Manufacture Of Wood Products Research Articles

An attempt to create the holistic flow chart of forest resources

The environmental development of a building has an important role to play in terms of the sustainable development of our society. Against this background, wood and wood-based products have lately attracted notable attention as promising construction materials due to then-unique environmental properties, such as renewability and carbon storage capacity. For the sustainable use of wood, a relevant balance between supply and demand of forest resources is significant. However, little work has been conducted on a comprehensive understanding of forest resources flow. The objective of this study was. therefore, to draw an integrated chart of forest resources flow including forest conditions, round wood production, wood product manufacturing, wood stock in buildings and waste management at the end of product life, mainly focusing on building material flow. The flow charts were drawn for five countries (Japan. Finland. Germany, Sweden and Canada) based on statistical data. Instead of directly showing numerical information, the chart is presented as an infographic in order to promote intuitive understanding of the contents. The chart is intended as a basis for the development of sustainable forest resource circulation. This paper focuses on introducing the chart as such ad briefly discusses how the chart can be utilized for further study in relation with SDGs.

Preface

New digital technologies are very diverse and widely used in almost all areas of human activity. It is generally accepted that they constitute the content of the digital revolution that is taking place all over the world now. The forestry sector is no exception.Digital technologies are a rapidly developing scientific and technical field; they are used in all areas of human activity, from space research to trade and consumer services. As a result of a rapid growth in this area, generally accepted scientific terminology, unified concepts and definitions have not yet been formed, which complicates the understanding between specialists. Therefore, conferences of the kind held at St. Petersburg State Forest Technical University are especially important for solving the problems of intersectoral dialog.Topics presented at the scientific and technical conference “Digital Technologies in the Forest Sector”, held at St. Petersburg State Forest Technical University on March 26, 2020 reflect a wide range of research results. They include applications of geoinformation technologies and remote sensing methods in forest inventory and forestry; digital technologies in the design and manufacture of wood products, and in landscape architecture, design, and construction; digital forest pedagogy; robotic systems and intelligent machines in the forest sector; databases and statistical information systems in forest typology; information and communication, and web technologies and their capabilities and prospects for application in the forest sector.It is impossible to cover all areas of the use of digital technologies in the forest sector in one conference. Many interesting areas of research were not reflected in the presentations or were not presented in detail. Nevertheless, the relevance and novelty of the results presented is not in doubt.The articles presenting the most interesting research results were included in a special issue of the journal IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science. The articles included in the issue cover a wide range of scientific issues related to: information and communication technologies for forest management; the use of satellite communications in areas with poorly developed infrastructure; the use of information and communication and web technologies to predict the spread of forest fires; the use of digital technology to model the movement of mudflows and for the development of geographic information technologies and remote sensing methods in forestry; for the design of forestry machines and mechanisms, and forest roads; and for training students and distance education of industrial personnel. The research results published will be of interest to scientists, teachers and specialists of the forest sector, as well as to students studying forest sector related disciplines.Vice-Rector for Research, St. Petersburg State Forest Technical University, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor V.M. Gedio

Integrating sustainability into higher education curriculum through a transdisciplinary perspective

Higher education institutions are among the most influential elements of implementing concepts of sustainability and sustainable development. Manufacturing industries of all sorts are key stakeholders, which rely on universities to satisfy the demand for competent workforce. Society also expects universities to educate our youth and contribute to their self-development by achieving both, scientific and intellectual knowledge saturation. Among all these missions, today, universities are trying to develop sustainability curriculums to further increase sustainability awareness and to provide undergraduate students with a toolkit that would provide them with a competitive advantage in the job market. Developing such a curriculum would only be possible with a transdisciplinary approach. Therefore, the objective of this study was to contribute to strategic alignment of higher education institutions and corporate organizations by developing a course curriculum that integrates modern management techniques and sustainability concepts with wood products industry dynamics, which also focuses on project based learning (PBL). Theories of sustainability, lean management, supply chain management, six-sigma, and life cycle analysis were reinforced with hands-on activities of value-added wood product manufacturing line during a 16-weeks course. Students’ pre- and post-education awareness of and familiarity with sustainability, potential consequences of ignored sustainability issues, modern management techniques, global trends, innovation waves, and industry evolution were compared through a seventeen-question survey. Results showed that proposed course content was successful at increasing sustainability awareness at both overall and individual sustainability pillar levels. At the end, 100% of students were able to develop complete understanding of various modern management techniques and stated that they feel confident to apply learnt skills to real life issues within their profession upon graduation. The outcomes of the study could serve as a guide for those looking to develop similar inter- or trans-disciplinary courses at higher education institutions.

Simultaneous detection of density, moisture content and fiber direction of wood by THz time-domain spectroscopy

In the wood product-manufacturing process, the physical properties of wood must be monitored. The terahertz (THz) radiation has a high potential for sensing and imaging wood with a good spatial resolution. This study demonstrates the simultaneous prediction of the density, moisture content, and fiber direction of wood, which are important in determining the wood quality, using THz time-domain spectroscopy. We measured the spectra of 12 kinds of wood at various moisture contents while rotating the sample against the THz wave polarization. The fiber direction was predicted by observing the birefringence, which is the optical property of a material, in which the refractive index depends on the polarization direction. The density and the moisture content were predicted by multiple linear regression using the refractive indices and absorption coefficients obtained from the THz measurement. In a series of THz measurements, we successfully identified the wood fiber direction with an R2 of 0.90 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 16.51° (total measured range = 0–170°), the density with an R2 of 0.97 and an RMSE of 0.022 (total measured range = 0.25–0.67 g/cm3), and the moisture content with an R2 of 0.78 and an RMSE of 4.06 (total measured range = 0.00–30.98%).

Траекторное развитие деревообрабатывающей отрасли в системе обеспечения экономической безопасности

The article addresses the issue of ensuring economic security in the production of wood processing and the manufacture of wood and cork products, except furniture, the production of straw products and materials for weaving. The factors limiting the development of this type of activity of industrial production of the country's economy are noted. Based on the Forecast for the development of the forestry sector of the Russian Federation until 2030, based on the accounting and analytical system, a forecast of expected results is built to increase the output, export and import of wood products. Summarizing the above arguments, it is noted that the author’s vision to solve the problems of ensuring economic security presented in the article is more specific, visual and thoughtful

The EU Bioeconomy: Supporting an Employment Shift Downstream in the Wood-Based Value Chains?

Monitoring employment in the European wood-based bioeconomy requires reliable, consistent, and comparable statistics across subsectors and over time. Statistics concerning employment in wood-based industries—the main component of the forest-based bioeconomy—must be processed carefully to cope with differences in definitions and estimation methods. In addition, specific methods must be applied to estimate wood-based employment in sectors including also non-wood activities. In this study, we first delineate the boundaries of the wood-based bioeconomy, and then create a harmonised time series on employment for the identified sectors. Finally, we estimate the share of wood-based employment along the value chain in all sectors using wood. According to the results, forestry and extended wood-based value chains employed 4.5 million people in the EU-28 in 2018. Employment in wood-based value chains decreased between 2008 and 2013 in the aftermaths of the financial crisis. Continuously decreasing employment—most apparent in the manufacture of solid wood products and pulp and paper—results from increasing productivity and a decreasing demand for graphic paper. Further, most of the wood-based employment in the EU takes place in downstream parts of value chains, although the weight of the primary sector is still high in some Eastern European countries.

A tour of wood product manufacturing facilities in British Columbia as an example of experiential learning

AbstractThe provision of meaningful experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students in natural resources‐based programs is particularly important. In 2017, the Department of Wood Science at the University of British Columbia reintroduced a dormant, 1‐week tour of manufacturing operations for students in the Wood Products Processing undergraduate program. This article describes the background to the reinstatement of the tour and some of the important logistical factors involved, including the timing of the tour in the academic calendar, the scheduling of manufacturing facilities visited, transport and accommodation considerations, and planning time at an outdoor education camp. The desired learning outcomes are discussed together with some of the challenges developing and enacting appropriate evaluations connected to them. An initial single, written technical report was later supplemented by evaluation components better connected to the desired experiential learning outcomes. Aspects of safety, participation, and punctuality were added, as were daily quizzes. The daily quizzes have evolved from paper‐based questions requiring statement responses to online, objective quizzes, which provided more timely feedback to students. The pros and cons of additional overview and/or summary sessions are discussed in relation to encouraging greater student engagement in achieving the desired learning outcomes.

The impact of foreign direct investment on the productivity of the Chinese forest products industry

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of FDI on the total factor productivity of the forest products industry in China. We investigated three forestry-related manufacturing industries in the study. The first is the wood products industry, which encompasses the processing of timber and the manufacture of wood, bamboo, rattan, palm, and straw products. The second is the manufacture of furniture, and the third is the manufacture of paper and papermaking products. We used firm-level census data related to 78,555 forestry firms for the period 1999-2007to conduct our tests for within-firm, within-industry, and vertical effects, and calculated the effect of FDI on the productivity of Chinese forestry firms. In this study FDI is divided into two categories: capital from HMT (Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) regions and capital from non-HMT regions. The impact of FDI on the productivity of the forest products industry is complicated. At the industry level, FDI from HMT regions tends to have a significant positive impact on the productivity of the wood products industry. FDI from non-HMT regions and HMT regions tends to have the same impact on the productivity of the forest products industry in terms of the forward effects but a different impact in terms of the backward effects. Our findings have immediate implications for policymakers in China as well as for the governments of less-developed countries that are formulating their foreign investment policies.

Identification of prospective industrial clusters in Slovakia

Abstract Clusters became an integral part of regional policies intended to build and strengthen competitive advantages within specifically identified geographical areas. They are still considered crucial for economic development and employment, although their orientation has slightly changed as the distance and geographical boundaries lost their importance. This article analyses crucial regional data that indicates potentially beneficial economic concentrations as an assumption for the preparation of prospective clusters in Slovakia. Potential clusters were identified based on significant employment concentrations of particular regional industries that appear extraordinary when compared with national employment and the dynamic development within the selected time frame. Prospective clusters were identified, and opportunities of their development were described, including the harmonisation with the current regional and urban strategy. Analysing absolute and relative quantities in employment, sections and divisions of SK NACE were used for the proper identification of industries. The location quotient served as a tool for the spatial concentration of employment in the Banská Bystrica region, the threshold value for the selection of cluster candidates was set to 2. The shift–share analysis was used for the identification of long-term changes in employment, and 10% of the most dynamic industries were presented at the level of divisions once and then, at the level of sections of SK NACE. Forestry and logging, the manufacture of wood products and the manufacture of basic metals were confirmed by both methods as significant concentrations. The result partially corresponded with the previously active and currently inactive cluster in Banská Bystrica, which was focused on mechanical engineering, still significant when considering numbers of companies and employees as well as sales. Forestry was the most concentrated industry, while the wholesale and retail trades were the most dynamic. Forestry, logging and manufacture of wood products might be strongly interlinked with the current entrepreneurial and social strategy of self-governing regions that is still at the stage of potential cluster identification and fitting to its priorities. The article assumed basic quantitative methods utilised for the identification of prospective clusters. It confirmed the practicality of their application, the gravity of data processing and also certain possible limitations due to the extraordinary focus on the employment concentration. According to the analysis and gained results, the former cluster in the Banská Bystrica region was confirmed as the potentially significant actor in the regional policy (although, currently, having no industrial or public interest) and the new cluster candidates were identified. Outcomes indicated the need to continue the research with a more detailed examination of qualitative aspects that could complete the effort by focusing on clusters not only having higher employment statistics but also the support from regional institutions, also reflecting the preferences of businesses.

Comparison of carbon balance and climate change mitigation potential of forest management strategies in the boreal forest of Quebec (Canada)

Management of the world’s forests can play a role for climate change mitigation by increasing CO₂ storage in vegetation biomass and harvested wood products, and by displacing CO₂-intensive materials such as steel or concrete. This study aimed to determine how management of boreal forest stands could contribute to climate change mitigation in the context of ecosystem-based management. The study was based on the comparison of different strategies applied to a balsam fir-white birch stand in the Eastern boreal forest of Quebec (Canada). Five scenarios were simulated over a 199-year period at the stand level: a reference scenario involving clearcut at 50-year intervals, and four alternative scenarios clearcut with longer rotation length (70 and 80 years), partial cut, and a no harvest scenario. The study included an appropriate sensitivity analysis of the results. Overall, scenarios with longer clearcut rotations and, to a lesser extent, partial cut resulted in a higher potential to mitigate climate change. The substitution effect of wood products was revealed as a key aspect, suggesting that wood product manufacturing and utilization on the markets, and not only forest management, need to be carefully considered.

Compliance of smallholder timber value chains in East Java with Indonesia's timber legality verification system

The Indonesian Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK) has been developed primarily to address illegal logging in Indonesia, and is licensed under the European Union's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan. While SVLK was catalysed by concerns about the legality of wood originating from natural forests, it applies to all wood production in Indonesia, including smallholders harvesting planted trees. This study investigates SVLK implementation in value chains originating from smallholder forests planted on private land in East Java Province, where these forests are important assets for both farmers and the forest industries. It follows value chains for two manufactured wood products, blockboard and plywood. There are specific SVLK requirements for each value chain actor, other than the market brokers in these chains. Results reveal the limitations of SVLK architecture in relation to smallholder value chains, variation in compliance practices, and points of ‘illegalisation’ and legalization within the value chains. The blockboard and plywood products from each case study chain claimed SVLK compliance. However, only one of the two case study chains for each product was compliant up to the blockboard or plywood manufacturing stage; and no distinction was made at this stage between SVLK-compliant and non-compliant wood. Consequently, none of the final products from any case study chain are SVLK-compliant. These results illustrate the challenges of designing and implementing timber legality systems for smallholder value chains, and suggest areas of focus to improve SVLK for smallholder value chains.

A comparison of the abrasive sanding dust emission characteristics of oil palm wood and rubberwood

With the increasing interest in using oil palm wood (OPW) in the manufacture of value-added wood products in the South East Asian region, the subject of dust emission in relation to the variable density of OPW is a matter of concern. Therefore, this study evaluated the dust emission characteristics of untreated and phenol-formaldehyde-treated OPW during the abrasive sanding process. Rubberwood was the solid wood material used in this study for comparison purposes. The abrasive sanding process was carried out using an orbital sander with aluminium oxide abrasive paper with a grit size of 150. The sample boards were weighed before and after sanding to determine the amount of stock removed. The dust concentration and dust particles diameter was influenced by the material type, material density variation, and material hardness. The study revealed that both untreated and treated OPW produced higher dust concentration and higher proportions of fine respirable dust particles compared with rubberwood during the abrasive sanding processes, and therefore, it is important for a more stringent permissible exposure level (PEL) standard for dust emission to be established for OPW processing. In this context, the existing PEL of 5 mg/m3 of dust is inappropriate and needs a revision if OPW is to be successfully used in the value-added wood products industry.

Chemical Characteristics of Heartwood and Sapwood of Red-Heart Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata)

Abstract The chemical composition of wood is an important factor affecting the properties and utilization of wood. To compare the difference in chemical compositions between heartwood and sapwood of red-heart Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata), three graded wood, dominant, average, and overtopped trees were selected from the Chenshan Forest Station of Anfu County in Jiangxi Province. Their chemical composition parameters were determined according to international standards. Our results indicate that sapwood contains on average a higher moisture content than that of heartwood, constituting 9.4 and 8.6 percent, respectively. The pH values of wood present acidic and are higher in sapwood. Cellulose is abundant in both wood tissues; the heartwood content (52.0%) is higher than that of sapwood (48.6%) on average. Furthermore, the lignin in heartwood is slightly less than that of sapwood. Hemicellulose content is similar in heartwood and sapwood (23.4% vs. 23.1%), on average. All kinds of extractives in heartwood are substantially richer. Approximately three times more benzene–ethanol extractives are in heartwood than sapwood. This suggests that there is a considerable variation of chemical constituents among the graded woods (P < 0.05). The pH values are both significantly correlated with the contents of the four extractives in heartwood and sapwood (P < 0.05). The longitudinal variation of chemical compositions is different along the direction of tree height in heartwood and sapwood. Understanding the chemical heterogeneity of wood is vital for wood product manufacturing as well as for wood property improvement.

INDUSTRY OF RIVNE REGION: CURRENT STATE AND STRATEGIC TARGETS OF DEVELOPMENT

Topicality. Increasing attention to the development of industry and industrial policy is one of the main tendencies in the development of the modern world global economy. Wide recognition of the important role of industry in solving current problems has been reflected in new challenges for rapid development of the domestic industry. It is a generator of scientific and technological progress and innovation and an important factor in the competitiveness of national economies and it serves as a driver for economic growth. Purpose and tasks. The purpose of the article is to identify the situation, problems and prospects of industry development in the Rivne region. Results. It is established the leading role in the economy of Rivne Oblast is famous for industry and agriculture. It was revealed the leading industries of the Rivne region including production and supply of electricity and gas; Chemical Industry; manufacture of building materials and glassware; Food Industry; manufacture of wood products; engineering. The results of the research on the development of industry in the Rivne region, problems and tasks of its development, SWOT-analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of industry in the Rivne region, opportunities and threats of its development are presented. The primary directions of industry development in the Rivne region have been formed. In particular, modernization of production; introduction of energy-saving technologies; promotion of production of industrial products, competitive in the domestic and foreign markets; an increase in the total volume of foreign direct investment attracted to the regional economy; establishing cooperation with international companies; regulation of the legislative framework on consumer rights protection, advertising, unfair competition, registration of patents and inventions, registration and protection of trademark rights for goods and services.Conclusions. The following problems of the regional industry must be considered and urgently addressed: moral and physical depreciation of fixed assets, high dependence on world market conditions, high energy intensity of production, production of products with low added value, etc. Instead, key drivers need to become its competitive advantages as a strong raw material base, advantageous geographic position, close proximity to the EU markets, a relatively low share of labor costs in the structure of the cost of industrial products, and a significant unrealized potential of domestic demand for industrial products.

Teteriv Center of Wood Carving

The article is an attempt to conduct a first synthetic art research study of the Teteriv cell. It highlights the history of the art studio in Teteriv, paying attention to the technology and techniques of wood products manufacturing. The artistic features of wooden products of the most famous masters of the cell are determined on the basis of art-study analysis. It was discovered that in the 1970s Teteriv Experimental and Productive Forestry enterprise was the leading enterprise in the production of souvenir and gift products, technology and decoration of which were based on local traditions of the artistic wood carving of Polissia. Experienced artist V. Parakhin along with young masters managed to revive and modernize forgotten fishing industry of artistic wood processing region, to create souvenirs, which combined the simplicity of aesthetics of production and functional usefulness.

The Regional Impact of Biofuel Economics

The European Commission has developed a series of regulatory measures to introduce alternative energy technologies, including a binding target for a specified share of biofuel in petrol and diesel, in European Union (EU) member states. The instruments to achieve this goal include taxation, subsidies and legal restraints. Biofuel suffers from the problem of being uncompetitive, and the intervention addresses the price gap between conventional fuel and biofuel. The enthusiasm for biofuel is particularly high in peripheral regions such as the northern provinces of Sweden and Finland. Expectations include renewed economic growth and employment opportunities. However, when studying the economic impact of the biofuel regulatory framework with the help of the concept of property economics, it becomes clear that the framework generates investment in biofuel production due to distorted price signals and expected profits. From the perspective of property economics, the biofuel framework challenges property rights as it requires people’s appropriated means to be put into the effort of biofuel production. The artificial change of investment conditions may lead to the formation of an investment bubble. This distorts the interweaving structure of capital goods, which contributes to the manufacturing of biofuel, including machinery and wood products. As bubbles are bound to burst, people in the affected territories may be left with a lower living standard and greater exposure to the consequences. Therefore, the biofuel regulatory framework leads to unsustainable conditions. JEL Classification: O10, O20

Organizational cultural compatibility of engineered wood products manufacturers and building specifiers in the Pacific Northwest

ABSTRACTOrganizations are significantly influenced by the corporate cultures of organizations with which they interact. Both the construction and engineered wood products (EWP) manufacturing industries are generally known for operating in a traditional environment maintaining conservative corporate cultures, which can create friction when they try to interact with a more liberal set of specifiers. This study assesses the cultural disparities and communication barriers between specifiers and EWP manufacturers in the Pacific Northwest of the US. The study follows a semi-structured interview protocol to decipher the cultures of companies and professionals from the two industries. The responses are qualitatively analyzed and consolidated to identify specific patterns of organizational behavior. A number of factors are identified that affect the interaction between specifiers and manufacturers, chief among which is the consistent presence of distributors as key intermediaries in the supply chain. Low profit margins, lack of engineering and design competency, and risk-aversion are challenges faced by the manufacturing sector. Consolidated organizational behavioral knowledge from this study will benefit EWP manufacturers, specifiers and policy makers alike to close the gap in communication and improve the cultural compatibility between these two members of the construction value chain.

Breeding of Powder Post Beetle, Lyctus linearis Goeze, )Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) on the Artificial Medium Diet.

The powder post beetle, Lyctus linearis Goeze, is the member of wood-boring beetles group which belong to family bostrichidae and consider the main cause of the low value and degradation of quality properties of manufactured wood products. The results indicated that chosen artificial diet has consisted of white corn flour (75%), sawdust (15%), dried yeast (5%), sugar (3.5%) and ascorbic acid (1.5%). This artificial medium revealed clear differences in biological activities and was more suitable from natural host to rearing Lyctus linearis beetle for made different investigation studies. Egg incubation period, larval duration, pupal duration, hardness period and the total period of developmental stages were short-lived in artificial diet, while the number of laid eggs by the female was more in comparison natural host. The statistical analysis showed highly significant negative correlation between the temperature and each the different development stages while; the relative humidity gave positive significant correlation with some different developmental stages. Five annual generations were obtained from rearing the beetles on the artificial medium diet. The shortest generation recorded 6 weeks (2nd generation), while the longest generation recorded 16 weeks (5th generation).

Financial returns for different actors in a teak timber value chain in Paklay District, Lao PDR

The Government of the Lao PDR has a range of policies, including the promotion of domestic processing and discouraging the export of unprocessed wood, aimed at generating a greater share of benefits to all actors in the value chain. There are however, limited studies of the structures, operations and effects of policies on, value chains. This study aimed to compare financial returns to three different types of actors (growers, traders and a sawmilling and wood products manufacturing company) in a teak value chain in Paklay District of Xayabuly Province. The data were collected from two groups of growers on different site types, two timber traders and an integrated sawmill and wood products manufacturer. These data were triangulated with, and supplemented by, formal and informal interviews with other forest stakeholders in the district and province. Two silvicultural regimes were compared, with a single thinning at 11 years and clearfell at 18 years on good riverside alluvial sites, and 24 years on poorer, hillslopes sites. All sites were profitable for growers, as indicated by internal rates of return. The net returns per cubic meter of final product for the manufacturer is 7.3–20.3 times higher than net returns for the growers. Traders’ profits were considerably less than for the two other parts of the chain. Prices for others in the chain are largely controlled by the manufacturer and collaboration and co-innovation between the three actors is unlikely in the current environment. Possible options for increasing growers and traders’ incomes and improving value chain links are discussed.

Review on the Environmental Impact of Saw Mill Waste Discharges in Nigeria

Saw mill is basic to the manufacture of wood products and is therefore considered very relevant as it is almost impossible to avoid the use of wood or its products in any given household. Although the development of this industry brings great gain, providing employment, sources of livelihood and products which gives comfort, it is yet associated with environmental pollution. The aim of this review is thus to establish the influence of waste generated from the saw mill on the environment and surface water quality in particular, using the Nigerian situation as a case study for other developing nations. Studies have shown that pollution from inappropriate storage and disposal of saw mill waste is not only physical but chemical as well. The manufacture of wood, especially those meant for external use or where they may be subjected to harsh artificial or natural conditions such as weather often requires its treatment with chemicals for preservation. These chemicals may be toxic or possess sufficient capacity to interfere with health or the aquatic biota when exposed. A review of previous studies on the impact of saw mill waste discharges on water quality has shown that surface water qualities especially is compromised when exposed to these waste.