Fundamental problems in wood machining

The main subjects are concerned with solution of cutting mechanism of wood and wood based materials and of phenomena in wood cutting, by thermographic measurement and analysis of tool-chip-work system in wood cutting. For the evaluation of the surface roughness of wood, the novel filtering method and 2D and 3D roughness parameters that coincide with tactile sensation are proposed. Influence of machine surface finishing on the performance of painted surface is also studied.

Improvements of woodworking machines and cutting tools and automatization of machining process

For the improvements of accuracy, efficiency and safety of the wood cutting and grinding, following subjects are studied: analysis of deformation and vibration of tool using FEM, analysis of stress generated on the tool, and prediction of concentration of airborne dust in the woodworking chamber using computer simulation and the optimization of a condition of dust collection. An algorithm of pattern recognition of the processing sound to simulate the auditory sense of the skilled worker and its master process is developed. It is also applied to the control of the grinding machine of band saw tooth to realize fully automatic control using artificial intelligence technique. Another subjects are pattern recognition of the transient signals from wood using wavelet analysis, simulation of distribution of temperature and stress during drying wood, and simulation of roll pressing of wood using FEM as an application of CAE to the woodworking process.

Scanning of wood and wood based materials

The subjects on this field are use of acoustic emission (AE) for prediction of checks and for solution of mechanism of AE generation during the drying of wood, thermographic detection of starved joints of wood and the grain direction and recognition of blue stained wood with image anlysis and pattern recognition technique. Movement of free water in wood tissues under drying is also evaluated by a micro-focus X-ray CT system. Fundamental researches for the analysis of biology of wood-destroy insects and practical application for detection of termite attack using AE monitoring are studied, including developments of portable AE detector, new AE sensor using PVDF film, waveguides, and AE monitoring system for wooden house. Detection of metabolic gas components from termite colony such as H2, CH4 and CO2 are also studied. Development of physical barrier using crushed cement-stabilized sludge for termite attack. Fact-findings of the damages by termite and other wood-destroy insects in the houses and cultural properties, and research of damage using AE monitoring. Detection of cavity and deterioration points in the material using radar and millimeter wave for the non-destructive inspection of decay and damage by wood-destroy insects in the wooden house.