Method for Forming Structural Components from Dry Wood Furnish

Forest Service

This invention is a method of production of structural components from dry wood fiber using an air or vacuum deposition technique. The structural components produced via this invention can have a non-uniform cross-sectional area, but a uniform fiber density throughout. The invention utilizes a mold that includes porous forming areas that, in one version, are porous, moveable mandrels mounted in a mold. Forming is achieved by coating dry wood fibers with adhesive and depositing the fibers in a mold with air flow. The thick, low-density mat of fibers deposited by the air form a sculptured mat of uniform density. The advantages of this invention include the ability to cure the mat off the main molding apparatus, thus significantly decreasing manufacturing cycle time.

Patent Number 5,314,654, issued May 24, 1994. Also, see the related U.S. Patent Numbers 4,702,870; 4,753,713; 5,198,236; 5,277,854; and 6,190,151.