bundles the increase in the rate at which the blanket is drawn into the curing oven may vary but should be in the range of 3 10 greater than the rate of movement of the fiber collection conveyor the preferred increase should not be less than that which produces fiber orientation parallel with the board faces as observed visually in the board edges any less increase than this produces a more flexible bonded fibrous mass that puts the burden of rigidity on the fibrous mats a drawing action which is too severe on the other hand tends to align the fibers in the direction of processing which substantially reduces the strength of the board in the cross processing direction and may reduce the width of the bonded blank from which the boards are cut tests were conducted by supporting one inch thick boards 5 7 feet in length and 24 or 32 inches in width on a one inch ledge along their perimeter and pouring a liquid load of gypsum cement gypsum or water on their upper surface the measured deflection corroborated calculations based on the theory that board deflection given a standard processing method board direction and size is inversely proportional to the product of the modulus of elasticity e and thickness cubed t3 thus according to the theory any increase in et3 in all board directions over that of a standard board represents an improvement in board performance under load testing indicates that between thicknesses of 0 5 and 2 25 inches the product of et3 in a given.