Patent ID: 7266461

Claim:
A method for sorting a timber-based raw material group, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a stress wave velocity which is representative for each of a first, second and third timber-based raw material group (hereinafter referred to as “TBRMG”); obtaining an average diameter for each of the first, second and third TBRMG; obtaining an average diameter of juvenile wood for each of the first, second and third TBRMG; obtaining measured modulus of elasticity data for the first, second and third TBRMG; determining a percentage of juvenile wood for each of the first, second and third TBRMG; obtaining a correction factor JW c for any of the first, second, or third TBRMG which is equal to a difference between an average percentage of juvenile wood for the first, second and third TBRMG, and a percentage of juvenile wood for any of the first, second or third TBRMG, respectively; performing a regression determination utilizing modulus of elasticity as a dependent variable, and stress wave velocity and JW c as independent variables; predicting modulus of elasticity of the particular TBRMG from the equation: TBRMG MOE=K 1 +K 2 *SWV Test TBRMG +K 3 *JW c Where: K1 is the intercept and K2 and K 3 are regression coefficients of the regression equation; SWV Test TBRMG =Average stress wave velocity of the TBRMG being tested; and JW c =The difference between the percentage of juvenile wood of the TBRMG currently being tested and the average percentage of the juvenile wood of all the TBRMGs being compared (% JW Average −% JW Test TBRMG ); and sorting the particular TBRMG based on the predicted modulus of elasticity.