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Markus Trame, Project Manager and Communications Manager, Marketing, Dieffenbacher, reports that the global OSB industry has come a long way since the first OSB products were introduced in the 1970s, and now OSB extensions are gaining market attention.
Compared to plywood and particleboard, oriented strand board (OSB) is a relatively recent invention. Known as "waffle board" in the US in the 1970s, today's OSB is a significant improvement. Originally made up of uniform, rectangular wood flakes, waffle board was not developed for structural use. In contrast, OSB offers greater stiffness and strength, achieved through creative engineering and the varying orientation of the flakes. Adding excellent moisture resistance to OSB makes it a true competitor to plywood.
Global production capacity of oriented strand board (OSB) increased from less than 20 million m³ in 1996 to 32 million m³ in 2015. This growth was primarily driven by Europe, where production jumped from less than 1 million m³ in 1996 to over 7 million m³ in 2015. The sharp growth in recent years has primarily come from Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, over two-thirds of global OSB production capacity comes from the United States, the origin of OSB.
In the United States, oriented strand board (OSB) is commonly used in commercial and residential construction for wall, roof, and floor panels. Due to its physical and mechanical properties and moisture resistance, OSB can be used as load-bearing or even high-load bearing board in dry or wet locations.
While many OSB mills in the United States today use multi-day presses, continuous production processes are more common elsewhere. Typical board thicknesses range from about 6 to 40 mm, with a raw density of about 550 to 700 kg/m³.
Initially, only logs were used to produce OSB, but today, OSB can be produced using a wide range of raw materials, offering manufacturers maximum flexibility.
In addition to fresh spruce, poplar, eucalyptus, pine or birch logs, non-log raw materials also include bushwood, offcuts, wood chips, recycled wood, cable drums or pallets. However, the choice of raw material is only the beginning of the flexibility of oriented strand board (OSB).
Oriented Strand Board (OSB) extended products
In recent years, wood-based panel mill manufacturers have collaborated with panel producers around the world to develop extended products of oriented strand board (OSB) with unique properties and special application advantages.
Dieffenbacher of Eppingen, Germany, was active in the initial development of oriented strand board (OSB) and is now a leading manufacturer of OSB plants. Between 1974 and 1989, Dieffenbacher delivered eight multi-daylight presses for OSB production to the United States and Canada alone. In most cases, the associated dryers, decking forms, and Flexoplan systems were delivered by SCHENKMANN-PIEL Engineering and Schenck Panel Production Systems, companies that were later acquired by Dieffenbacher. Many of these plants are still in operation.
Some of the newly developed OSB extensions available to wood-based panel manufacturers today include Fine OSB, Container OSB, andntainer OSB) and oriented strand board (OSB) with a core layer of recycled wood.
Oriented Strand Board for Containerscontainer OSB)
Shipping container floors are subject to significant stress. They must transport heavy loads through various climate zones over periods of weeks or months.
Previously, only plywood panels made from veneer sheets of tropical hardwood could meet this demand, but these panels are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive.
Container Oriented Strand Board (CoOriented Strand Board (OSB) offers a low-cost alternative. Replacing the veneer in the middle of plywood with oriented strand board (OSB) as the core layer can significantly reduce the consumption of expensive tropical wood.
Oriented Strand Board (OSB) with a core layer
Oriented strand board (OSB) with a core layer gives board manufacturers the flexibility to use inexpensive raw materials such as large wood chips, short logs, branches, industrial or recycled wood, and sawmill residues without compromising board quality. Especially when using recycled wood, this type of OSB helps reduce costs while also contributing to sustainability, environmental protection, and climate change.
Dieffenbacher is leveraging the combined expertise of its Wood and Recycling business unit to develop oriented strand board (OSB) with a recycled wood core. Since 2016, it has delivered five complete wood recycling plants to customers such as Pfleiderer, Fundermax, and Nolte. These plants contain all the necessary technology to make recycled wood suitable for particleboard production. They use this technology to adapt the veneer production to the core layer.
To date, Dieffenbacher has converted the laying machines of two OSB plants to produce OSB with a core layer from recycled wood.