Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: Development of Mobile bandmill for Processing Short Logs Into Wood Raw Materials for Furniture Production
by N. A. Adewole; S. Ola-Aroyewun & M. F. Quadri

Abstract:
Mobile vertical bandmill suitable for processing currently wasted undersized logs from urban tree into wood raw material for furniture production was developed with the aim of enhancing percentage recovery, reduced waste and environmental pollution, creating further use for wood from urban tree among others. The machine design was made simple while available materials, skills,2�� blade, 4.5hp internal combustion engine were adapted for its development. It was designed at a cost that is within purchasing power of potential users in the study location and was fabricated at a typical roadside wood machinery fabricator workshop. The machine was used to convert undersized logs/billets with varying dimensions (0.2m to 0.6min diameter and maximum of1.8m long), densities and moisture contents into boards that were used for producing short member furniture items and parts. The machine prototype costs N180,890 (US$452)as at 2016 with determined efficiency of about 60%. The study was able to develop vertical bandmill machine, at affordable cost to potential users in Nigeria. And the machine is suitable and efficient for converting the currently wasted undersized logs/billets massively generated from urban trees into useful raw material for furniture production to alleviate the shortage of raw material supply particularly to the informal wood sector in Nigeria.

Keywords: mobile bandmill, urban trees, billet processing, board production, furniture

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