Testing optimised hardwood drying schedules that allow for biological variability

Abstract

The development of optimised drying schedules for addressing problems caused by the amount of biological variability in timber is desirable to produce timber of adequate and reproducible quality. It has been shown that an optimised drying schedule can be developed that allows for the biological variability of timber. Experimental testing of the schedules for hardwood timber, Eucalyptus paniculata (grey ironbark) from New South Wales in Australia has shown that the experimental results for 50% and 70% quality levels are within the bounds of the predictions, but the results for a 90% level are difficult to explain. Both experimental results and simulation predictions agree that greater variability in timber properties both decreases the profit and results in the maximum profit being given at lower values of the quality level.

Keywords

OPTIMISATION TIMBER KILNS QUALITY EXPERIMENTAL TESTING

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