Optimization of Solid Structural Timber Production

Fakultät für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen

Engler B, Trubkin A, Opferkuch M, Becker G

Optimization of Solid Structural Timber Production

Engler B, Trubkin A, Opferkuch M, Becker G: Optimization of Solid Structural Timber Production 2013 (FORMEC 46th International Symposium on Forestry Mechanization Stralsund, Germany).

Konferenzbeiträge

Solid structural timber (Konstruktionsvollholz, KVH) is a widely used construction material of (short) solid wood panels. From those panels, basic wood characteristics, esp. branches, were cut out and the remaining parts were glued together (finger jointing) to gain boards in any length. Typically that structural timber is made of side boards, and is not in focus of efficiency studies in sawmilling industry. However, different tree species and different round wood grading classes might have a strong effect on the output efficiency. Finally, the costs of round wood have to be taken into account when talking about optimization of structural timber production. The study was conducted in 2012. Two trees species, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and European silver fir (Abies alba), each of two round wood grading classes (A and B) were researched. The cutting, drying and processing for structural timber was done separately to gain accurate information on in- and output volumes. Common round wood prices were used to calculated earnings from each tree species and grading class. Linear programming was used to calculate optimal resource allocations. Results support the expected trend of higher output efficiency in volume of round wood grading class B compared to class C. In general spruce shows here higher values than fir. However, related to the costs and earnings from structural timber, the higher output efficiency of round wood grading class B cannot meet the lower round wood costs of grading class C. These results could greatly reflect to the ‘buying politic’ of sawmilling industry and to the wood supply systems in general.

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