Board Turner System for Sawmill Orientation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current scanning and optimization techniques in sawmills do not efficiently orient and position workpieces for optimal material removal, leading to suboptimal grade and profitability, particularly as planers remove more material from the top than the bottom, making it desirable to send boards through in a wane-up orientation.
Innovation Solution
A board turner system comprising an endless chain, pivot members, and turner arms that rotate workpieces approximately 180 degrees, with a scanner upstream to determine the need for orientation adjustment and actuators to control the turning process, ensuring optimal orientation for processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If boards are sent through the planer in wane-up orientation to optimize material removal, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for scanning and orientation control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The scanner upstream detects board orientation and positioning needs before the boards reach the planer, allowing the system to pre-determine optimal orientation adjustments. This preliminary detection enables the board turner to prepare appropriate orientation changes in advance, ensuring boards are correctly positioned before material removal begins, thus improving manufacturing precision without requiring complex real-time control during processing
2Manufacturing precision
If scanning and optimization techniques are used to determine best orientation, then manufacturing precision improves, but loss of time increases due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The scanner is positioned upstream in the processing line to detect board orientation needs before boards enter the planer. This allows orientation decisions to be made in advance during the natural flow of material handling, rather than adding time during the actual processing. The board turner then executes orientation adjustments as boards move through the system, integrating the time cost into existing material handling rather than adding separate processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual orientation assessment and adjustment with automated optical scanning and mechanical board turning. The scanner uses light-based detection to quickly assess board orientation without physical contact, and the board turner uses automated mechanical mechanisms to execute orientation changes, both of which are faster and more efficient than manual operations, reducing overall time loss
3Manufacturing precision
If board turner system is implemented to rotate workpieces 180 degrees, then manufacturing precision improves by ensuring correct orientation, but device complexity increases due to additional mechanical components
Solution Approach 1:
The board turner system is divided into separate functional modules: the scanner for detection, the board turner mechanism for rotation, and the planer for processing. Each component performs a specific function independently, allowing for simpler individual designs that can be optimized separately. The segmentation enables the orientation control function to be added as a distinct module rather than integrating complexity into the planer itself
Solution Approach 2:
The board turner acts as an intermediary device between the scanner and the planer. It receives orientation information from the scanner and executes physical orientation changes before boards reach the planer. This intermediary role allows the system to achieve precise orientation control without requiring the planer itself to be complex, as the orientation preparation is handled by a dedicated intermediate component
Data Source
AI summary
A board turner assembly may include an endless chain, first and second groups of turning arms pivotably coupled with the endless chain and disposed along opposite sides thereof, an upper guide with an inclined surface, an actuator selectively operable to move the upper guide between a resting position and an extended position, and one or more endless belts. The turning arms may be spaced apart at regular intervals that are offset on one side of the chain relative to the other. The groups of turning arms may be operated in an alternating fashion to turn selected boards to a desired orientation (e.g., wane side up). Corresponding methods and systems are also described.