Abstract: A method of treating a piece of lumber including the steps of a) analyzing the lumber to detect a surface defect at a site on the lumber; b) removing at least a portion of the surface defect to form an opening in the lumber at the site of the defect; c) drying the lumber using a process wherein moisture is allowed to escape from the lumber through the opening; and, d) inserting a solid plug in the opening to refill the opening in the lumber.

Abstract: A method and device for simultaneous drying bodies of air-permeable material, comprises providing a hole in each body, the hole containing a tube having an air permeable mantle and placing the bodies adjacent each other so that the holes thereof form a continuous chamber, interconnecting two adjacent bodies by connecting the tubes belonging to the two, adjacent bodies by interconnecting members so that the two bodies abut against each other while preventing undue air leakage therebetween, the interconnecting members being arranged to allow, with a relatively small resistance, movement of the tubes towards each other but to counteract, with a relatively great resistance, movement of the tubes away from each other and establishing a pressure difference between the hole in each body and the surroundings of the body for generating a drying air flow through the body.

Abstract: In a process for making plastic granulate, a polymeric material is plastifyed into a plastic mass which is divided into single plastic strands. After pressing the plastic strands in a stream of cooling liquid, the plastic strands are shredded in the cooling liquid into granules, thereby forming a dispersion which is conveyed through a first conduit to a separator. The dispersion is concentrated in the separator by withdrawing a portion of cooling liquid, and subsequently transported to a dryer along a second conduit which is longer than the length of the first conduit. In the dryer, the cooling liquid is separated from the granulate.