Wood molding process

A separate mention is merited for a special molded hardboard product. These are made by a process in which either a fiber mat or hardboard panel is placed between two shaped platens and press-molded to a three-dimensional configuration. The most common resulting shape is a doorskin which resembles a wood panel door. The doorskins are bonded to wood frames to make an excellent, attractive, and relatively inexpensive door. This fiber/panel molding process is also used to make a wide variety of molded interior linings used in automobile manufacture. 

When articles hitherto produced from classic materials (such as wood or metal) are to be made by the injection molding process, it is advisable, to give serious consideration to the special properties of plastics materials, as well as the more salient points of injection molding as a production method. This plastics-oriented procedure requires an understanding of the basic principles of the manufacturing and production processes involved, and also of the plastics material s behaviour. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the principles involved in injection molding. 

Uses and Treatments of Hardwood Plywood. Most early appHcations of hardwood plywood were those where the hardwood plywood was better adapted to the use than soHd wood. One of the most important early uses was in curved or formed parts, an appHcation particularly suited to the use of veneers which could be molded into intricate shapes during the pressing and bonding process. Then, as furniture manufacturers realized the inherently superior stabiHty of plywood compared to soHd wood, lumber-core or plywood panels began to be used for most flat-panel constmctions in furniture. 

A small amount of particleboard is made with a fire-retardant treatment for use in locations where codes require this material, as in some offices and elevators. Particleboards receive overlay and finishing treatments with ease. Wood veneers, melamine overlays, printed paper overlays, vinyl overlays, foils, and direct grain printing can all be done quite simply. A small amount of particleboard is also made in the form of shaped, molded articles such as furniture parts, paper roU plugs, bmsh bases, and even toilet seats. There is another small increment of particleboard made by the extmsion process. These products are made in small captive operations owned by furniture manufacturers which consume all of this production in their furniture. The extmsion process differs from conventional flat-pressed particleboard in that the wood furnish is forced between two stationary heated surfaces. The mats are formed from one edge and this edge is alternately formed and pushed between the heated platens, which are maintained at a distance equal to the thickness of board produced. This is an old, slow, small-scale process, but is stiU in use in at least one location. 

In open-mold casting, the shape of the desired object is carved as a "negative" depression or hollow into a suitable bulk of material that withstands the temperature required for the process wood is often used for cold casting molds stone, sand, and dry mud, for hot casting. The fluid casting material is then poured into the carved depression, where it is left to set and from which, when solid, it is finally removed. 

As discussed in Chapter 10, a wide variety of additives is used in the polymer industry. Stabilizers, waxes, and processing aids reduce degradation of the polymer during processing and use. Dyes and pigments provide the many hues that we observe in synthetic fabrics and molded articles, such as household containers and toys. Functional additives, such as glass fibers, carbon black, and metakaolins can improve dimensional stability, modulus, conductivity, or electrical resistivity of the polymer. Fillers can reduce the cost of the final part by replacing expensive resins with inexpensive materials such as wood flour and calcium carbonate. The additives chosen will depend on the properties desired. 

The relationship of the dicarboxylic amino acids, aspartic and glutamic acids to this process has also been studied (106). This investigation has been facilitated by a quantitative method for the codetermination (23) of the dehydrogenation indicator, resazurin, and its reduction product, resorufin. The wood destroying molds used were Trameles cinnabarina and Lentinus lepideus. 

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