Patent ID: 6201224
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B27N,H05B

Abstract:
A method of producing a consolidated composite wood product composed of wood elements and a binder having a setting temperature comprising forming a layup for such wood elements and binder, said layup having a width W measured substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said layup and a thickness t.sub.1, moving said layup in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, applying a preheating microwave energy in a preheating stage through the thickness of said layup applying at least 90% of said microwave energy in a manner to heat a central portion of said layup, said central portion having a width W.sub.C no greater than 80% of the width W of said layup, reducing the thickness of said layup to a final thickness t2 in a press and applying microwave energy to set said binder in said layup in said press by directing microwave energy to pass through said layup in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the application of said preheating microwave energy in said preheating stage to heat said layup to a temperature above said setting temperature of said binder whereby said binder sets after said layup has been pressed to its final thickness t.sub.2 thereby to form said consolidated wood product.