At the Tennessee Forest Products Center an important part of our mission is to conduct research that will directly benefit the forest products industry and other related industries that use cellulosic fiber. The research and teaching program in Manufacturing Excellence is focused in the areas of Process Analytics, Real-time Statistical Process Control and Industrial Training.

Current Graduate Research Assistants include Jennifer Chastain, Kevin Crookston, and Nancy (Xu) Liu. Information on former graduate students is available.

Research Areas:

• Process Analytics
• Real-time Statistical Process Control
• Continuous Improvement Training Seminars
• Biofuels Research and Development

Process Analytics

At the University of Tennessee we are investigating analytical methods to predict the strength properties of engineered wood panels and identify unknown sources of process variation. Process analytics is focused on innovative analytical methods and customized software systems of engineered wood manufacturing processes. The process analytics research group consists of statisticians, industrial engineers, electrical engineers and wood scientists from the University of Tennessee who collaborate with companies and other research institutions. This unique group of researchers collaborates within SMAART (The Southern Advanced Analytical Research and Training Group). Unique research in real-time analysis and predictions of medium density fiberboard (MDF), oriented strand board (OSB) and particleboard strength properties is being conduced in the context of statistical-based and heuristic algorithms which utilize visual software systems (Download Powerpoint presentation on predictive modeling of the internal bond of MDF and OSB using regression trees). Other process analytics research includes the real-time prediction of the buffer capacity of particleboard and HCHO emissions from MDF using on-line fast scanning NIR spectroscopy.

Real-time Process Analytics using Genetic Algorithms (PDF)
Real-time Process Analytics using Regression Trees (PDF)
NIR Spectroscopy Applications for MDF and HCHO Emissions

Real-time Statistical Process Control (SPC)

An important research program is the study of statistical process control applications in real-time industrial settings. A successful research program is the real-time measurement of lumber thickness using wireless caliper technology. Technology was developed to collect lumber thickness data and distribute such data real-time to sawyers in the context of SPC (download Powerpoint). The study was successfully field tested in four hardwood sawmills and one softwood sawmill. Annual savings from reduced lumber thickness variation and the resulting target size reductions varied from $21K to $490K across the four test sites. Slide shows, videos and final reports of the research are available.

• Real-time SPC Information

Continuous Improvement Training Seminars

Three industrial training seminars are offered each year. The training seminars are “Continuous Improvement using Statistical Process Control for the Bio-Based Products Industry,” “Advanced Statistical Seminars for the Bio-Based Products Industry,” and “Design of Experiments for the Bio-Based Producsts Industry.” The training seminars are designed for plant managers, production managers, technical directors, quality control managers, R&D scientists, supervisors, and operators. The training seminars have been on-going since 2000 where more than 500 representatives from almost two dozen forest products companies have participated. More than 90% of participants of the training seminars have ranked the seminars as “Excellent” with the majority of participants realizing substantial cost savings from course projects implemented back at their companies.

• Corporate Training Seminar Information
• Previous Seminar Graduates

Biofuels Research and Development

Key to ensuring long-term sustainable bioenergy is the assessment of the economic availability of woody-derived biomass.  Essential to any industrial business loan or grant  approval process is a defendable business plan that includes an optimum plant siting plan to support profitability of the plan over the term of the loan or grant.  IFCHIPSS II is an analytical economic tool to directly support bioenergy business planning. 

• Optimal Siting Model for Biofuels Plants (Real-time web-based siting model forthcoming) www.BioSAT.net
• Process Analytics for Biofuels Manufacture