Methods of manufacturing a fire-retardant treated OSB to avoid press build-up issues with prior art fire retardants such as boric acid when subjected to normal heat and pressure used in forming an OSB panel. In one embodiment, the press temperature is reduced to below the melting point or softening temperature of the boric acid and/or prior art fire retardants, with a fast-cure adhesive system used in the mat to provide sufficient bonding and integrity while using a lower press temperature. Alternatively, a zinc borate or calcium borate dispersion, with melting points higher than normal press temperatures, is applied to the wood strands prior to pressing. The zinc borate and/or calcium borate are not melted or softened during the OSB manufacturing process, thereby avoiding the press build-up issues with boric acid.

The general inventive concepts relate to engineered wood products. The engineered wood products demonstrate improved properties including acoustic damping, fire resistance, and water absorption relative to similar engineered wood products that comprise only a single source of fibers. In contrast, the inventive engineered wood products include a combination of at least two types of fibers.

A method of forming an article is provided. Multi-fiber cellulose strips are interacted with a bonding agent and layered in a plurality of layers, the layered cellulose strips collectively defining opposed major surfaces. A porous sheet member, interacted with a fire-retarding solution, is engaged with one of the major surfaces of the layered cellulose strips, to substantially cover the major surface. The porous sheet member is disposed adjacent to a substantially smooth and uniform surface, and layered cellulose strips and the porous sheet member collectively exposed to an actuating element, configured to actuate the bonding agent to react in a volumetrically-expensive reaction with the fire-retarding solution to facilitate cohesion between the layered cellulose strips and the porous sheet member to form a board member, wherein the porous sheet member conforms to the adjacent surface via the volumetrically-expansive reaction to define a substantially smooth and uniform surface of the board member.

A method of manufacturing a foam molded product having a reinforcement layer including a short fiber provided on a surface layer. The method includes the following steps. In a fiber layer formation step, the short fiber is adhered to and deposited on a cavity surface of a mold to form a fiber layer. In a covering step, a silicone rubber sheet is arranged on the mold to cover the fiber layer. In a compression step, air is sucked between the silicone rubber sheet and the cavity surface to compress the fiber layer by the silicone rubber sheet and the cavity surface. In a molding preparation step, the silicone rubber sheet is removed from the fiber layer after compression, a foam material is suppled into a cavity of the mold, and the mold is clamped. In a molding step, the foam material in the cavity is foamed and cured.

A method for manufacturing a cellulose product, comprising the steps: dry forming a cellulose blank in a dry forming unit; arranging the cellulose blank in a forming mould; heating the cellulose blank to a forming temperature in the range of 100° C. to 200° C.; and pressing the cellulose blank in the forming mould with a forming pressure of at least 1 MPa.

Methods and systems that can produce light weight reinforced thermoplastic articles are described. In some embodiments, a method includes heating and pressing a core layer and then cooling and pressing the core layer to maintain the thickness of the core layer during cooling. Automotive articles, building articles and recreational vehicle articles that can be produced using the methods and systems are also described.

A binder that is used for forming fiber-based items and that binds fibers contains a polyester and an aggregation inhibitor. The polyester contains a structural unit derived from polyethylene terephthalate, a structural unit derived from at least one polyvalent carboxylic acid, and a structural unit derived from at least one polyhydric alcohol including trimethylolpropane. The binder exhibits a viscosity coefficient higher than 3500 P at 150° C. in dynamic viscoelasticity measurement.

A press pad for a hydraulic single or multi-level hot press, the press pad including a flat support structure; and a plurality of metal spring elements connected with the flat support structure and arranged distributed therein or thereon.

A multi-cavity forming mould system for forming a plurality of discrete three-dimensional cellulose products from an air-formed cellulose blank structure. The forming mould system includes a first mould part and a second mould part arranged for cooperating with each other during forming of the cellulose products. The first mould part includes a plurality of first forming elements and the second mould part comprises a plurality of corresponding second forming elements movably arranged in relation to a base structure of the second mould part. The forming mould system is configured for establishing a plurality of forming cavities for the cellulose blank structure between each first forming element and corresponding second forming element during formation of the cellulose products. Each second forming element is arranged for interacting with a pressure member arranged in the base structure, where the pressure member is configured for establishing a forming pressure in each forming cavity onto the cellulose blank structure during formation of the cellulose products.

A panel and a method for manufacturing thereof where the panel includes a first layer comprising a first blend of paper fragments and plastic fragments; a second layer comprising a second blend of paper fragments and plastic fragments, wherein the paper fragments and plastic fragments of the second blend are coated with an adhesive; and a third layer comprising the first blend of paper fragments and plastic fragments, wherein the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer, and wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are combined to form the panel using heat and pressure. In another embodiment, the paper fragments and plastic fragments of the first blend, not the second blend, are coated with an adhesive.