The Use of Acoustic Emission to Detect Fines for Wood-Based Composites, Part One: Experimental Setup for Use on Particleboard

Abstract

Wood-based composite panels continue to be important in the wood building industry. Particleboard is commonly used for non-structural applications, while oriented strand board (OSB) is commonly used for structural applications. For both types of boards, however, manufacturers are interested in minimizing the presence of small particles or “fines” in the panels. The presence of fines can cause an increase in the consumption of resins as well as an increase in the weight of the board. Fines can be produced when a refiner or chipper blade becomes dull or when the wood raw material becomes excessively dry. There is a need for manufacturers to simply and accurately monitor the presence of fines and control their presence. Acoustic emission (AE) is an elastic or plastic wave generated when a surface is deformed or has an external force exerted on it. This research showed the feasibility of using AE to monitor the presence and percentage of fines in particleboard furnish. The research also showed the effect of the experimental setup on the AE signal level.