Modelling of forces and appropriate control strategies in the abrasive machining of wood

This thesis presents an examination of the cutting and machining of Douglas Fir. Wood processing is a major component in the economy and to maximize economic benefit and minimize fibre loss the insights gained from this research have been applied to predict the material removal. The mechanics of cutting solid wood in single point cutting, milling and grinding have been analyzed and presented. Cutting models for abrasive machining of Douglas Fir parallel to the grain based on the analysis of the mechanics of cutting solid wood are proposed and analysed. The use of abrasives in the wood working industry is widely used as a finishing operation. This process is very labour and time intensive requiring highly skilled personnel thus an expensive operation. The automation of the sanding process will benefit the wood working industry in cost savings, uniformity of the piece parts as well as reducing the need for re-work of a work-piece. A simple force controlled edge finishing (grinding) system based on the proposed cutting models has been presented. This grinding system does not require the geometry of the work-piece to be previously defined and can finish parts to a tolerance of +/- 0.0254 mm thus ensuring quality edges with a minimum of fibre loss.Applied Science, Faculty ofMechanical Engineering, Department ofGraduat