Single-Stage Hot Pressing for Timber Moisture Removal and Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for producing wooden products face challenges such as limited gluing and surface treatment of timber with moisture levels above 20%, loss of flexural strength and stiffness due to traditional compression drying, and inefficiencies in moisture removal and adhesive absorption.

Innovation Solution

A single-stage hot-pressing method that integrates chemical treatment and molding processes, using high temperature and pressure to bond treatment chemicals deeply into wood cells, allowing for simultaneous moisture removal and surface treatment, and enabling the use of timber with higher moisture content (40-80%) while maintaining product dimensions and enhancing adhesive bonding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If traditional compression drying is used to remove moisture from timber, then moisture content is reduced, but flexural strength and stiffness are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture contentVSAvoidflexural strength and stiffness
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies high temperature (above 100°C) and high pressure (above 1 atm) parameters simultaneously during the hot-pressing process. This combination of parameters enables rapid moisture removal while preventing the loss of flexural strength and stiffness that occurs with traditional compression drying. The elevated temperature facilitates faster moisture evaporation, while the high pressure maintains dimensional stability and structural integrity of the wood cells.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If timber with high moisture content (above 20%) is used for traditional gluing and surface treatment, then production flexibility is improved, but adhesive bonding quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction flexibilityVSAvoidadhesive bonding quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary moisture removal and chemical treatment actions during the hot-pressing process before the gluing and surface treatment stages. By removing excess moisture and pre-treating the timber surface under high temperature and pressure conditions, the wood reaches optimal moisture content and surface readiness for subsequent adhesive application, ensuring high bonding quality while maintaining flexibility to process timber with initially high moisture content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If multi-step production processes are used for chemical treatment and molding, then treatment quality is improved, but production time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment qualityVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the chemical treatment and molding operations into a single integrated hot-pressing process. Treatment chemicals are applied to the timber surface, and then high temperature and pressure are applied simultaneously to drive the chemicals into the wood cells while forming the desired product shape. This consolidation eliminates separate treatment and molding steps, reducing production time and process complexity while maintaining treatment quality through the enhanced penetration achieved by hot-pressing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method enables rapid moisture removal and surface treatment, maintaining product strength and stiffness, and allowing for the production of timber products with improved adhesive bonding and surface quality, reducing production time and costs.

Implementation Method 1

bonding of treatment chemicals added among the wood material either prior to or during the production process to the wooden blank by hot-pressing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

using high temperature and pressure to bond treatment chemicals deeply into wood cells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

rapid moisture removal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 4

A single-stage hot-pressing method that integrates chemical treatment and molding processes, using high temperature and pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 5

enabling the use of timber with higher moisture content (40-80%) while maintaining product dimensions and enhancing adhesive bonding

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Implementation Method 6

A single-stage hot-pressing method that integrates chemical treatment and molding processes, using high temperature and pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP3154755B1Method for producing a wood product by means of hot pressing and use of method
Publication Date: 2020.07.15 ILVOLANKOSKI
  • EP3154755B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

A Method of producing a wooden product by means of a molding hot-pressing from a wooden blank which has one or several sections (A, B, C, D). Wherein as a material is selected an optional form of sawn timber or another timber, which is preferably selected from the group consisting of fresh sawn timber, dried timber, saw-surfaced lumber, planed timber, heat- treated timber, sodium silicate water-glass impregnated or salt impregnated or otherwise impregnated timber; wherein molding hot-pressing is performed essentially in a single-stage production process, which includes drying and molding hot-pressing of the wooden blank and essentially concurrent treating of the wooden blank both by binders of the wood itself and by treating chemicals and/or treating materials added in the production process which are selected from the group consisting of surface treatment agents, excipients, primers, impregnating agents, adhesives, adhesive films, adhesive gauzes; wherein the treatment chemicals are attached to the production process by using a hot-pressing pressing plate etc., pressing tool or pressing surface; and wherein the wood material, and binders thereof as well as the treating chemicals are allowed to adapt/move in relation to each other in the cooling phase of the production process until the locking phase, whereby the product is completed.