Tooling
and machining issues are critical to optimum utilization of our nation’s
forest resources.A surprisingly small amount of the total wood harvested is actually
converted to finished products.Substantial losses can be found throughout the manufacturing
process.Some estimates indicate that as little as 15 to 20 percent of the
total wood volume harvested actually makes its way into wood products
(measured based on saw log input volume).Estimates indicate that up to 25% of the lumber coming into a
furniture plant is lost just through the process of smoothing and
dimensioning this lumber.This problem is greatly influenced by tooling and wood machining
systems employed both in the sawmill and in the rough end area of the
furniture plant.Wood machining and tooling research and education translates into
improved technology for increasing productivity and improving wood
resource utilization.
