domestic industries. Revolutionary new technologies being developed include:
Automated lumber grading and machining systems using robotic concepts, optical scanners, machine vision, and radio frequency fields to detect and cut around defects in lumber using computer guided saws and lasers thereby optimizing the yield. |
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Computer-aided optimization of log sawing which increases volume recovery by as much as 15%.
Savings of $375 million per year through the development of chain-flail delimbers to chip low quality logs on site, with a concomitant reduction in needed harvest area.
A patented mechanical process to prevent enzymatic sapstain, resulting in a potential national savings of over $200 million annually.
Improved machining technologies to increase the processing speed resulting in more product being produced at a lower cost with less waste.
Refinement of sensing technology to monitor machining operations including the quality of the product, tool wear, and machine vibration resulting in a potential saving of 40% of processing costs as well as conserving natural resources.
Formulations of bio-degradable thermoplastics for improved machinability.
wood preservation technologies that result in longer product life and pose fewer environmental hazards.
A repellant for Southern Pine Beetle, the largest natural cause of mortality and damage to southern pines, to reduce economic losses of up to $300 million year.
SAFER, MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND HARVESTING & PRODUCTION
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Improved harvesting systems are among the most effective means of promoting increased efficiency of resource utilization and maintaining industry profitability. This broad research field includes everything from the construction of forest roads to logger safety training and the development of equipment to reduce soil compaction. Work at the Wood Utilization Research Centers has resulted in:
Improved systems for planning and layout of forest operations and new equipment that reduces soil compaction and increases productivity on harvested sites by 30%. |
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Radio frequency assisted drying that generates 36% less particulate, organic, and inorganic emissions.
soil texture based site disturbance indices that allow scheduling of harvest operations to minimize site degradation.
Patenting and licensing new bioremediation technologies.
recycling technology for CCA treated wood that enables recycling of the wood and chemicals rather than disposal as a hazardous waste.
recycling processes for converting newsprint into composite board to reduce harvest and eliminate the need for de-inking
The use of synthetic rope as a substitute for wire rope in the logging industry. This is expected to significantly reduce medical claim and lost time.
BIOFUELS AND BIOBASED PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT
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Improving the utilization of forest resources, particularly as it relates to the conservation of energy and the production of bio-based products, is critical at current time. WUR Centers will continue to provide innovation to the wood products industry in the U.S., enhance our energy independence, and provide leadership in the sustainable use of wood materials. Specifically this research includes:
Determine potential for using currently non-merchantable wood as feedstock for energy. |
Improved utilization of woody biomass for bioproducts.
Efficient utilization of paper mill black liquor/soap fraction wastes.
Biocomposites with designable interfacial properties from cellulosic fibers and biodegradable polymers.
Biocides and biopharmaceuticals from the forests.
CONCLUSION
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The USDA Special Grant for Wood Utilization Research (WUR) is focused on science, technology, and business practices that will enhance the domestic and global competitiveness of the wood products and related industries and ensure the more efficient uses of available wood resources. The Wood Utilization Research Centers effectively leverage federal funding to generate both state and private research contributions. The accomplishment of
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these WUR Centers demonstrate the importance of continued research, technology development, and technology transfer in promoting efficient wood utilization and maintaining a vigorous domestic forest products industry that has the capacity to satisfy national needs.
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