Hartley, Ian D.

Western Dry Kiln Association

Western Dry Kiln Association. Meeting (49th : 1998 : Reno, Nev.)

Undetermined

ScholarsArchive@OSU

KD EXPERT V2.0:COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING SOFTWAREFOR LUMBER DRYINGIan D. HartleyResearch ScientistForintek Canada Corp.Vancouver, British ColumbiaIntroductionThe personal computer has been around for over a decade and its use varieswidely, from analyzing data and performing complex calculations to providingentertainment with games. It has become a valuable tool in our businesses and evennow in drying operations, especially those computers that control the kilns. Anotherimportant use of the computer is for education purposes in schools and universitiesas well as in training and updating of people's skills allowing them to use newsoftware. In kiln drying, Forintek Canada developed a computer based trainingsoftware in the early 1990s called KD Expert. It allowed new and experienced usersthe ability to have important kiln drying information on a computer. Over the lastyear, Forintek has been updating KD Expert to be used on newer computers whichcan handle multimedia software.In 1991, details of KD Expert were presented to this meeting by Luiz Oliveriaand Graham Mackay, and their presentation is found in the proceedings of thatmeeting. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight key elements that wereused in designing of KD Expert v2.0.History of KD Expert v2.0The earlier version of KD Expert was DOS-based and can be used in anycomputer that offer a DOS operating system. It covered a large variety of subjectareas and used graphics to help illustrate key points in drying. Over the last 8 years,it has been widely distributed and sold to many mills in Western Canada andelsewhere. Its success has been monitored and industry has used it for the trainingof kiln drying operators in combination with local kiln drying workshops. As thecomputer technology advanced quickly, KD Expert began to become 'old', meaningthat new multimedia technologies was quickly showing that the advanced-softwareof 1990 was dating itself.As kiln drying operations have upgraded controllers that use newercomputers with newer operating systems, it became apparent that KD Expert shouldbe upgraded to meet the new computer technologies. In the summer of 1997,Forintek began to evaluate and re-design KD Expert with the viewpoint ofincorporating multimedia concepts into a newer KD Expert. As of this meeting, thenew version of KD Expert is almost complete and will be ready for distribution bythe end of the summer 1998.WDKA	 28	 May 1998Design and Concepts of KD Expert v2.0With newer computer technologies changing almost daily, developing asoftware today that will be still available and useful over a long period of time, isnot a simple task. There has to be careful planning with regards to two key issues:(1) the needs of the audience requirements, considering their level of skills and theenvironment with which the software will be used; and, (2) "crystal-ball gazing" ofwhich one has to look into the future and predict changes in computer technology.Since the task of putting newer information and graphics into KD Expert wasto be completed over a one year period, the planning of the new KD Expert had tobe dynamic and always changing to meet (2) above. As tasks and milestones weremet, there was careful evaluation of the next task, either keeping on the same trackor by adjusting strategies based on feedback from beta users. This allowed for upto the minute changes with the development software. In any event, the bestoverall strategy used was to "keep it simple," and it was a strategy used for use inall aspects of the new KD Expert's development.There are three key distinct areas of designing and developing software: (1)presentation; (2) content; and, (3) software.Presentation: The software will be used by a wide variety of people with differentlevels of computer skills. It had to be user-friendly and intuitive when movingaround different screens within lessons and tests. The use of the mouse was keyto its operation, however, several commands could be executed from the keyboard.This increased the user-friendliness because the user was not limited to either themouse or the keyboard. An issue that required several weeks of consideration wasthe appearance of the material within KD Expert, i.e. , how it looked to the user. Allof the pictures, graphics, and text material had to be aesthetically pleasing. Colorand font choices were carefully chosen since the user would be looking at thescreen for hours at a time.Content: All of the material within KD Expert v2.0 had to be up-to-date and easy tounderstand. To help with making concepts clear, images, artwork and graphics wereincorporated. As well, at any time, the user has access to a glossary with over 120definitions related to drying. The basis of the new KD Expert was from Forintek'ssuccessful lumber drying correspondence course. Other sources of information werefrom the old KD Expert and several kiln drying manuals from Canada, United Statesand Britain.Software: The software used to develop KD Expert v2.0 was Authorware, a productof Macromedia. It is a widely-used development multimedia software that providesprogrammers with features that allow use of images, texts, keyword searchfacilities to be included into any software being developed. KD Expert v2.0 isdeveloped for the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system and will run on WindowsNT and Windows 98 (although not yet tested). Any computer capable of runningWindows 95 would be able to use KD Expert v2.0. An advantage of usingAuthorware was that it allows for quick updates and customising of KD Expert v2.0as needed.WDKA	 29	 May 1998Lessons and TestsKD Expert is essentially divided into two separate parts: Lessons and Tests.For each Lesson, there is a corresponding Test, but these parts cannot be executedat the same time. Therefore, the user can either go directly to the Lessons or Testsfrom the main screen. The subject areas covered in KD Expert are:1. Concepts and Terms 7. Air CirculationUsed in Drying2. Moisture in Wood 8. Kilns3. Shrinkage 9. Kiln Drying Schedules4. Drying Stresses and 10. Storage and Transport of Dry LumberDegrade5. Heat, Temperature andHumidity11. Alternative and Additional Technologyfor Kiln Drying6. The Drying Process 12. Statistical Quality ControlAt the end of each Lesson, there is a series of questions (answers are not provided►.Design of PresentationA major use of KD Expert v2.0 is to read the kiln drying information on acomputer screen. Therefore, colors and fonts were carefully chosen to make it"pleasing to the eye." As well as aesthetics, the buttons and icons in which theuser must press to navigate around the lesson or between lessons have to bepresented in a user-friendly manner. An example of this concept is presented inFIGURE 1. Several areas on the screen were consistent for all sections in eachLesson as well as in the Test sections; these areas are discussed in detail below.Program Navigation Bar: The user is able to display the Table of Contents foreither the Lesson or Test part of the program. Also on the Bar is Optionswhere the user can control several aspects of KD Expert. This Bar isconsistent on all screens of KD Expert.Lesson Contents: This is a list of the sections within the particular lesson thatthe user is currently reading. If the user wishes to read a different one withinthe same lesson, he/she can easily use the mouse to click on the section title.Detailed Artwork and Images: The pictures contained in KD Expert are clearand will have a corresponding Figure caption. Where possible, text materialdescribing the figure is on the same screen.Lesson Navigation Bar: With this navigation bar, the user can quickly movearound the lesson with the use of the mouse. It includes buttons for goingWDKA	 30	 May 1998ProgramNavigation BarLessonContentsCMoisture ContentShape of the WoodMeasurementWood TypeSwellingControl of ShrinkageCollapseExercisesTherefore we have in parallel:a log. the length of boards oownfrom a log, the iodicidooltracheids or fibres witla aboard, and the fibrilscomprising the S2 layers .no theWAS of these cells.Water cannot enter fibrils, butit can leave or enter the spacesbenveen fibrils, This water, infact, keeps the fibrils apart andit forms the bead water of cellNum 31A schematic (*rowilhotrating doestroctIm oftso/M.1(.113ra oatthe orlexhoimtortiecolloglo. NMI(loitkix the ruins(1') ((Amory will;(M), middle basal;(S1 outer layer ofib woodsuy wall;(12) middle layer ofohs socoolary oro1/;(S3)ipacr000sthysoof the secoutoryDetailedartworkand imagesLesson Navigation Bar• go between lessons, pages and sections- use for searching wordsTextMaterialFIGURE 1. Example of a user-friendly screen.forward or backward for pages and sections within Lessons and for movingbetween Lessons. This Bar is consistent on all screens of KD Expert.Text Material: The text was formatted to the font type of Time New Roman11 pt. This font was chosen because of its readability on computer screens.Not shown in FIGURE 1 is the background color. A light yellow gradient waschosen as the background color, and in combination with the font, it is veryreadable for hours at a time.Features of KD Expert v2.0Using a software development package such as Authorware, allows severalfeatures to be included in the final product of KD Expert. Included features is theability to have Multiple users, allow for Extensive Word Searches, as well asGlossary and Help functions; these features enrich the usefulness of the program.Multiple Users: Another important point to make about KD Expert v2.0'sdesign is that one copy of the program on one computer will allow for severalusers to sign-on to use the program. In this manner, each user has separateWDKA	 31	 May 1998and individual profiles such that if User A has completed several tests, UserB will not be able to find out Users' A progress or results.Extensive Word Search: The user is able at any time to search words withinthe current Lesson or within the entire program. To illustrate the usefulnessfor the ability to search words in KD Expert, typing in "casehardening" willproduce a lot of pages or phrases with that word contained in it. The user isthen able to go directly to that page to read more about casehardening. Withthis ability to search words, KD Expert can be used as a reference tool.Glossary: At any time, the user can use the glossary to obtain definitions toover 120 terms used in kiln drying.Help: If the user is uncertain how to use various navigation bars or needs tofind a keyboard combination for specific functions, then at any time, the usercan use the help found at the top of the screen.Summary1. Designs and concepts are critical areas in producing a quality product.2. Training materials have to keep up-to-date with technologies for bothcomputers and kilns.3. KD Expert v2.0 fits with today's technology and will be able to expand tomeet mill and training sites' demands in kiln drying.4. KD Expert v2.0 is a training software as well as a reference tool.5. KD Expert v2.0 will become a useful tool for all personnel in the lumber dryingindustry, from the new operator to the experienced supervisor.WDKA	 32	 May 1998

KD expert V2.0 : computer-based training software for lumber drying

https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/tb09j6738

KD expert V2.0 : computer-based training software for lumber drying

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