Effects of manufacturing parameters on mechanical interface properties of thin wood veneer laminates

This study explores fast manufacturing techniques for thin wood laminates made from European beech veneers and 1-component polyurethane adhesive. Manufacturing factors such as pressure and pressing time are investigated following well-established standards developed for fibre-reinforced materials (ASTM D5528 and ASTM D7905). Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture properties are calculated to quantify the effects of the different manufacturing techniques on the bond quality. It is found that pressing time and pressure can be minimised to 10 minutes and 0.1 MPa from 75 min and 1.0 MPa as suggested by the adhesive manufacturer, without reducing critical Mode I strain energy release rates of around 500 to 600 J/m2. However, the standard deviation of these properties increases with decreasing pressure and pressing time. Furthermore, the results show that while ASTM D5528 for Mode I testing can be used with thin wood veneer laminates, the ASTM D7905 for Mode II fracture testing is not directly applicable to these materials.