JOESCAN

Hi-Tech/Baxley vintage transverse scanner upgrade with JS-50 WX heads by Timber Automation

Blake DeFrance, Senior Business Development Manager, JoeScan

New Joescan 3D scanner - JS-50 WX

A fresh face

Sawmill scanning experts JoeScan have officially launched their latest JS-50 WX model scanner. A successful beta program saw scan heads put through their paces in mills across North America

JS-50 WX is being praised as a do-it-all sawmill scanner, with current installations covering machine centers from bucking lines to transverse edgers to trimmers.

“In order to facilitate the greatest range of options we tested the JoeScan’s against a number of other considerations and decided to standardize on the JS-50 WX as part of our core offering,” says Joe Korac, President at Automation and Electronics USA. “With our optimizing platform’s current projects requiring Log Merchandising, Whole Log Breakdown, Gang, Edger and Trimmer optimizers; the JS-50’s unique attributes made it an excellent fit for all our customers’ needs.”

Simplicity is the big advantage

Making scanners easier to install and maintain is the primary focus of the newest member of the JoeScan family. Sawmill-first features like Power over Ethernet single cable connectors and an intuitive new mounting bracket are aimed at simplifying the scanning experience for installers and operators alike. The API interface has been re-designed from the ground up to make the task of integrating JoeScan hardware with optimizer software as quick and easy as possible.

Early adopters have also been impressed by the next-gen performance and JoeScan’s wellearned reputation for reliability.

“The new scan head delivers accurate high-density range data, quality ‘Laser Imaging’ data for inspection of visual defects and knots, and scan rates sufficient for high-speed systems,” says Steve Fletcher, Director of Optimization at Timber Automation. “JS-50 WX provides us all this in a compact, reliable package. There is built-in redundancy with two cameras, and the 5-year warranty gives peace of mind to our customers.” To help introduce their new scanner to the industry at large, JoeScan has hired a new Senior Business Development Manager, Blake DeFrance. Blake brings with him over 20 years of industrial automation experience and a passion for forging partnerships.

“I’m thrilled to join such a dedicated and talented team,” says DeFrance. “My #1 goal at JoeScan is to help our optimizer and OEM partners get sawmills the scanning solutions they need.”

The road ahead

Indeed, the JS-50 WX is just the latest innovation from a company that has dedicated itself to the sawmill industry for the last 20 years. JoeScan views JS-50 WX as the herald of a new age in sawmill scanning.

JS-50 WX scanners serve the bucking line at Pollard Lumber in Appling, Georgia (integration by Cecil Company)

“The reception has been great so far, and we’re really excited to expand the benefits of this platform through the parts of the mill not covered by our new WX model,” adds DeFrance. “If someone is scanning it in a green mill, planer mill, or veneer mill, we want to find a way to make that process simpler and more reliable for them.”

Work has already begun on developing a single camera variant of the JS-50 WX that will offer many of the benefits in an even smaller package. JoeScan invites anyone that shares their vision of simpler, more reliable sawmill scanning solutions to contact Blake DeFrance at Blake.DeFrance@ joescan.com.

Capacity and quality in focus when Högland invests in Valutec kilns

David Marcusson, CEO, Höglands Såg & Hyvleri,

Höglands Såg & Hyvleri has invested in two continuous kilns from Valutec for its sawmill at Anundsjö, Sweden. After the investments, the company’s drying capacity will reach 375,000 cubic meters (158,916 MBF) annually.

“With the sawmill in full operation, we have experienced the lumber drying kilns as a limiting factor. This investments main benefits are the improved flow on our production line and the increased quality of the finished product,” says David Markusson, CEO of Höglands Såg & Hyvleri.

Höglands Såg & Hyvleri is a family-owned company comprised of the sawmills, Höglandssågen and Anundsjösågen, in addition to the grading department located at Domsjö. The sawmill saws both fir and pine, mainly for use as construction lumber and primarily sold on the Swedish and UK markets. Together, the sawmills produce approx. 320,000 cubic meters (135,608 MBF) of lumber products annually.

“Valutec has a long-standing collaborative relationship with Höglands and has previously supplied kilns to both Anundsjö and Höglands. It’s an honor for us to be able to supply the new kilns for Anundsjösågen. It’s an excellent testament to our collaborative relationship and we look forward to starting the project,” says Jon Lindberg, Sales Manager at Valutec.

Anundsjösågen invested in two similar kilns from Valutec as late as in 2015, which helped facilitate their choice of supplier this time around.

“The kilns we bought in 2015 have worked well and, of course, the operators having experience in using and operating the machines has its advantages,” says David Markusson. “We know Valutec and how they work, while at the same time we feel a sense of security in knowing that the company, like us, has its headquarters up in the north of Sweden.”

The kilns Anundsjösågen Automation & Electronics have been utilizing JoeScan JS-50 heads as part of the development of their NextGen Platform for Geometric Optimization, including this optimized trimmer

invests in are FB continuous kilns, built in stainless steel with an annual capacity of approx. 50,000 cubic meters (21,118 MBF) per kiln. They are equipped with pressure frames, for minimal deformation of the uppermost lumber layer, and Valutec’s heat recovery system. The delivery also includes the Valmatics 4.0 control system.

Installation of the new lumber kilns will begin in August 2021.