Principles of Wood Science and Technology

Book excerpt: Modern forest products research had its start hardly fifty years ago. Today we are in a position to apply the title "wood science" to the field of wood technology that is based on scientific investigation, theoretical as well as experimental. It is this research that fosters new uses for wood as a raw material and that creates the foundation for new industries for the manufacture of wood-base materials such as plywood, laminated products, particle and fiber board and sand wich construction. Wood technology in its broadest sense combines the disciplines of wood anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and mechanical technology. It is through this interdisciplinary approach that progress has been made in wood seasoning, wood preservation methods, wood machining, surfacing and gluing, and in the many other processes applied in its utilization. In 1936 the senior author published a book entitled, "Technologie des Holzes", which was a first approach to a universal reference book on wood technology. The first edition of Volume I of the Textbook of Wood Technology, co-authored by H. P. BROWN, A. J. P AN SHIN , and C. C. FORSAITH, was published in 1948. An indication of the rapid development of this field can be gained from the fact that the second edition of "Technologie des Holzes und der Holzwerkstoffe", completely revised, was needed by 1951. It contains 2233 pages compared with the 764 pages of the 1936 edition.