[Process Explanation] What is the significance of industrialized drying of veneer?

China's wood-based panel industry is undergoing industrial transformation. Compared with the wood-based panel industry in other parts of the world, the biggest difference is that China divides the entire wood-based panel industry into two almost independent parts: veneer production and wood-based panel production. This unique industrial structure results in a lack of complete continuity in production, with the veneer drying stage, located between the two steps, serving as a "discontinuity."

Drying method

Drying method

Currently, there are three main methods for drying veneers in China's veneer and engineered wood products industry: sun drying, circulating dryers, and breathing dryers. Sun drying is a manual method, while circulating dryers and breathing dryers are industrial methods using equipment.

Fuqing LVL uses a breathing dryer that intelligently adjusts temperature parameters based on the moisture content of the veneer and weather conditions to maintain a constant temperature and ensure the optimal moisture content of the veneer.

Advantages of the drying process

Advantages of drying process

Controlling the veneer drying process offers several benefits. First, it ensures uniform moisture content and minimizes the amount of over-dried veneers, thus improving both the value and quality of the veneer. In this case, defects such as cracks and warping are reduced, resulting in a more complete and valuable veneer.

Secondly, the adoption of advanced drying control technology can achieve process savings: energy consumption and veneer cost-effectiveness are balanced, improving energy efficiency; the appropriate moisture content of the veneer significantly reduces the amount of glue consumed when applying glue to the veneer, and consequently the formaldehyde content is also greatly reduced; since the moisture content of the veneer is uniform and the moisture in the veneer has been removed during the drying process, the pressing time is also shortened.

Furthermore, it can save labor costs in the drying and subsequent stages of the engineered wood panel manufacturing process. Uniform moisture content in the core and surface of the panel results in higher quality and value, and more stable performance, such as less panel warping and more precise thickness after pressing.

The high-quality, non-porous, and crack-free veneers used by Fuqing LVL also lay the foundation for producing high-quality core boards and improving the surface quality of the panels.