About MDF Tech Ltd
MDF Tech Ltd is a consulting company focussing on innovation in MDF products and processes.
Principal Dr Kelvin Chapman is a Chemical Engineer with 28 years of experience with MDF. Kelvin spent 17 years at Canterbury Timber Products (CTP) in New Zealand. CTP manufactured "Customwood" MDF and Kelvin was involved in technical and project areas, including development and installation of new MDF lines in New Zealand, Australia, and Chile.
MDF Tech Ltd was formed in 1994 and has undertaken assignments in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, Argentina, Chile, USA, Canada, Ireland and Italy including:
- MDF project development;
- commissioning of MDF plants;
- process improvements;
- utitilisation of a wide range of raw materials and processes;
- development of ISO 9000 quality systems;
Throughout projects undertaken, MDF Tech Ltd ensures an understanding of the process, and finds innovative solutions.
Kelvin currently holds a half time appointment as Senior Fellow at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, and lectures on Engineered Wood Products. He recently completed a PhD covering his work on blowline blending.
Our Focus - Process Enhancement
MDF Tech Ltd has focused on the development of the MDF process, particularly the refiner and blowline where a comprehensive blowline model has been used to improve blowline resin blending. MDF Tech also concentrates on optimising press performance, and wood-resin interactions and how these influence panel performance.
Blowline Blending - A New Approach
This new approach to understanding the blowline blending process determines the optimum blowline conditions necessary to achieve good resin distribution and the changes necessary to achieve this. This method is unique and has been successfully applied to over 20 plants to date. Resin savings of 25% have been achieved, although the actual saving depends on how far a particular installation is from the optimum.
A new blowline resin injection nozzle developed and marketed by MDF Tech Ltd improves resin atomisation, and maintains this over the range of resin flows. It is an important part of improved blowline resin blending, and has proved to be particularly reliable in service.
MDF Tech Ltd has adopted techniques which shed new light on refiner operation, identifying conditions that can affect refiner stability and fibre quality. The approach also covers the operation of the dryer, where new strategies can significantly improve dryer response and improve moisture control.
MDF Tech Ltd can help you make good MDF with a level of consistent performance that will put you first in the re-order list.
Contact MDF Tech Ltd
