Several approaches are used for the prediction of cutting forces at wood machining. One of these approaches is the numerical modelling with the use of finite element method. This method is based on dividing the geometry into a great amount of small elements, which allows to solve very complex tasks and materials, such as wood, which is heterogeneous and orthotropic. Thus, it means that its behaviour is different in various zones and in three perpendicular directions. It is very difficult to model such complex material in detail. The models are homogenized for that reason. Finally crack initiation and following propagation is the most often modelled in the way that particular elements are gradually deleted from the computational model.
