1.  Raw Material Handling and Refining Process

Trucks bring in green pine chips and dumps the raw material into a conveyor system.  The conveyor system transports the chips to storage area. The chip storage area accommodates delivery of  1,000 tons of green chips per day. The chips are then discharged from the center of the pile onto an incline belt conveyor, pass through a magnet, and then go to a chip washing system that removes foreign materials.  Washed chips are then pumped to the refining system.

Incoming chips from the chip wash are separated from process waters before they enter the refining process.  The pressurized refiner exposes the chips to steam softening the lignin in the chips.  The softened chips are then passed through the refiner that separates the chips into individual fibers.  Resin and wax are added at this point before material is pneumatically relayed to the dryer.

2.  Dryer Process

Processed fibers are dried using a single flash tube dryer.  Material entering the dryer contains approximately 35% moisture.  The fibers moisture content is to approximately  5% to 7% in the flash tube dryer.  The airflow into the flash tube dryer uses hot air from a burner and makeup air from the outside to maintain the highest possible control of fiber moisture.  Dried fiber is then pneumatically relayed to the fiber storage bin.

3.  Forming and Pressing Process

Fiber is removed from the storage bin and relayed to the forming area.  The forming head places the fiber on the forming belt creating a continuous mat.  A pre-compressor makes the initial compaction of the material in order to expel air from the mat.  The continuous mat is cut into nominally 8' x 20' mats for pressing.

Depending upon density and thickness variations, mats may be stacked before entering the steam - injected press.  This allows Pan Pacific Products to manufacture the widest possible density and thickness range anywhere in the world.

The pre-sized mats enter the 375 degree F steam injected press.  Live steam is injected into the mat, accelerating the resin setting process and decreasing the pressing time to a fraction of that required by conventional presses.

4.  Sanding Process

Finished boards are edge-trimmed and cooled prior to sanding.  Boards are then sanded to the proper thickness and specifications based on customer needs.  Pan Pacific Products sands boards that are nominal 8' x 20'.  This reduces the risk of "sander snipe" and maintains the highest quality thickness tolerances.

5.  Sawing Process

Sanded boards are cut to size using three sawing operations. Contact our sales department with any questions regarding yields for your next project.