Appendix 1. AIR-BAG PRESSING

To dry wood without it having to undergo any particular physical stress is a guarantee from the point of view of stability and life of the finished product. Out of the ordinary constraint of the wood fibres by subjecting the pile to high pressure forces could cause problems, above all in the longer planks.
In this case the successive operations destabilize the “forced” equilibrium of the fibres, discharging the internal tensions anomalously with consequent cracking and warping.

AIR-BAG PRESSING allows gradual and easily adjustable exertion of pressures even under maximum vacuum conditions. This technique is used for semi-finished low thickness items where the action of the pressure can avoid warping or even correct the surface curving of some pieces.
A fundamental feature of the use of this technique is that the dried semi-finished products subjected to this process must not receive successive removal of material.

Main Characteristics:

• Double cavity air cushion to transfer the atmospheric pressure to the wood pile placed inside the autoclave;
• Automatic inflating system during the vacuum phase;
• Possibility of adjusting the force of the action throughout all the drying cycle