Growing awareness of incising technology within the timber sector is now resulting in some of the industry’s biggest players working together to formulate a best practice approach.
Initiated by timber engineering and fabrication firm A V Birch, treatment giants Koppers is also part of a consultation group that includes some of the most widely recognised sawmill operators.
Vince Jones of A V Birch took up the story: “We want to make sure we are able to offer our customers incising technology that works for them, and crucially, the end user. It’s as simple as that.
“We are driving incising technology forward using our expertise and have been consulting with Koppers to ensure it works in conjuction with preservative technology to impact effectively on the heartwood.
“We have been working on the development design and manufacture of incising machines for the last 4 years and have machinery and technology that have been producing incised posts for 3 years.
“Our range of incising machines encompasses the R200 round incisor, S200 square post incisor and the VS250 that delivers a variable speed as part of automated lines within larger sawmills
“Species such as Spruce present a challenge for existing treatment solutions when used in isolation. When combined with effective incising though, it can with be developed into a stronger and longer lasting range of end products,”
added Vince Jones.
Profile of incising is growing
As a case in point the recent update to BS 8417 Preservation of Wood – Code of Practice (2014) now requires increased penetration into timber treated to use Class 4 for a 30 year desired service life. As well as increased penetration of 12mm into the sapwood of resistant species there is a requirement to achieve 6mm penetration into the exposed heartwood of any softwood species. Any process that results in heartwood penetration may be used but it is expected that incising prior to treatment will be the only practical method of achieving the requirement.
Vince Jones continued “The profile of incising is certainly growing with an increasing number of timber firms, from the large sawmills down to one man bands, enquiring about our technology on the back of customer interest.
“We are all very keen to deliver the best possible advice to sawmill operators and the best possible product for the end user. It’s very much a joined up approach encompassing ourselves, Koppers and some of the biggest UK sawmill operators.
“When considering, for example, the standards required by bodies such as the Highways Agency it’s important to note that only a combination of treatment and incising is capable of producing timber that adheres to the required performance parameters.
“It’s an ongoing process and a case of watch this space for developments but A V Birch and our partners in this consultation process are committed to creating and refining new technology and delivering price points that add value and work for timber firms of all sizes,” added Vince Jones.
