Visual Tour of the OSB Manufacturing Process
Step One
Log Sorting
After harvest, whole logs are hauled to the mill's wood yard, then sorted.
Step Two
Jackladder
Logs are soaked, to remove ice and prepare wood for stranding, then sent up the jackladder.
Step Three
Debarking
Logs are run through the debarker to remove bark. Bark is later used as fuel in the mill's energy supply.
Step Four
Stranding
The strands are cut from whole logs into precise dimensions of up to six inches long.
Step Five
Wet Bins
Strands are deposited into wet bins.
Step Six
Drying
Strands are then dried until the appropriate moisture content is reached.
Step Seven
Blending
Strands are blended with resin binders and a small amount of wax, which improves the efficiency of the resin binder and enhances the panel's resistance to moisture and water absorption.
Step Eight
Forming Line
Strands go through the forming line where cross-directional layers are formed.
Step Nine
Pressing
Layers of cross-directional strands are pressed under intense heat and pressure to form a rigid, dense structural panel of oriented strand board (OSB). Presses are primarily multiple opening allowing 8 to 16 master panels to be pressed in one operation for increased efficiency. In 1997, continuous presses producing a ribbon of OSB commenced operation at certain sites.
Step Ten
Finishing Line
Panels are cooled, cut to size, grade stamped, stacked in bundles and edge coated. All graded panels bear a mandatory certification agency stamp, plus the SBA logo if applicable.
Step Eleven
Shipping
Finally, the panels are ready to be loaded and shipped to destinations around the world. Panels can be ordered smooth sanded for special uses or with tongue and groove edges.