Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
PREPARED BY
JOCELYN G. CORPUZ
LEAD ENGINEER
Introduction
Process Selection
There are two main processes used to classify the types of boards, the ‘wet’ process
used to manufacture SB and HB without glue and the ‘dry’ process used to manufacture
The initial manufacturing step is breaking the wood down to fibers. Most products
today are made using a disc refining thermo-mechanical process. Defibration processes
generate fibers with lignin-rich surfaces. This is essential as the lignin has an important role to
A lot of water is added to the fibers to create dilute mixtures. Other additives such as
glues, water repellents and various forming agents are also added. The mixture is then drained
on wire screens to form webs. Drainage alone does not reduce the moisture content sufficiently
and so the webs are then pressed between rollers to squeeze out more water.
If the factory is making low density (<400kg/m3) fiberboard, often known as softboard,
or insulation board, then the next step is to dry the webs in ovens. The softboard market has
been experiencing something of a revival in recent years thanks to the fashion for floating floors
which require an underlay; and to renewed interest in insulation materials from renewable
sources.
If, on the other hand, the factory is making high density (>880kg/m3) hardboard-type
products then the webs are pressed under high pressure and temperature. The webs have a high
liquid water and steam to escape, the webs are placed on screen meshes prior to pressing. This
explains why one face is smooth and the other has an impression of the mesh.
The press cycle of a panel is designed to maximize the removal of water in its liquid
form, as drying the panel requires a lot more energy. Therefore, a typical press cycle has three
stages: initial and rapid high pressure to squeeze out water as a liquid; a low pressure drying
stage; and finally a medium-to-high pressure consolidation phase which defines panel
thickness. The panels are then heat-treated by placing them in an oven for two to four hours at
around 165ºC to improve their water resistance. Unsaturated oil can be applied to panels prior
to heat treating to make tempered panels, which are even more resistant to moisture.
After such a long press cycle and subsequent heat treatment, the panels are extremely
dry and must be rehumidified before they are sent to the customer. Rehumidification is
achieved by passing the panels through a chamber containing a high humidity. The panels are
normally stood on their edge in order to expose both faces and maximize absorption. The final
Dry process is usually used for MDF. The husks are crushed into chips, refined into
fiber, mixed with glue and wax and compressed under a high temperature hot press. This in
turn cures the glue which then binds the fiber together to become raw MDF. This raw MDF is
then conditioned, sanded, cut and packed before it is ready for sale.
At the Mat Former, the fiber will be laid out in the correct height and density before
passing through a Metal Detector and a Density Scanner before reaching the Hot Press for
pressing. If either the Metal Detector or the Density Scanner detect any problems within the
prevent it from reaching the Hot Press. At the Hot Press, the fiber mat will be compressed while
undergoing a continuous press and the high temperature in the Hot Press will cure the resin,
activating it to bind the fiber together. This compressed and resin cured fiber will come out of
The raw board will then be cut into master panel sizes before it is sent to the Star Cooler
for about an hour for the board to cool down naturally. The master panels will then been stacked
and further conditioning for an additional 3 to 5 days After conditioning, the master panel will
be sent for sanding where the surface is sanded to ensure a uniform smoothness while the
thickness of the board will be calibrated during this sanding process. The sanded board will
then be cut to size, packed and sent to the warehouse where it will be arranged for dispatch out
of the factory.
a. Availability 12.43% 3 4
a. Safety 11.86% 4 4
c. Versatility 5.93% 3 5
using the criteria used in table 1. Table 1 shows that design 2 or the Dry Process was more
favourable process than that of the Wet Process when it comes to manufacturing Medium-
Density Fiberboards.
Fig 1. Process Flow Diagram of the Production of Medium Density Fiberboard Process.
The media (screening surface) opening then accepts or rejects the particles. A screening
medium with predetermined openings used to classify (size) two fractions of a feed material.
The performance of a screen will revert back to five main parameters; motion, install angle of
the unit, screening media and available opening area, carrying capacity of the screen and
building materials and other industries. It is usually used for the screening and grading
materials in large, middle and small particles. Linear vibrating screen is designed with dual-
vibration motor drive, two synchronous motors are reversely placed so that the exciter generate
reverse excitation force, the exciting force generated by eccentric block cancel each other out
on the parallel direction of motor axis, and stack together with the perpendicular direction of