Timber is widely used in new structures. The leading causes of structural failure are sited at bolt connections, cavities, and knots. This paper introduces a simple method to detect bolts in wood using a UHF Scalar Network Analyzer (SNA). The electronics placed inside an aluminum box with a slot aperture transmit a microwave signal through the slot, and the near-field signal determines the reflection coefficient (S11). Major changes from baseline are an accurate method to detect cavities and bolts inside the wood. Experiments were conducted on pinewood beams with cross-section dimensions of (70 mm × 70 mm). The scalar network analyzer circuit can detect bolts and cavities within a 30 mm range from the wood surface. The technique can be used for timber beam preparation in an automated sawmill at speed.
Keywords: microwave; nearfield scanning; sawmill automation; scalar network analyzer; timber.