Development of Three-dimensional Molding Method for Wood Veneers I.

Development of flat-grained semi-fixed wood and fabrication of speaker cones from veneer sheet

Abstract

The three-dimensional molding method of wood veneer is one of the promising technologies that can increase the utilization ratio of domestic softwood. However, so far in this technology semi-fixed wood, which is the raw material of three-dimensional molding, is fabricated by compression only in the R direction. Therefore, only edge-grained veneers were obtained, and the products that could be made were limited to edge-grained patterns. In this study, fabrication of flat-grained semi-fixed wood was achieved by applying a 2-step compression method. Furthermore, speaker-cones were molded from both edge-grained veneer and flat-grained veneer by using the three-dimensional molding method. In the case of edge-grained veneer, a success ratio of 80% was obtained with 0.4 mm and 0.5 mm-thick veneers, and a success ratio of 50% was obtained in the case of flat-grained veneers. The frequency response of these products showed that they were comparable to commercial products.