Near InfraRed NIR technology, including NIR cameras and detectors, is used to accurately determine the strength of the green veneer sheet or other wood product. Based on the determined strength for a given green veneer sheet or other wood product, one or more actions are taken with respect to green veneer sheet or other wood product to ensure the green veneer sheet or other wood product is put the most efficient, effective, and valuable use.

The present invention pertains to a device, system, and method for evaluating the condition of a wooden structure by automated profiling of the hardness of the structure. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards a probing device comprising a blade coupled to a resistance mechanism and a mechanical sensor for measuring the hardness of wood in a structure; a system comprising such a device, and a computing device coupled to the device that outputs the hardness measurements of the device; and a method for operating such a device and determining the condition of wood by identifying changes in hardness in a wooden structure.

The present invention pertains to a device, system, and method for evaluating the condition of a wooden structure by automated profiling of the hardness of the structure. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards a probing device comprising a blade coupled to a resistance mechanism and a mechanical sensor for measuring the hardness of wood in a structure; a system comprising such a device, and a computing device coupled to the device that outputs the hardness measurements of the device; and a method for operating such a device and determining the condition of wood by identifying changes in hardness in a wooden structure.

Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure relate to devices, systems and methods of manufacture for an exemplary waveguide usable for acoustic signal transmission for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of a specimen (e.g., a wooden specimen) as well as apparatuses usable therewith. An exemplary waveguide comprises a mating portion for interfacing with a transducer horn of an ultrasonic transducer. The mating portion comprises at least a contact well configured to enable a connection between the transducer horn and the waveguide. The waveguide further comprises a body portion that comprises an upper body portion, that has a flat-faced distal end that is usable to establish contact with a surface of the specimen, and a lower body portion that is attached to and extends outwardly from the upper body portion and is further attached to the mating portion. Other technical examples are further described in the present disclosure.

Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure relate to devices, systems and methods of manufacture for an exemplary waveguide usable for acoustic signal transmission for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of a specimen (e.g., a wooden specimen) as well as apparatuses usable therewith. An exemplary waveguide comprises a mating portion for interfacing with a transducer horn of an ultrasonic transducer. The mating portion comprises at least a contact well configured to enable a connection between the transducer horn and the waveguide. The waveguide further comprises a body portion that comprises an upper body portion, that has a flat-faced distal end that is usable to establish contact with a surface of the specimen, and a lower body portion that is attached to and extends outwardly from the upper body portion and is further attached to the mating portion. Other technical examples are further described in the present disclosure.

A light 2 for reflected light that emits visible light for reflected light onto a front side of a veneer 6, a light 32 for invisible light that emits near-infrared light for transmitted light onto a back side of the veneer 6, and an image processing device 1 that detects defects of the veneer 6 by analyzing a captured image generated by a line sensor camera 4 are provided. Defects of the veneer 6 are discriminated on the basis of a set of shading and shapes in an infrared-transmitted-light image based on the transmitted light, and colors in a visible-light image based on the reflected light. Consequently, even if a defect has a small color difference from a normal part in the visible-light image, difference of shading between the defective part and the normal part appears in the infrared-transmitted-light image, and a defect that is difficult to detect by seeing only a color difference in a visible-light image can be relatively easily detected.

A light 2 for reflected light that emits visible light for reflected light onto a front side of a veneer 6, a light 32 for invisible light that emits near-infrared light for transmitted light onto a back side of the veneer 6, and an image processing device 1 that detects defects of the veneer 6 by analyzing a captured image generated by a line sensor camera 4 are provided. Defects of the veneer 6 are discriminated on the basis of a set of shading and shapes in an infrared-transmitted-light image based on the transmitted light, and colors in a visible-light image based on the reflected light. Consequently, even if a defect has a small color difference from a normal part in the visible-light image, difference of shading between the defective part and the normal part appears in the infrared-transmitted-light image, and a defect that is difficult to detect by seeing only a color difference in a visible-light image can be relatively easily detected.

Disclosed is a device with a data transferring unit and a method for measuring moisture content of a wood material. Knots and other imperfections in a wood material causes problems in moisture content measurements. Also, more accurate data relating to the moisture of the material is needed during the time of storing, transporting and building. A device for measuring moisture in wood material includes a body part arrangeable on a surface of the wood material, measuring unit being functionally connected to the body part, wherein the measuring unit includes at least a first pair of electrodes and a second pair of electrodes to be inserted in the wood material for investigating, and wherein a measuring depth of the first pair and the second pair is arranged to differ for providing impedance data from a first depth and/or a second depth of the wood material.

Disclosed is a device with a data transferring unit and a method for measuring moisture content of a wood material. Knots and other imperfections in a wood material causes problems in moisture content measurements. Also, more accurate data relating to the moisture of the material is needed during the time of storing, transporting and building. A device for measuring moisture in wood material includes a body part arrangeable on a surface of the wood material, measuring unit being functionally connected to the body part, wherein the measuring unit includes at least a first pair of electrodes and a second pair of electrodes to be inserted in the wood material for investigating, and wherein a measuring depth of the first pair and the second pair is arranged to differ for providing impedance data from a first depth and/or a second depth of the wood material.

A method and an apparatus were disclosed for measuring wood density of live timber. The method comprising: measuring a diameter of a test part of the live timber at a first height from a ground surface; transmitting and receiving microwave in a preset frequency range in air at a first distance greater than the diameter, measuring a first ratio of a transmitted microwave signal to a first received microwave signal at different frequencies; transmitting microwave in the air at the first height and microwave penetrates the test part, receiving the microwave at the first distance from the microwave transmitting position, measuring a second ratio of a transmitted microwave signal to a second received microwave signal at different frequencies, calculating a dielectric constant and an attenuation constant; calculating the wood density according to a relationship between the wood density and the dielectric constant and the attenuation constant.