Workshop Duration: 3 days
What you will learn:
No two kiln charges dry in exactly the same way. A technician who truly understands the capabilities of a kiln can push the system beyond the expected outputs of traditional time-based schedules. This workshop shows participants how to look at real world situations and adapt published schedules to consistently meet customer needs in a profitable and systematic way.
This course combines classroom sessions, group exercises and plant visits to allow participants to develop a superior understanding of the complexities of kiln schedules. Course content includes group exercises on modifying MC-based schedules, determination of equalizing/conditioning set points using RH/EMC tables, conversion of conventional schedules to DH type, and use of resistance moisture meters to determine moisture gradients and predict lumber behaviour when resawn. The course will also cover comparisons of time-based schedules with actual dry bulb/wet bulb records, case study review, and development of drying strategies and recommendations. Finally, a discussion on the limitations of drying strategies and how alternative technologies or equipment may assist will be conducted.
Hardwood drying will also be covered during this module, as it presents a range of special challenges requiring the development of customised schedules. Discussion of this topic will focus on addressing higher levels of degrade common to the drying of hardwoods. Special procedures and techniques for dealing with low moisture content requirements and defect tolerances will be outlined, and species common to participants’ own regions will be highlighted.
Benefits of Attending:
- Learn to modify published schedules in accordance with customer needs and with appropriate consideration of kiln limitations
- Understand how kiln performance must be modified to permit the use of custom schedules for specific product applications
- Be able to modify existing conventional kiln schedules to dry products in dehumidifier kilns
- Recognize degrades common to various species, including hardwoods, and modify handling practices to minimize these
- Select published hardwood schedules according to species, size and product end-use
Who should attend:
- Kiln managers
- Supervisory & QC staff
- Maintenance personnel
- Kiln operators
Module 1 Cost: $695
Kiln Drying Certificate cost (lump-sum fee) $3982
Workshop Schedule:
Selecting schedules from published menus
Modifying existing schedules for specific customer requirements
Practices and treatments to reduce variability
Modifying schedules based on equipment limitations
Modifying equipment performance to meet schedule requirements
Development of schedules for new products and sizes based on the performance of existing schedules
Modifying schedules for site-specific conditions
Modifying ‘conventional’ schedules for alternative technologies
Modifying existing schedules for partially dried lumber
Modifying schedules to address specific degrade problems and processing requirements
Characteristics of hardwoods according to species (species will be selected for inclusion in each course based upon the experience of participants).
Canadian hardwood kiln schedules
Schedule modification to include softwoods and hardwoods
- Producing narrow moisture content range in finished product
- Practice and treatment to reduce variability
- Remove casehardening
- Dehumidification schedule
Degrade
Grading rules
Developing a moisture content schedule
Hardwood species and machining characteristics
Density, moisture content and shrinkage characteristics
Review and exam
Schedules & Availability
CAWP endeavours to make kiln drying course modules available as often as possible and in as many locations as is feasible. As scheduling is decided on an on-demand basis, we encourage potential participants to let us know that a course is desired in their area. Kiln drying courses may also be delivered in-plant at your company location, or customized to meet specific learning goals. For more information on this topic please see our in-plant training page.