Assessing the potential of wood welding for Australian eucalypts and tropical species

Abstract

The wood welding potential of Australian and tropical species has been investigated. Optimized parameters for Eucalyptus saligna, Eucalyptus pilularis, Corymbia maculata, Ochroma pyramidale, and Tectona grandis were determined using a standard tensile strength test. The results confirmed the importance of density in the optimisation process. The grain direction also proved to have a significant impact on the welded joint strength of species featuring large wood rays or vessels in diagonal and/or radial pattern. Wood welding could therefore be an alternative for such species where gluing is required.