During production, thermally modified wood is processed using the same machining operations as unmodified wood. Machining wood is always accompanied with the creation of dust particles. The smaller they become, the more hazardous they are. Employees are exposed to a greater health hazard when machining thermally modified wood because a considerable amount of fine dust is produced under the same processing conditions than in the case of unmodified wood. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) states that wood dust causes cancer of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses and of the nasopharynx. Wood dust is also associated with toxic effects, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, dermatitis, and respiratory system effects which include decreased lung capacity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and allergic reactions. In our research, granular composition of particles resulting from the process of longitudinal milling of heat-treated oak and spruce wood under variable conditions (i.e., the temperature of modification of 160, 180, 200 and 220 °C and feed rate of 6, 10 and 15 m.min−1) are presented in the paper. Sieve analysis was used to determine the granular composition of particles. An increase in fine particle fraction when the temperature of modification rises was confirmed by the research. This can be due to the lower strength of thermally modified wood. Moreover, a different effect of the temperature modification on granularity due to the tree species was observed. In the case of oak wood, changes occurred at a temperature of 160 °C and in the case of spruce wood, changes occurred at the temperatures of 200 and 220 °C. At the temperatures of modification of 200 and 220 °C, the dust fraction (i.e., that occurred in the mesh sieves, particles with the size ≤ 0.08 mm) ranged from 2.99% (oak wood, feed rate of 10 m.min−1) to 8.07% (spruce wood, feed rate of 6 m.min−1). Such particles might have a harmful effect on employee health in wood-processing facilities.

The issue of the change in tool temperature as a result of the machining process is presented in this paper. The aim of the paper is to put forward a proposal and subsequently to verify the methodology of temperature monitoring in the process of computer numerical control (CNC) machining in real time. Subsequently, the data can be used in the process of adaptive machine-tool control. Experiments were used to determine whether the research method is appropriate. Oak, beech and spruce wood turning blanks with the thickness of 20 mm were machined using a 5-axis CNC machining centre. A temperature change observation resulting from the changes in parameters of the removed layer was used to test whether the research method is relevant. Parameters of the removed layer were affected by the changes in feed rate in the range from 1 ÷ 5 m·min−1 in the removed layer (1–5 mm) or in wood species used in the experiment. As emerges from the proposed methodology, it is possible to monitor the changes in tool temperature responding to minimal changes in technological parameters on a relatively small size of a milled surface quite accurately. Sensitivity to given changes in technological parameters as well as the importance of the methodology was proven.

The mean arithmetic deviation of the roughness profile was investigated during cylindrical milling of the board edges. The machined materials were a medium-density fiberboard, medium-density fiberboard with single-sided lamination, and edge-glued spruce panel. Contactless and contact profilometers were used to measure the roughness. Both methods were evaluated and compared. Tungsten carbide blades with three different compositions and treatments were used. The effect of the cutting speed (20 m/s, 30 m/s, 40 m/s, and 60 m/s) and feed rate (4 m/min, 8 m/min, and 11 m/min) on the surface roughness was also monitored. The results of this study compared two different methods for determining the surface roughness. The measurements were more accurate with a contactless profilometer, but the price is higher than that of the contact method. The operation was also more complicated, and the measurement itself took longer with a contactless profilometer. The evaluation of individual surface quality variables was faster with a contact device. The best results in terms of the surface quality were achieved by lowering the feed rate and increasing the cutting speed.

aBstract:The paper deals with differences in energy requirements for cutting input at plain milling of beech wood with and without false heart with different changing parameters of cutting and feed speed and angular geometry of the tool. Created on optimal model from the aspect of not only energy consumption but also the quality of milling, which would also decisively affect the economic indicators of the wood -working process.

The created surface irregularities, namely roughness profile Ra, after the sawing of spruce, beech, and oak wood on a sliding mitre saw with manual saw blade feeding were studied. The created surface roughness was monitored at a cut height, e, of 50 mm using three basic modes of solid wood transversal sawing (flatwise cross-cutting at φ2=90°, flatwise edge-mitre cross-cutting, and flatwise mitre cross-cutting at φ2=45°). The monitored surface was made using a sliding mitre saw with the gradual application of saw blades with 24, 40, or 60 teeth, and special saw blade with 24 teeth and a chip limiter (CL), respectively. The saw blades used had identical angle geometries. Three levels of feed force, Fp, of 15, 20, and 25 N corresponding to a range of feed forces used by different operators were used in the experiment. The roughness of sawn surfaces was significantly influenced by cutting model, wood species, type of saw blade, and feed force. The created surface roughness values were very close to the plane milling values.