APPLICATION OF A DRILL RESISTANCE TECHNIQUE FOR DENSITY PROFILE MEASUREMENT IN WOOD COMPOSITE PANELS

The vertical density profiles of medium density fiberboard, particlebo ard, and oriented strandboard were measured by a drill resistance tech nique and were compared with the vertical density profiles of the same specimens measured with a scanning gamma ray method. The drill resist ance technique as applied to composite panel products uses a linear re lationship between the panel density and the drill resistance values. The drill resistance technique was found to be a good measure of the v ertical density profile of composite panel materials, especially for m edium density fiberboard. The technique is inexpensive, safe, portable and has the potential to be adopted as an on-line density profile met hod.