Furniture Quality Research Articles

Quality characteristics of spatial furniture

The quality of products represents one of the key aims of any modern organized production. In the production practice, it is essential to establish the optimal relationship between quality, production economy and delivery deadlines. Furniture quality is evaluated by three levels and they are: basic quality, high quality and especially high quality. The results presented in this paper are based on the sample measurements of chairs and tables during 2007 and 2008 at the Institute for Furniture Quality Control.

VAPOUR DRYING: A SUMMARY OF RESEARCH STUDIES

SUMMARY Laboratory studies of the suitability of the vapour drying process for Australian timbers are described. The work covers the seasoning of both pervious and impervious timbers of joinery and furniture quality, as well as the partial drying of large-section material required to be given preservation treatment. The influence of a number of process variables, including working fluid, working pressure, and wood temperature, was examined. The study showed that the basic process can be modified to give good quality drying with both pervious and most impervious species, in thicknesses at least up to 1 in. Considerably accelerated drying rates were obtained compared with those usual in orthodox internal fan drying kilns. With refractory species a reduction in drying time to about 30 per cent, of kiln times was obtained, whereas for pervious timbers of the pine type drying times were reduced to some 5–10 per cent, of kiln times. The studies also indicated that for the successful commercial vapour drying of timber of joinery quality, further consideration would need to be given to means for overcoming several engineering and process difficulties.