Patent ID: 6029520
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for monitoring the curing of a wood based composite mat of selected materials, including resin, into a resin bonded product while that mat is being formed in a press having a first platen and second platen with said mat located between said first and second platens during said curing, the method comprising:a. applying a plurality of acousto-ultrasonic multiple pulse bursts to said first platen of said press to excite said mat between said first and second platens;b. detecting, at said second platen of said press, a plurality of acousto-ultrasonic waves that have propagated through said mat to said second platen corresponding to said plurality of pulse bursts of step a;c. combining said plurality of acousto-ultrasonic waves detected at said second platen in step b into a selected waveform type; andd. monitoring said selected waveform of step c for a particular characteristic of interest that is related to a desired quality of said mat in the finished state.