Feasibility of portable NIR spectrometer for quality assurance in glue-laminated timber production

The feasibility of a portable NIR sensor for off-line determination of diverse wood quality aspects relevant in the production of glue-laminated timber was demonstrated. The best performance was noticed for assessing wood moisture content, with a lower capacity to estimate wood density and mechanical properties. NIR spectroscopy was modestly capable of predicting surface roughness. However, the traceability of the raw resources and the automatic classification of diverse wood defects were successfully demonstrated. The developed chemometric model could predict the total delamination and detailed delamination length. Finally, recommendations regarding further system development were provided with the aim of implementation and integration of the NIR measurement into glue-laminated timber production plants.

Automated summary

The study confirmed the feasibility of a portable NIR sensor for off-line determination of various wood quality aspects in glue-laminated timber production, with a focus on assessing wood moisture content. Additionally, successful demonstration was made in traceability of raw resources, automatic classification of diverse wood defects, and prediction of total delamination using a developed chemometric model. Recommendations for further system development were provided to integrate NIR measurement into glue-laminated timber production plants.