Expedited Award: Laser Incising for Improved Lumber Drying  and Chemical Treatment
{'Code': '07020000', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'ENG', 'LongName': 'Directorate For Engineering'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'CBET', 'LongName': 'Div Of Chem, Bioeng, Env, & Transp Sys'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Robert M. Wellek', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
Technical Summary:  This exploratory project proposes                           to develop a novel technique that will increase the effective                   permeability of wood for improved drying and chemical treatment.                The process involves a high-energy pulsed-laser system that will                generate very small holes in the tangential and radial surfaces                 of green lumber.  This process is referred to as laser incising.                The primary objectives are:  1) Establish a set of operating                    parameters for a 150 continuous-watt CO2 laser in order to                      precisely generate incisions of controlled diameter and depth, 2)               Compare the drying rate of incised lumber to non-incised lumber,                3) Compare the quality of dried lumber which has been incised                   with dried lumber that has not been incised, and 4) Evaluate the                potential of the laser incising technique for a commercial                      process.                                                                                                                                                        Innovation/Novelty:  This proposal is innovative because of the                 unique application of laser technology to secondary wood                        processing.  To date, processing wood with a laser has been                     limited to cutting operations, in which the economic feasibility                has been marginal due to slow cutting speeds.  Since laser                      incising involves the removal of only a small amount of wood                    substance, much higher processing rates are possible.  In                       contrast to conventional incising processes, laser incising would               not likely reduce strength properties or greatly reduce the                     surface appearance.  If incising is performed prior to drying                   green lumber, a technique that has not been considered, then                    increased drying rates and improved lumber quality may result.
{'FirstName': 'Frederick', 'LastName': 'Kamke', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'A', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Frederick A Kamke', 'EmailAddress': 'kamkefa@vt.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000385541', 'StartDate': '03/01/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University', 'CityName': 'BLACKSBURG', 'ZipCode': '240603359', 'PhoneNumber': '5402315281', 'StreetAddress': '300 TURNER ST NW', 'StreetAddress2': 'STE 4200', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Virginia', 'StateCode': 'VA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '09', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'VA09', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'QDE5UHE5XD16', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': 'M515A1DKXAN8'}
{'Name': None, 'CityName': None, 'StateCode': None, 'ZipCode': None, 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': None, 'CountryName': None, 'StateName': None, 'CountryFlag': None, 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': None, 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': '""'}
{'Code': '1414', 'Text': 'INTERFAC PROCESSES & THERMODYN'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1987&All=true', 'xml': '8703530.xml'}