Log Positioning for Side Board Profiling With Minimal Wood Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing sawn timber face challenges in minimizing the wood gap between logs due to varying log geometries and dimensions, leading to inefficient milling tool movements and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
The method involves moving the log from a transport position to a machining position by rotating or translating it orthogonally to the feed direction, allowing the milling tools to engage with the log without significant distance travel, and adjusting the log's orientation to minimize the wood gap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the log is not moved and only the milling tools are advanced along their axes to profile the side board, then the milling tools can process the log, but the wood gap between logs must be large to accommodate long tool travel distances
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the milling tools along their feed axes to profile the side board, the patent inverts the approach by moving the log itself along an adjustment axis orthogonally to the feed direction. This brings the leading section of the log towards the milling tools, eliminating the need for long tool travel distances and allowing significant reduction of the wood gap between logs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of movement by adjusting the log along an axis that runs orthogonally to the feed direction. This additional degree of freedom allows the log to be positioned such that its leading section moves towards the milling tools, enabling the profiling operation without requiring the milling tools to travel long distances along their feed axes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the milling tools are moved in the opposite direction to process a subsequent log with non-parallel side board orientation, then the desired non-parallel side board profile can be achieved, but the wood gap must be enlarged to accommodate the long tool travel distances
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the milling tools in the opposite direction along their feed axes to achieve non-parallel side board orientations, the patent moves the log along an adjustment axis orthogonally to the feed direction. This inversion of the movement approach allows the log to be repositioned to present its leading section to the milling tools at the appropriate angle, achieving non-parallel side board profiles without requiring the milling tools to travel long distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the log position dynamic by allowing it to be adjusted along an axis orthogonal to the feed direction. This dynamic positioning capability enables the log to be oriented appropriately for milling non-parallel side boards while keeping the milling tools stationary or requiring minimal movement, thus maintaining a small wood gap.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2d
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
Method for producing sawn timber from a tree trunk (1), in which at least one processing surface (2) is created on the tree trunk (1) by removing a slab area and in which the tree trunk (1) is moved in a feed direction (9) against at least two milling tools (5), each of which can be moved along a feed axis (8), whereby two wane edge areas (3) adjacent to the processing surface (2) are milled out and at least one side board (4) is profiled and in which the side board (4) is separated from the tree trunk (1) by a saw cut.It is essential that the log (1) is moved from a transport position to a processing position during the feed movement and before the side board is profiled, by moving the log around and/or along at least one adjustment axis which runs orthogonally to the feed direction (9) and thereby displacing at least a leading area of the log (1) transversely to the feed direction (9) in the direction of at least one of the milling tools (5).