Grading method for imported lumber developed

Now, Filipino importers of lumber have a way of determining the quality of the forest products they are bringing in.

It’s called machine graded lumber (MGL) method developed by the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) in tandem with the Japan-based International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).

FPRDI said the procedure sorts lumber into groups, with each group having a set of predetermined structural design properties.

"Although lumber producers and traders adhere to some sort of visual grading, there exists no common system of assigning quality to lumber for construction," it noted.

In order that the MGL can be incorporated in construction applications by architects, engineers, and contractors, FPRDI recently entered into an agreement with the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP) to include the design properties of MGL in the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP). The NSCP is considered the "bible" of structural engineers in the country.

The technology’s first adopter is the Central Lumber Corp. in Cebu City, which agreed with FPRDI to co-produce MGL trusses on a pilot scale.

Dr. Florences P. Soriano, FPRDI director and leader of the MGL system project, said that the method offers several benefits.

One, it allows for species substitution. For instance, even if the timber species headed by a contractor is out of stock, he can use even a lesser known species as long as this belongs to the same strength group as the one he needs.

The grade stamp on each piece of lumber will enable the end-users to identify not only the grade but also the sawmill where the lumber came from.

Dr. Soriano added that the procedure also enables timber producers to improve their profits by pricing their products according to strengths and not some unreliable criteria such as color.

"As the method provides quality control on imported lumber, consumers are assured of their money’s worth," Dr. Soriano said. — RAF