Comparative analysis of drying processes: Moisture content, dimensional stability, and cutting power in beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.)

The effects of different drying modes on moisture distribution and cutting power was investigated for beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) from northern Poland. Samples (70 mm × 1000 mm) were subjected to air-drying (25 °C) and gas-steam drying (at 90 °C and 105 °C). Moisture content was measured across the cross-section, and cutting power was measured on a narrow-kerf frame sawing machine. The wood resistance was found to depend on moisture content and drying conditions, with higher resistance observed in normal (90 °C) and high-temperature (105 °C) gas-steam drying processes. Cutting power increased linearly with feed per tooth under all drying conditions, ranging from approximately 400 to 1100 W, with the strongest dependence observed for wood dried at 90 °C (r2=0.9364), while both feed per tooth and drying temperature significantly affected the sawing process. Boxplot analysis confirmed clear differences between drying regimes, showing the highest cutting resistance for air-dried samples, while thermally dried wood (90 °C and 105 °C) exhibited lower median cutting power values. Differences between 90 °C and 105 °C were minor. Although drying may influence thermal conductivity and dimensional stability, these effects were minimal at 105 °C due to conditioning, and both feed per tooth and drying temperature significantly affected the sawing process.