DISTINCTION OF MECHANICALLY PROCESSED WOOD SURFACES WITH SIMILAR QUALITIES USING SUNSET LASER TECHNIQUE

Abstract

The ASTM D 1666-11 (2011) norm classifies the quality of wood surface pieces after its mechanical processing. Although this classification is difficult to achieve visually, the use of some tools, such as solid state laser, can facilitate this classification. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of sunset laser to qualify mechanically processed surfaces with similar visual qualities. We used a log from the base of a Khaya ivorensis tree and one from a K. senegalensis tree, both 11 years old. 22 specimens of dimensions 600x140x30 mm (CxLxE) were made of each species. The specimens were flattened with speeds of 2400, 3600 and 4000 min-1 and advanced speeds were predetermined in 6 and 15 m.min-1. Then the samples were illuminated with sunset laser and photographed at high resolution, the images were transferred to the software Image J. To evaluate the sunset laser, areas of defects in wood that are classified as regular and bad by ASTM D 1666-11 (2011) were used. There was a difference in classification of wood defects between the two methods used, from the 31 specimens classified as regularly by visual analysis, 8 of them were classified as bad by the laser method. The use of solid-state laser in the sunset laser technique was more efficient in evaluating small differences in mechanically processed wood defects compared to visual evaluation.