The handheld strength & stress grader that can be used anywhere!
Mechanical strength graders for measuring timber strength have been available in various types and sizes for many years now. They have one thing in common: they are all stationary. Brookhuis has now developed the MTG: a unique system for measuring timber strength and stiffness. It can be used any time, but more importantly, anywhere and everywhere.
The convenient cordless Timber Grader MTG is very user-friendly and can be used virtually anywhere. Whether it is for strength grading timber to be purchased or processed, sorting of wood in strength classes, or for research and education.
What is the MTG? The Timber Grader MTG is a non-destructive system which determines the strength class of both softwood and hardwood. With the Timber Grader MTG wood is not broken for strength class determination.
The performance of the Timber Grader MTG is comparable to that of mechanical graders and gives better grading results than visual
strength grading. As a result, more timber ends up in a higher grading class. The Timber Grader MTG can measure both hardwood and softwood. The Timber Grader MTG can be used anywhere in the world by upgrading it with additional strength class licences. The handheld Timber Grader MTG is your personal mechanical strength grader!
The Timber Grader MTG consists of a handheld measuring instrument - the MTG - this is connected wirelessly by Bluetooth to your own PC. The results are then analysed and receorded by the Timber Grader software program.
The most important features of the MTG are the electric hammer and the sensor which crerates a vibration and by which the resulting vibration is then measured. The MTG has a Trigger button to activate the measurement. Besides that there are 4 user buttons and a graphical display with backlight.
How does the MTG work
When the Trigger button of the MTG is pressed, the wood of which the strength must be determined is brought in vibration shortly by means of the electric hammer. Next the electronic reader measures the vibrations which are brought about into the wood. These vibrations are converted into a digital value and sent via the wireless connection to a computer with the Timber Grader software program. In the Timber Grader program the strength class is determined by means of mathematical models developed by the research institute TNO. These strength classes are reproduced in the directive as set by the user. The resulting strength classes are automatically being stored in a database in the PC and sent to the MTG, so that the operator sees these strength classes on the display and can assess immediately if the wood complies with the desired strength class.
What can you do with a Timber Grader MTG
The Timber Grader MTG is an addition to the visual strength grading of wood. Visually i.e. knots and direction of the grain in the wood can be determined. But the highest class possible with visual inspection is not the highest possible strength class technically achievable. Namely, visually not all aspects of the wood can be assessed. The Timber Grader MTG can obtain more information from the visually assessed wood on the basis of the working principle through which wood can get a higher strength class. A higher strength class means that wood for equal constructions may have smaller sizes through which the construction becomes cheaper, and the total mass of the construction gets lighter. A lower mass means profit in the construction. Another advantage is that wood with a higher strength class has a higher load taking capacity.
The Timber Grader MTG cooperation
The Timber Grader MTG is a collaboration project between TNO Built Environment and Geosciences and Brookhuis Micro-Electronics. TNO already has about 10 years of experience with strength grading and classification of wood. Brookhuis Micro-Electronics is a producer of high quality moisture meters and therefore has knowledge of development and manufacturing of measurement instruments. Together TNO and Brookhuis have knowledge of the wood working industry and international directives and standards.
Research
The Timber Grader MTG was tested in comparison with other measurement methods (15 suppliers, 40 systems and machines) in the recent research program by VTT in Finland. In the report by VTT published in May 2005, the Timber Grader MTG comes forward as one of the best products for strength determination of wood.