A tour presentation on recently visited BFRI and BFIDC, Chittagong,Bangladesh. Prepared by GROUP-6, 6th Semester, IFESCU

1. A presentation on
BFRI and BFIDC
tour, 2015
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University
6th Semester, Group-6
Course Title: Saw Milling, Seasoning and Preservation

2. Contents
 Preface
 BFRI
 Wood seasoning and
timber physics division
 Wood working and
engineering division
 Veneer and composite
wood products division
 Wood preservation
division
 BFIDC
 FIDCO

3. Preface
In our 6th semester B.Sc (hons) in Forestry
we have a course titled ‘Saw milling,
Seasoning and Preservation of Wood’. To
get practical knowledge about this course
our honorable course teacher Md. Akhter
Hossain conducted a fieldtrip to BFRI and
BFIDC on 28 december, 2015.

4. BFRI at a glance
Previous name Forest Products Research Laboratory (FRL)
Present name Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI)
Established 1955
Location HQs at Chittagong City
Land Area 1100 ha. (including 28 ha. at HQs)
Disciplines 11 research Divisions under Forest Management Wing,
06 under Forest Products Wing and 02 Common Services
Divisions
Field Station 21 with a total area of 1072 ha.

5. Wood seasoning and timber physics division
 Under Forest Products Wing, BFRI.
Research Activity:
 Physical properties of wood and
 Wood seasoning process
Achievement:
 Invention of wood seasoning solar kiln is the best
achievement of this division.

6. Wood seasoning
 Seasoning is the procedure of reducing moisture
content at a desired level.
Process of Seasoning:
1. Air seasoning
2. Kiln seasoning
3. Solar kiln seasoning
Among these three BFRI is now only practicing Solar
kiln seasoning.

7. Solar Kiln
Dr. M. A. Sattar invented Solar kiln in 1980.
Features of Solar kiln:
 The Solar kiln is comprised of a wooden frame
superstructure.
 The roof has been covered with ordinary thick glass and
has an inclination towards the south at an angle equal to
the latitude of the location to ensure maximum absorption
of solar radiation.

8. Continue….
 The walls have
been made with a
layer of white
transparent
polythene sheet or
glass.
 Corrugated
galvanized iron
sheet, painted
black on both sides
have been fixed
beneath the glass
roof as an absorber
of solar radiation.

9. Continue….
 One 24inch diameter fan driven by ¼ horse-
power motor has been incorporated for air
circulation.
 Two vents, one inlet and another outlet, of
8inch*9inch have been provided for the control
of the humidity inside the kiln.
 Dimension of the kiln: 12ft long, 8ft wide, 9ft
high at the north wall and 5.5ft high at the
south wall.
 Bearing capacity: It can accommodate 125 cft
timber of maximum 7.5 ft long.

10. Physical Properties
Machines:
 Moisture meter
 Universal Testing Machine (UTM)

11. Continue…
UTM Moisture Meter

12. Continue…
UTM:
UTM is used for measuring-
 Static Bending Test (modulus of rupture and elasticity)
 Compression parallel to grain
 Compression perpendicular to grain
 Nail holding capacity
 Cleavage test
 Tension perpendicular to grain
 Toughness
 Shear test

13. Wood working and engineering division
 Under Forest Products Wing, BFRI.
Research Activity:
1. Saw milling process
2. Saw doctoring
3. Furniture making and development

14. Continue
Achievement:
 They have invented some technologies to produce
novelty items from different colored wood gluing
together.
 One of the special achievement of this division is
the invention of technology for using Rubber wood
in furniture making.

15. Wood Preservation Division
 Under Forest Products Wing, BFRI.
Research activity:
 Enhancing durability of wood
Achievement:
 They have invented BB (Boric acid+Borax), CCB
(Copper Sulphate, Sodium di-chromate, Boric acid)
solutions for wood preservation.

16. BB solution
Elements:
 Boric Acid(H3BO3), Borax(Na2B4O7.10H2O)
Ratio for 10% solution:
 Boric Acid:Borax=2:2 and 9 times water
Use:
 Used in the preservation of interior furniture
making wood.

17. CCB Solution
Elements:
Copper Sulphate (CuSO4. 5H2O), Sodium di-chromate
(Na2Cr2O7.2H2O), Boric acid (H3BO3)
Ratio for 10% solution:
CuSO4.5H2O: Na2Cr2O7.2H2O: H3BO3=2:2:1
Use:
Used in the preservation of wood for exterior construction
purpose.

18. Veneer and Composite Wood
Division
 Under Forest Products Wing, BFRI.
Research activity:
 Ensuring maximum utilization of less used woods
and wood residues
 Developing technologies for making furniture from
bamboo.

19. Continue…
Procedure of making bamboo furniture:
 Splitter: For splitting bamboo into pieces
 Four side planner: For resizing bamboo pieces
 Seasoning: At 20-25% moisture content level
 Treatment: Dipping in BB solution for 48 hours.
 Seasoning: At 8-10% moisture content level
 Hot pressure treatment: Using urea formaldihyde glue
at 150 C temperature heat and 200 psi pressure

20. BFIDC at a glance
Bangladesh Forest industries Development Corporation(BFIDC)
was established in 1959.
Previous name was Pakistan Forest industries Development
Corporation(PFIDC)
Headquarter of BFIDC is located at 73 Motijheel Commercial
Area, Dhaka-1000.
In Chittagong BFIDC is located in Chandgaon.

21. Continue…
Wood preservation division:
 In BFIDC, now a days they make revolution
by marketing rubber made furniture which
have great positive impact on the low supply
of wood crisis. Rubber wood is very cheap in
market value but with some preservation
process it may provide a very good and
durable furniture.

22. Continue…
 Wood preservation
done by two way.
They are:
 1.pressure treatment
 Establishment:1959-
1960
 Pressure: 100 PSI
 Time:1-3 hour
 Preservative: 10% BB
solution
 65ft in length and
1200cubic ft lumber
can preserve in the
cylinder at a time

23. Continue…
Steam Control room:
 Cylinder-2
 Length-90 ft

24. Continue…
2.non-pressure treatment
 They also preserve the wood by dipping the wood into
water mixing with chemical which prevent wood decay
and other harmful process when the pressure process is
delayed.

25. Continue…
Saw milling division:
They have two saw mill of their own .

26. Continue…
Furniture making department:

27. THANKS ALL