Panel fabrication
All test panels were wet-formed at 1 percent consistency (consistency = dry fiber weight/water weight). After forming and vacuum pressing, the formed sheets had approximately 80 percent MC (wet basis, or 400% MC on a dry basis). Each mat was placed between two screens and two stainless steel cauls and hot-pressed at 163°C with continuous 1175 kPa pressure for 10 minutes to near 0 percent MC. The target thickness was 3.2 mm, and target density was 1000 kg/cm3. For this study, only the effects of the processing variables on fiber-to-fiber bonding were to be determined; therefore, no adhesive was used to influence bonding. The fibers bonded together naturally under heat and pressure.