As a result of the imbalances in the forestry market and the increased demand for wood products worldwide, the resource of branches resulting from the exploitation of a forest has attracted special attention from researchers, in order to use these secondary resources judiciously and obtain an added value superior to classic uses. In this context, the current research took into consideration the use of spruce branches to obtain panels with a transverse structure. The work methodology has focused on the process of obtaining panels with a transverse texture and on determining the physical–mechanical properties of the created panels. The results regarding the panel density (determined as a ratio between mass and volume of specimens) showed about 693 kg/m3, static bending resistance parallel to the face of 5.5 N/mm2, resistance of adhesion of 5.6 N/mm2, shear strength parallel to face of 4.1 N/mm2, and screw pull-out resistance perpendicular to the face of 31.3 N/mm2, highlighting that the properties were in accordance with the European standards and that the panels obtained were suitable for obtaining furniture products with a special aesthetic aspect. As a general conclusion of the research, it can be stated that spruce branches are a sustainable wood resource with great possibilities to add more value in the form of panels with a traverse texture.

The increasing demand on the wood market makes it necessary to use all secondary resources, including the wood branches and spindles. The properties of deciduous branches and softwood spindles were evaluated in order to create wood panels, highlighting the transverse texture with high value added. The research analyzed the properties of the wood from deciduous (beech, maple) branches and from conifer (spruce, fir) spindles. The methodology of obtaining panels with transversal structure was also presented. The production of minor wood (branches or spindles) was 254 m3/ha/year in the case of beech (branches) and 109 m3/ha/year in the case of spruce (spindles). The proportion of compression wood for spruce had an average value of 40.6%. A similar value of tension wood for beech was obtained. The modulus of elasticity for pine spindle wood was 71.7% lower than the modulus of elasticity for bending strength in the trunk. The quality index was 36.7% lower in the case of spindles than in the case of pine trunk, and the value of the quality ratio in branch maple wood was 2.61% lower than in trunk wood. Thus, even if it is not the only efficient solution, wood in the minor portions can be used to make high value-added panels such as those that highlight the transverse structure.

Abstract. Generally speaking,the quality and cost of goods and in particular of the wood products is a decisive condition in their sales on the market, attracting buyers to satisfy their wishes and requirements. Starting from the general idea, by which it is considered that the manufacturing activity is effective if production is obtained at maximum quality with a low (minimum) cost, or when the revenue from the sale of products exceeds the market expenditure which is necessary to achieve it, this research article aims to study ways to make production more efficient by methods which could also be applied in the wood industry, by presenting a comparative study on production optimization methods in this industry.

In a modern manufacturing system for furniture production, raw material and material, energy and information flows are directly interconnected to obtain competitive products while increasing the productivity, profitability and environmental performance of the enterprise. In the wood industry manufacturing system, raw wood undergoes physical and biological transformation processes (drying and transformation of the biological properties of wood) as well as disruptive actions that are compensated by the order quantities. Energy as a resource has an important role to play in this production process, and it involves consuming a certain amount of energy. It is one of the biggest and costliest resources involved in the manufacturing process. The required energy is generally transmitted from the outside in the form of electric or thermal energy. From the energy input, only a part becomes useful energy, the rest representing energy losses. By reducing energy consumption, reversing energy losses and integrating materials and material losses into energy recovered through retrofitting, revenue and profit can increase, leading to an increase in employee satisfaction. The easier it is to maximize profits and lower the operating costs, the quicker is the recovery of the investments, and that will change in the operating mode in: “WORKING SMARTER NOT HARDER”.

Of many techniques that are used to optimize production and costs, the studies conducted within a profile company lead to our choice for testing the 6Sigma method (the most used method in the automotive industry) in view of the economic efficiency applied in the wood Industry company. This method measures how many flaws exist in a process and determines in a systematic way how to improve it by technical overhauling and eliminating or minimizing the process for efficiency. This research article aims to study the state of research on the optimization of the production process through technical overhauling for panels reconstituted from solid wood and ways to make production more efficient by cutting costs through technical overhauling. From preliminary research, we estimate that all the items founded and others that will result from further research will result in a significant decrease in production costs that are reflected in the cost of the finished product and consequently in increasing the yield of the company by maximizing its profit. At the same time it may be the basis of future research studies in the field. The easier it is to maximize profits, the lower the operating costs are and the higher recovery rate of investments are, that will result a change in the operating mode: “working smarter not harder”.