Wood Based Materials

SHORT  DESCRIPTION 

The main objective of the course is to prepare students to manage the selection of wood-based materials during the process of designing wooden furniture, interiors and constructions.

It is obligatory and planned for a total of 60 hours, during the second year of the first level of study, Bachelor degree, of the "Furniture and Interior Design" study program. 

30 hours of lectures form the background for 30 hours of seminars, labs and one-day industrial trip, which are used to develop and train the knowledge from the lectures and recommended literature through counting the examples in order to understand the nature of products resulting from primary wood processing.

The student needs to possess good knowledge on wood properties, resistance of materials and basic principles for furniture and interior design.

The course is part of teaching curricula taking into account that materials resulting from primary processing are used as raw material from construction and furniture manufacturing industries. Sawn timber, plywood, laminated veneer lumber, particle and fibreboards, as well as solid wood based panels, are characterized by physical, mechanical, chemical and technological properties which strongly influence the quality and performance of wooden furniture and structures.

Production technologies will be described and analyzed in the context of the impact on the properties of the material (product), while the laboratory activity will familiarize students with its performance (properties). In this way the aim is to enable students to judge as accurately as possible on the advantages and disadvantages of wood based products referring to the specific conditions of use, enabling an optimal integration of the design with the available materials and accessories.

At the end of the course the student should be able:

1.      to know the range of wood based materials resulting from primary processing;

2.      to know technologies and operations of primary wood processing;

3.      to know operations and technological parameters which determine the properties of wood based materials;

4.      to select the appropriate materials referring to the nature and specifications of the final product;

5.      to calculate the volume of logs and sawn timber;

6.      to conceive and calculate the yield and sawing conversion factors;

7.      to calculate the output of sawing aggregates;

8.      to perform laboratory tests according to EN norms (standards).

The student’s assessment will be performed by means of a final written exam. To be eligible for the final exam the student have to participate at least in 50% of hours of lessons and in 80% of hours of seminars as well as to perform a passable presentation of labs work. There are foreseen 100 points for the course in total. 10 points regards to active participation during the course (seminars), 20 points regards to two mid-term exams during the course, 20 points to labs and 50 points for the final exam. The limit for a successful end of the course is 45 points. After that, 6 credits (ETC) will be granted to the student.