IMPACT OF FEED RATE ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION DURING CUTTING DRY BEECH AND SPRUCE WOOD WITH A CIRCULAR SAW

Abstract

In industrial production, the primary goal is achieving the desired end result; however, it is equally important to ensure that the entire technological process is carried out as cost-effectively as possible. Several key factors influence this efficiency, including the material and geometry of the cutting tool, the properties of the processed wood, and the feed rate. Among these, the feed rate during mechanical wood processing has a particularly strong impact on energy consumption. This paper focuses on the relationship between feed rate and energy consumption during the cutting process of dry beech and spruce wood using a circular saw. The objective is to identify optimal cutting conditions that minimize energy usage. Three different feed rates were tested: U1 = 12 m·min⁻¹, U2 = 16 m·min⁻¹, and U3 = 20 m·min⁻¹, at a constant cutting height of 15 mm. The tested wood samples (beech and spruce) had a moisture content of W = 10 ± 1%. The experiments were conducted using a circular saw with a cutting tool diameter of D = 250 mm, 40 teeth (Z = 40), and a kerf width of b = 3.2 mm. The number od rounds was n = 5500 min⁻¹. Energy consumption was measured using a clamp ammeter. The results demonstrated a clear, directly proportional relationship between the feed rate and energy consumption