ANNUAL REPORT 09/10 - Forest and Wood Products Australia

34 | OPERATIONS
Assessing the properties of young plantation
hardwood sapwood and its marketability
Providing industry with information on effectively
using new resources enables companies to adapt
their business and processing models to maximise
productivity and profi tability.
To meet market demand and maintain productivity and
profi tability, the hardwood processing industry must
change to using increasing proportions of plantation
resources. For this move to be successful, more needs
to be known about the properties of young, fast grown
hardwood, particularly as recovery losses by removing
sapwood become signifi cant as log diameter decreases.
This study assessed the physical properties and
appearance of both the sapwood and heartwood of nine
species from plantation and young regrowth regimes,
and compared results with data on native forests. Results
showed the mechanical properties of sapwood (other
than bending) to be at least equivalent to heartwood,
while machinability, stain uptake and fi nish quality of fl oor
and veneered panels were of a high quality. An estimated
additional $33 to $113 per m 3 of processed log could
be earned if sapwood was retained for use in solid
wood products (with the exception of some appearance
grade products).
PNB039-0708 The impact of sapwood, and the properties and
market utilisation of plantation and young hardwoods.
FWPA ANNUAL REPORT 09/10
Left: BING – equipment used for the acquisition of the offline
acoustic signals. Right: Log end with labelled template
for locating position in tree after sawing (note vibration
sensor attached near the pith for determining the acoustic
properties of the log).
Investigating non-destructive grading
of softwoods
Next generation grading technology has the potential to
enable sawmills to optimise cost of operation.
Current commercial softwoods, such as radiata and
Caribbean pine, are an important source of structural
timber, but the variable properties of wood from these
fast-grown trees means that mills must sort the timber
into appropriate stress groups to ensure safety and
performance. Currently this grading takes place once the
logs have been cut into boards and undergone costly
drying. In this study, researchers assessed the usefulness
of non-destructive grading techniques that are conducted
before logs are cut or dried. The results showed that
these non-destructive tests gave a good indication of the
boards’ fi nal stiffness. In particular, grading green boards
before drying could reduce the volume of non-structural
boards that are dried by 5 to 8%, with an associated
saving of $70 to $85 per m 3 .
PNB040-0708 MOE and MOR assessment technologies for
improving graded recovery of exotic pines in Australia.