Grading Rules

Forum ATIBT
Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam
22-25 October 2012
 Grading Rules
3 different kinds of rules :

1. Logs

2. Sawn timber for joinery

3. Sawn timber for structure

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1. Logs

Many different rules :

• ATIBT
• Grading rules of Philippine logs
• Grading rules of Sabah logs
• Grading rules of Indonesian logs
• SEALPA logs grading rules

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1. Logs
ATIBT
Principle:
Inspection and assessment of anomalies
with penalty points
- Shape
- Defects
- Deteriorations
- Maximum global penalties allowed

6 grades : I, I/II, II, II/III, III, and IV

or A, A/B, B, B/C, C and D

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1. Logs
ATIBT
Shape:

conicity bend (curve)

buttress
flattened section

humps
1. Logs
ATIBT
Defects:

knots galls

twisted grain
radial splits cupshakes
1. Logs
ATIBT
Deteriorations :
pin holes

heart decay

twisted grain
cupshakes

rot teredo holes

 Maximum number of penalties
1. Logs allowed in each grade for each
type of defect
Grade I I/II II II/III III IV
SHAPE
- Conicity 0 1 2 2 2 2
- Bend (curve) 1 1 2 2 3 3
- Flattened section 0 0 1 2 2 2
- Buttreness 0 1 2 4 5 6
- Humps 0 0 2 4 5 6
DEFAUTS
- Knots and knobs 2 2 4 6 8 9
- Inbarks, galls, blister grain, thorns, etc. 0 1 2 3 5 6
- Splits, cracks, breaks 2 4 6 8 10 14
- Cupshakes 0 2 3 4 5 5
- Abnormal heart 0 1 2 3 3 3
- Spiral grain, entangled grain, etc. 0 1 2 3 6 9
DETERIORATIONS
- Pin holes, discoloration 1 2 4 6 10 15
- Grub holes, teredo holes 0 0 2 3 4 5
- Heart decay 0 1 2 4 6 6
- Off the heart rot 0 1 2 4 6 6
MAXIMUM GLOBAL PENALTIES ALLOWED:
- For logs up to 6 m 4 6 8 10 12 816
- For logs over 6 m long, and for every 3m
2 2 3 3 4 6
1. Logs
ATIBT
Qualities Percentages of grade Total
6 grades Export quality 50% I 50 %II 8750 pts
(A/B)
Grade Coefficient 50% I 35% II 15% III 8375 pts
QLM
1st 10000
I/II 8750 20% I 60% II 20% III 7500 pts
Standard
2nd 7500
50% II 50% III 6250 pts
II/III 6250 Seconde (B/C)

3rd 5000 100% III 5000 pts

Third
4th 2500
Outgraded 50% III 50% IV 3500 pts
quality

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2. Sawn Timber
for joinery

Many different rules :

• ATIBT
• SATA (Sciages Avivés Tropicaux Africains)
• NHLA (National Hardwood Lumber Association)
• MGR (Malaysian Grading Rules)
• IGR (Indonesian Grading Rules)
2. Sawn Timber
for joinery ATIBT
Old Rules (transcription of verbal Imperial grading rules)
Principle: Grading with acceptation of defects according to area

Standard grades: Special grades:

FAS (First And Second) Prime
N°1 Common and Select Prime Narrow
N°2 Common FAS Shorts
Prime Strips
Prime Blocks and Shorts
Prime Furniture Squares
Selected Constructional Grade.

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2. Sawn Timber
for joinery ATIBT
Quality FAS is the most famous and requested by customers.
Ex: a set of wooden boards FAS of 1.2 m² each =
• at least 40% of boards without defect and sapwood
• and other boards have at most two defects.

Defects location, and yield guaranteed during the processing of wood are
not covered in the rules ATIBT.

Usually, contracts are supplemented by additional terms, therefore the

quality sold (under the name FAS) is in fact the Prime quality.

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2. Sawn Timber
for joinery SATA
SATA rules were established in 1976 at the request of the
European Commission for five African countries (Cameroon,
Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon and Zaire) and then extended to all
African countries and even Latin America.
They were adopted in 1979 by the Technical Committee of ATIBT

SATA rules are based on the notion of yield as the NHLA rules,
MGR, IGR ...

SATA rules are never used (business habit)

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2. Sawn Timber
for joinery ATIBT

Principle : the boards are consisted of units of cuts (UD)

25x250 mm (1’’x 10’’)

25 mm

250 mm Ex board (1,75 m x 200 mm)

7 x 8 = 56 UD
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2. Sawn Timber
for joinery ATIBT
Grade (1 to 4) depend on:
• Number of cuts
• Size of pieces without defect
• Yield (UDN / UD)

1st cut
waste
2nd cut 4x3 UDN 3x8 UDN

Ex: Yield 64 %, 2 cuts => choix 3.

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3. Sawn Timber
for structure
Many different standarts:

• EN 1912
• NF-B 52001 (72 tropical hardwoods)
• DIN 4074
• NEN 5480
• BS 4978 …
3. Sawn Timber
NF-B 52001
for structure
These grading rules insure mecanical properties used for
conception of structures.
They are requiered for CE marking

Only 1 grade (STH)

defines a mecanical class
that is reported on the CE
marking
3. Sawn Timber
NF-B 52001
for structure
3. Sawn Timber
NF-B 52001
for structure
Grade HST (Hardwood Strutural Timber) is defined by a
maximum of:
• Knots
• Slope of grain
• Fissures
• Wane
• Distortions
• Other defects (boxed heart, biological damage,
compression failure…)
3. Sawn Timber HST
for structure D30 : D24 :
Acajou
D40 : Akossika
Doussié D35 : Andoung Cailcedrat
Angelim Andiroba Bosse Bomanga
D60 : Awoura Bété Dabema Copaiba
Maçaranduba Basralocus Bintangor Iroko Ekoune
Bubinga Cardeiro Jaboty Limba
D50 : Lauan red Iatandza
Itauba Celtis d’Afrique
Angelim vermelho Keruing Makoré Louro
Goupi
Araracanga Limbali Naga vermelho
Guariuba
Cumaru Longhi Ozigo Quaruba
Kanda
Azobé Merbau Teck Sorro
Kelat
Ipe Tali Mandioqueira
Courbaril Mora D18 : Marupa
Manil
Niové Mukulungu Ayous Mayapis
Mengkulang
Oboto Niangon Cedro Mogno
Okan Bilinga Cerejeira Okoume
Ovengkol Piquiarana Faro Para-para
Padouk Sapelli Ilomba Tiama
Wallaba Tachi Kedondong Tornillo
3 kinds of Grading Rules

Thanks for your attention

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