ne compilation des études diagnostiques réaliser par FPInnovations sur la rendement de tourne-billes indique des écarts-types moyens entre la consigne et l’angle obtenu de l’ordre de 25 degrés. En moyenne pour une usine, cela se traduit par des pertes monétaires pouvant dépasser un demi-million de dollars annuellement qu’il n’est pas possible de récupérer par la suite. A cet égard dans ce projet, nous avons collecté et analysé les données provenant de quatre catégories de : 1) géométrie des billes, 2) attributs des billes, 3) paramètres opérationnels et finalement 4) conditions mécaniques des équipements afin de trouver les sources de variation dans les erreurs de rotation. Les conclusions de cette étude indiquent que les sources de variation ne peuvent être expliquées que par la géométrie des billes et les paramètres opérationnels. Lorsque les équipements ne sont pas dans un état normal, ils contribuent aussi de manière significative aux erreurs de rotation.
Sur un horizon de trois ans, le projet a permis de 1) suivre le rendement de rotation et mesurer la contribution des sources de variation; 2) développer un algorithme d’apprentissage automatique pour diagnostiquer les sources et proposer des correctifs. Finalement, BID Group, qui était le partenaire de ce projet, s’est inspiré des résultats obtenus pour éventuellement développer un contrôle adaptif en temps réel.
An automated process has stringent tolerance requirements for product dimensions, such as maximum allowable wane and warping. Products that do not meet these tolerances create problems in the process flow, and hence reduce productivity and quality. In addition, the assembly of building components is moved from on site to off site. This move calls for the integration of different processes. It requires adjustments in raw material characteristics. Therefore, the forestry industry can gain from the opportunity to adapt its processes to provide dimensionally stable products to the construction industry.
This InfoNote aims to provide insight for Canadian building designers, builders, and manufacturers interested in such products by providing in-depth information about hygrothermal performance of exterior wall assemblies incorporating WFI in the Canadian built environment, based on monitoring of two buildings in different climates.
La présente InfoNote a pour but d'éclairer les concepteurs de bâtiments, les constructeurs et les fabricants canadiens qui s'intéressent à ces produits en leur fournissant des renseignements détaillés sur la performance hygrothermique des assemblages de murs extérieurs comportant de l'IFB dans le milieu bâti canadien, en effectuant de la surveillance de deux bâtiments dans des climats différents.
In this project, the main objective was to evaluate the “best bet” experimental mat structure design previously identified by FPInnovations in 2018/19. This mat structure was comprised of three strand size classes incorporated into six equal weight mat layers. Both experimental and control panels were prepared at 39lb/ft³ and 35lb/ft³ densities and tested for dry static bending, single cycle bending (D4), concentrated static load, thickness swell, and internal bond strength.
FPInnovations launched a multi-year research project to measure mid- to high-rise wood buildings’ natural frequencies and damping ratios to expand the database and validate or adapt the existing equations to estimate the natural frequencies. Two high-rise wood buildings equipped with an anemometer and accelerometers are also being constantly monitored to study how the wind excites the building.
Decking markets in Canada lack options of hybrid designs and are generally limited to smooth 5/4” or 2x6” of either pressure treated wood, cedar, tropical hardwoods or wood plastic composites. Profiled decking has been unsuccessful in entering the Canadian market on a large scale even though globally it is more prevalent. This report looks to leverage FPInnovations’ expertise to identify opportunities to improve the stability, durability, performance and competitiveness of wood decking by combining profiling and treatment with additional non-wood materials. This information will be used to develop prototypes of novel wood-based decking products that would suit the needs of Canadian consumers as well as maintaining or expanding the solid wood decking market for Canadian producers. Six hybrid decking models were conceptualized to address market concerns about wood decking.
The findings of recent studies from both eastern and western Canada have shown that the drying behaviour of subalpine fir (A. lasiocarpa) and balsam fir (A. balsamea) is similar, which allows common solutions to be applied based on research conducted on one species of fir or the other. This article summarizes previous research findings and good practices that can be adopted in the short term to improve the drying of fir.
Des travaux récents tant dans l’est que dans l’ouest du Canada ont montré que le comportement au séchage du sapin subalpin (A. lasiocarpa) et du sapin baumier (A. balsamea) est similaire, ce qui permet une application de solutions communes à partir de travaux effectués sur l’une ou l’autre variété de sapin. Le présent
document se veut une revue sommaire de résultats de travaux antérieurs et de bonnes pratiques pouvant être adoptées à court terme pour améliorer le séchage de cette essence.
To support the implementation of biomass procurement practices, a formal, rigorous, consistent, science-based biomass quality control (QC) program is needed. This program should be designed to determine customer needs, the sources of product variation, and ways of eliminating or minimizing product variation as soon as it occurs. The program should also include a well-designed QC plan and sampling protocol, statistical process control methodologies and tools, formal QC teams, and regular training.
This report describes various statistical QC tools and demonstrates those using examples of biomass moisture content data. These tools can be developed in-house or be purchased, but their integration with existing databases (e.g., LIMS) is recommended. FPInnovations experts can assist in developing customized QC programs for companies and for specific biomass products, and can train QC teams to develop and use the tools presented here.
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Fifteen structural composite lumber (SCL) products including laminated-veneer lumber (LVL), laminated strand lumber (LSL), oriented strand lumber (OSL), and parallel strand lumber (PSL) provided by Boise Cascade, LP, West Fraser, and Weyerhaeuser were tested for moisture-related properties in this study, also covering four reference materials: 16-mm Oriented Strand Board (OSB), 19-mm Canadian Softwood Plywood (plywood), 38-mm Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine solid wood. Water absorption, vapour permeance, vapour sorption, and dimensional stability were measured with limited replication by following relevant standards for a purpose of assisting in improving building design and construction, such as hygrothermal modelling of building envelope assemblies, design for vertical differential movement, and on-site moisture management.
Continuous drying is still in its relatively early stages and mills are currently dealing with process adjustments to obtain desired throughput and quality of the final product. Field measurement carried out in 2015-16 illustrated a number of opportunities for process optimization involving each of the three main stages of current continuous kilns. Simulations of industrial continuous drying at laboratory level performed in 2016-17 were successful and allowed the evaluation of each of the drying stages to be fully characterized (lumber temperatures, drying schedule conditions of dry and wet bulb temperatures). Thus, different drying schedules provided an excellent opportunity to examine the impact of schedule conditions on drying defects, drying rates and kiln residence times.
The main objectives of the project for 2017-18 were to simulate continuous drying in laboratory conditions for different products, products mix, species and green sort groups. In addition, a detailed evaluation of potential technologies was carried out to explore the concept of dynamically adjusting speed (push rates), based on drying rates and moisture content.
Piecewise regression was used to identify the optimum push rate and suggest design modifications of continuous kilns. This method proved to be efficient in identifying potential reductions in drying time for different sorts of sprue/pine (SP) lumber without compromising the quality of the final product. Simulations also allowed identifying the push rate of 2 feet/h to satisfactorily dry green hem-fir 2-inch lumber.
Initial tests showed that mid-sort sub-alpine (moisture content below approximately 70%) could not be mixed with wet sort SP in a continuous kiln operating at push rate of 4.2 feet/hr because only 73% of the sub-alpine sort dried below 21%. Decreases in push rate will reduce the percentage of sub-alpine fir wets but will also increase the amount of over-dried lumber. Changes in kiln configuration may reduce the drying time but increase the percentage of over-dried lumber.
The results indicated that additional laboratory tests are required to develop drying schedules and temperature profiles in the main drying zone of continuous kilns, drying times and final moisture content distribution.
Interior partition walls for non-residential and high-rise residential construction are an US$8 billion market opportunity in Canada and the United States (Crespell and Poon, 2014). They represent 1.6 billion ft² (150 million m²) of wall area where wood currently has less than 10% market share. To approach this market a new system would be needed to compete against the incumbent system (wood/steel stud plus gypsum). The system would need to have an installed cost before finishing of approximately US$5 per ft² or lower. The system would also need to meet several code requirements for strength, sound transmission and fire resistance (flame spread and burn through). Crespell and Poon further concluded that to be truly transformative, the system would also need to address major trends impacting the building industry including reducing labor, reducing skilled labor, reducing onsite waste, reducing call-backs, and easily recyclable with low environmental impact. A likely market entry point for wood-based interior partition systems may be in taller and larger wood buildings.
Work described in this report investigated the fabrication, installation, acoustic and combustion properties of prototype interior partition wall designs.
Two types of non-structural prototype interior wall panels designated Type A and Type C were installed between two offices in the FPInnovations Vancouver laboratory. Wood sill plates for mounting the prototype panels were fastened to the concrete floor, sides and top of the opening between the two offices to produce a frame for mounting the test panels. Panels were fastened to the frame using dry wall screws. This same method of installation is envisioned in practice. The installation method makes it easy and fast to both install and remove the wall panels.
Acoustic tests showed the difference in ASTC rating measured between a double wall composed of Type A and Type C prototype panels compared with a double wood stud wall with gypsum board faces was approximately 6 ASTC points. A 6 point difference would be clearly noticeable. Although the results of this study are largely qualitative, they suggest that the prototype interior partition panels would have an acoustic advantage compared to stud wall designs.
In a related study summarized in this report, the combustion properties of three prototype interior panel constructions, including Types A and C evaluated in this report, indicated that any of the three types of partition constructions could be used in combustible construction in accordance with Division B of the National Building Code of Canada.
A second related study, also summarized in this report, estimated an installed cost of US$4.07 per ft² including overhead and profit for unfinished panel partitions comparable to panel construction Type C (gypsum/OSB/wood fibre insulation) as evaluated in this study. Thus, there would appear to be potential installed and finished cost advantages for the wood-based panel partitions compared to steel or wood stud walls with gypsum faces.
Other potential advantages of the prototype interior partition panels compared with the most common, currently-used systems (wood/steel stud plus gypsum) include ease and speed of installation, ease and speed of removal, design flexibility, prefabrication including pre-finishing, and easy installation of services.
Based on the positive results of these exploratory studies, further development of wood-based interior partition systems including design, fabrication, installation and in-service performance would appear justified. Knowledge of the products and testing methods developed in these studies would be expected to speed further development.
FPInnovations in collaboration with 475 High Performance Building Supply and the Canadian Wood Council (CWC) engaged in a project to introduce wood fibre insulation products into Canadian construction through a series of high profile demonstration buildings. Dry process wood fibre insulation products have been in use in a variety of structures throughout Europe for more than 25 years. While the market for wood fibre insulation in Europe is both developed and growing, very little is used in Canada and the United States. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the use of wood fibre insulation products in a range of building types with target market areas in the Pacific Region, the Prairie Provinces, and Eastern Canada.
Wood fibre insulation was installed into three different buildings in three different climate regions of Canada, a single family residence near Collingwood, ON, a co-op multi-family housing project in Saskatoon, SK, and a laneway house in Gibsons, BC. All three buildings were designed to meet or approach Passive House standards. Two of the buildings were originally designed to use rigid polymer foam insulation. The third building was designed from inception to use wood fibre insulation. In all cases, 475 High Performance Building Supply provided expertise in design and construction using wood fibre insulation. Adapting the building design and construction practices to use wood fibre insulation as exterior insulation was straightforward and easy. Performance monitoring instrumentation was installed in each building. Performance monitoring of each building is to be carried out for at least one year.
Wood fibre insulation seems to fit well into Canadian residential construction practices. In these demonstration buildings wood fibre insulation products were readily adapted into wall and roof systems that had originally called for other insulation products.
Based on experience in Europe and FPInnovations testing of wood fibre insulation products, wood fibre insulation products would be expected to perform well under Canadian and other North American conditions. The principal challenges to seeing wood fibre insulation products used more widely in Canada and across North America will be the establishment of manufacturing facilities here, along with educating architects, engineers, builders and owners of the advantages these products bring.
The objective of this work was to expose wood fibre insulation products through these demonstration buildings to accelerate their acceptance into Canadian and other North American markets. The project team intends to publicize the results of this demonstration building program to architects, engineers, builders and other potential users through selected websites and other publications.
This report covers our involvement in phytosanitary-related issues and research in the financial year 2016/17. It addresses actions planned in the 2016/17 project statement of the CFS-funded project entitled: Phytosanitary Measures and deliverables for Codes and Standards work related to phytosanitary issues. It captures our ongoing engagement with CFS, CFIA, and industry, and participation in the key phytosanitary forums including the International Forestry Quarantine Research Group (IFQRG) and the Canadian Forest Phytosanitary Working Group (CFPWG) as these two forums provide guidance to our research in the area.
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A total of 48 peeler blocks and 256 mini-billets were sampled from mills to investigate the effects of yard storage time, and artificial yard drying and sprinkling on residual moisture contents (MCs) and veneer quality. MC in fresh and stored log inventories varied greatly across mills according to geographic location of their wood supply zones, bark damage and loss, and storage time and conditions. The main findings were as follows:
1. DF logs supplied by three BC mills from the Cariboo, Thompson Okanagan, or Kootenay regions were highly variable in wood MC.
2. Winter-cut DF logs with high sapwood MC stored had good bark retention and high moisture retention over 6 and 9 winter-spring months. No effects on veneer peeling roughness from longer-term winter storage up to 9 months.
3. Summer-cut logs had little or no residual bark, or the bark slipped off very easily during debarking. Exposed, bark-free summer-cut logs can dry and crack on edges and ends very quickly, within a few weeks.
4. A marked decline in veneer quality with piling time in Summer for spruce and DF, suggesting an optimum window of processing of such exposed logs of about two weeks. Veneer quality and recovery suffered markedly once the logs had fully air dried mainly because of edge splits creating natural fragmentation of the ribbon.
5. Mills receiving dry-zone logs with much lower MC have a very limited storage window, especially over winter. As little as 2-3 weeks if bark is damaged or missing.
6. Veneer quality could not be definitively tied to log residual MC. Under the controlled laboratory conditions used here it was observed that peeling quality could still be good at low sapwood MC (35-40%) and or very high (MC>100%). Whether this is still the case in mill production is unknown.
7. Logs must never be allowed to fall below FSP and develop edge-checks or deep end checks.
8. Wax emulsion end sealants were effective at hampering drying and end checking on high MC logs, but not effective on low MC logs.
9. Sprinkling retained log freshness and peel quality in high MC DF for several months and prevented log drying and end splitting as well as inner log staining. Ends absorbed considerable extra moisture. Some variability in peel quality was noted.
10. The prototype EM1000 Ground Penetrating Radar could only be reliably used in log edge mode in DF. The unit would also require re-calibration for the very high sapwood MC in spruce and wet-zone DF logs.
Transformative Technologies - Development of "Green" Wood Adhesives for Wood Composite Products
Project no.301006168
E-4956
Location
Québec, Québec
Language
English
Abstract
Chitosan is an amino polysaccharide obtained from the deacetylation of chitin, which is naturally occurring in the shells of a large number of marine crustaceans. Chitosan is soluble in weakly acidic aqueous solutions and possesses adhesive properties. Chitosan has received much attention for medical and industrial applications; however, only limited studies have been conducted on the application of chitosan as a wood adhesive, because its bonding properties on wood are poor. To improve the adhesive quality of chitosan resin, an innovative study on chitosan adhesives has been conducted to use selected fungal species to modify chitosan and improve its bonding properties, to synthesize non-formaldehyde resins with the fungus-modified chitosan, and to enhance urea-formaldehyde (UF) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin performance with the fungus-modified chitosan.
The bonding properties of wood composites made with these chitosan-based green wood adhesives were significantly improved, in terms of lap-shear strength. Unmodified chitosan solution was not compatible with ammonium lignosulfonate, liquid PF resin, soybean resin, powder PF resin, or soybean flour, but was compatible with UF resin, polyvinyl acetate (PVA) resin, and phenol. With the addition of chitosan in UF and PVA resins, both the dry and wet shear strengths of plywood panels were improved, compared with those of panels bonded with the control UF and PVA resins, i.e. without chitosan. A number of chitosan and chitosan-reinforced UF resins were prepared as a binder for particleboard panel manufacturing. Six (6) types of particleboard panels with different levels of resin loadings and press conditions were manufactured. The resulting boards were tested to evaluate the bond quality of the chitosan and chitosan-reinforced UF resins. The test results showed that particleboard panels with good visual quality could be produced with all formulations of chitosan-UF adhesives, even with resin systems made with 1% of chitosan resin only. All chitosan resins used alone or added to UF resins yielded panels with better internal bond (IB) strength than those made with the UF control resin. The panels made with 1% chitosan resin plus 66% UF resin in a 1:1 ratio yielded panels with the highest IB strength and the best overall mechanical properties.
Des pièces de bois sont régulièrement rejetées à l’entrée de la raboteuse en raison de courbures excessives. Elles proviennent en majorité des rangs du haut des chargements de séchoirs. À cet endroit, les pièces ne sont pas contraintes, et les conditions de séchage sont souvent plus sévères. Dans une étude antérieure de Forintek Canada Corp., Garrahan (1997) a démontré l’impact du poids de chacune des rangées sur le déclassement du bois en fonction de la hauteur du chargement. La figure 1 montre que les pertes en valeur diminuent du haut du chargement jusqu’au bas. Le poids exercé par les rangées supérieures est de plus en plus important et permet de contraindre le bois en place en cours de séchage.
La technologie de séchage par haute fréquence en continu développée par FPInnovations et Hydro-Québec a récemment été démontrée à l’échelle semi-industrielle (précommerciale) (Lavoie et al. 2015). Les essais de séchage ont porté principalement sur des applications de produits à valeur ajoutée. La technologie est viable techniquement et peut répondre à des besoins de séchage de précision pour des applications spécifiques. La technologie a également le potentiel de resécher des pièces demeurées humides (volontairement ou involontairement) lors de la production de bois d’œuvre.
