A Proposed Method and Its Development for Wood Recovery Assessment in the Furniture Manufacturing Process

Abstract

A proposed method for assessing wood recovery involves application of a machining station approach with volume and mass measurements. A medium wood furniture company located in Jepara, Indonesia was selected to develop the method. Batch measurements of the inputs and outputs for different types of indoor-furniture products at every station were collected and analysed. For the volume method, three dimensions were measured on each specimen: the length, width, and thickness. For the mass method, the specimens were weighed before and after each processing station using a balance. Based on the mass method, the average total wood recovery rate was 26.2% ± 2.3%. For individual products and per station, the significant difference in the wood recovery rate occurred only at the resawing and edging, and trimming stations. The relationship between the teak quality, product dimensions, and type of finish was significantly different, where A-quality teak, large dimensions, and polyurethane finish resulted in a higher wood recovery rate. Both methods were reliable because of insignificant differences in the wood recovery rates. However, the mass method was more efficient and practical. The proposed protocol using the mass method is a suitable and effective system because the contribution of the variance component of the method was 2.71%.

A Wood Recovery Assessment Method Comparison between Batch and Cellular Production Systems in the Furniture Industry

“…The result was much lower compared with the results of a study conducted by Prasetyo, Belleville, and Ozarska. 11 In that study, three qualities of teak utilized in a batch furniture-making company resulted in 26.2 % of the average cumulative wood recovery rate. The result from the current study was also lower than the result recorded in a study conducted by Nainggolan et al 19 in Indonesia, which recorded 38 % of the wood recovery level in the Indonesian furniture manufacturing industry.…”

“…This low wood recovery rate was then followed by the rates generated by the first thickness planing, end trimming, and the second surface planing stations; these results are similar to those of a study conducted by Prasetyo, Belleville, and Ozarska. 11 For the headboard 1 product, the second surface planing station was required in order to machine the specimens square because the characteristics of sawn mango boards tend to have wane or be unsquared (diamond defect). This station generated a low recovery (86.4 ± 2.6 %), followed by mortising or routing, carving, and first surface planing stations, which were 90.0 ± 1.6 %, 91.0 ± 3.4 %, and 92.5 ± 6.4 %, respectively.…”

“…This statistical result was similar to the result of the wood recovery assessment methodology proposed and developed by Prasetyo, Belleville, and Ozarska. 11…”

“…This case was similar to the wood quality assessment conducted by Prasetyo, Belleville, and Ozarska. 11 The sawn teak boards were then assessed according to the grading standard of the cellular company derived from the customer requirements. The grade of teak was classified as quality B (≤2.5-mm knots), a medium proportion of sapwood (≤40 %), no decay, small oil canal, and nonuniform color).…”

“…A methodology of wood recovery assessment has been proposed by Prasetyo, Belleville, and Ozarska. 11 The methodology was developed in a medium-sized furniture manufacturing company that operates a batch production system, in which a worker had a duty and remuneration to manufacture a certain volume of furniture products within a specific time frame. However, the methodology has not been incorporated with a cellular production system.…”