Automated Lumber Sorting and Packaging System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing lumber supply chain is inefficient as it requires builders to manually collect and package specific lumber sizes and grades at the building site, which can lead to errors and increased costs due to the need for multiple shipments from the lumber mill to the lumberyard and then to the site.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that uses a programmed computer system to control a lumber sorter, which receives orders for building lumber packages and selectively places boards into bins based on dimension and grade, allowing for the assembly of pre-packaged lumber bundles directly at the lumber mill, ensuring accurate and efficient delivery to the building site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual collection and packaging of specific lumber sizes and grades is performed at the building site, then builders can receive exactly the needed lumber, but errors and increased costs occur due to the need for multiple shipments and manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sorting and packaging of lumber into custom packages at the lumber mill before shipment. The computer system receives bills of materials, controls the sorter to accumulate specific lumber sizes and grades in bins, and packages them ready for direct delivery to the building site, eliminating the need for manual re-sorting at the construction location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computer system as an intermediary that manages the entire process. It receives bills of materials from builders, designates bins for accumulating specific lumber, controls the sorter to place boards in correct bins, and coordinates packaging. This intermediary system eliminates manual intervention errors and streamlines the supply chain from mill to building site.
2Productivity
If automated sorting and packaging is performed at the lumber mill, then efficiency and accuracy are improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing lumber mill infrastructure (conveyors, bins, sorters) and integrates a computer control system that can handle multiple functions: receiving bills of materials, calculating sort instructions, controlling the sorter, and coordinating packaging. This multi-functional approach increases productivity while managing complexity by leveraging existing equipment rather than requiring entirely new specialized machinery.
3Adaptability or versatility
If lumber is sorted by dimension only at the sawmill, then the sorting process is simple, but the lumber cannot be directly packaged for specific building requirements including grade
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts bin assignments and sort instructions based on real-time bills of materials received from builders. The computer system can reconfigure the sorting process to accommodate different lumber mixes required by various construction projects, enabling custom packages tailored to specific building requirements while maintaining a relatively simple physical sorting infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for assembling a building lumber package includes a lumber sorter sequentially receiving a plurality of boards of different dimensions and selectively placing boards into a plurality of bins, a computer programmed to receive a list of different dimension lumber, to designate one or more bins for accumulating the lumber designated on the list, to receive dimension information identifying each board received by the sorter, and to control the lumber sorter to place boards designated on the list into bins designated for accumulating lumber identified on the list The system may process a plurality of orders for building lumber packages at essentially the same time. Lumber at a lumber mill is sorted into building lumber packages at the lumber mill and stacked and strapped by automated stackers and strappers at the lumber mill. The building lumber packages may be shipped directly from the lumber mill to a building site.