THE MAGAZINE FROM USNR | ISSUE 34
REFURBISHED LATHE AT SOUTHERN VENEER NETS NEW BLOCKLOGIX
NEW ALL-ELECTRIC PLANETARY SCREW ACTUATOR IS UNVEILED
JORDAN’S VINTAGE MCGEHEE GANG SPORTS A NEW LEASE ON LIFE
CONTENTS
Millwide Insider ISSUE 34
Looking back on a very good year! As another year comes to a close we tend to reflect on experiences, successes and the occasional bump in the road. Hopefully your 2014 has seen few bumps and many successes. That is cer tainly the way it has been at USNR. And it couldn’t have happened that way if not for our many customers, both well known and newly acquainted, who we’ve been privileged to work with this past year. Thanks for choosing USNR to work on your team!
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SOUTHERN VENEER When Southern Veneer came to USNR to update their aging lathe they knew the project would be completed in phases. Phase one improved their production and uptime. Phase two involved a development project that greatly enhanced their recovery, veneer quality, and launched a new product for USNR – BlockLogix™.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel.: 250.833.3028 subscriptions@usnr.com EDITOR Colleen Schonheiter colleen.schonheiter@usnr.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Sonia Perrine sonia.perrine@usnr.com
USNR PARTS & SERVICE 7/24 Service: 800.BUY.USNR Tel.: 360.225.8267 Fax: 360.225.7146 Mon. - Fri. 5:00 am - 5:00 pm PT
CARRIAGE PLANETARY SCREW ACTUATOR USNR’s new Carriage Planetary Screw Actuator for veneer lathes provides an easy retrofit that will ensure consistent peel thickness for higher quality veneer. This innovation lets you switch from hydraulics to all-electric actuation.
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www.usnr.com
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USNR LOCATIONS Woodland, WA Headquar ters 360.225.8267
JORDAN FOREST PRODUCTS The vintage curve sawing gang line at Jordan’s Barnesville operation was limiting the mill’s ability to speed up production and increase recovery. Jordan knew USNR was its best bet to handle a major redesign. In the process the transverse scanning system was reconfigured to lineal, and the mill is seeing big improvements in throughput and value.
Parksville, BC
Eugene, OR
250.954.1566
541.485.7127
Plessisville, QC
Jacksonville, FL
819.362.8768
904.354.2301
Salmon Arm, BC
Painesville, OH
250.832.7116
440.352.9381
© 2014, U.S. Natural Resources, Inc. All rights reserved.
USNR IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN 2014 Read about USNR’s display at the recent Timber Processing & Energy Expo that took place at Por tland, Oregon, and discover the many projects USNR took on or completed throughout this past year.
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 1981 Schurman Way, Woodland, WA 98674. Canada Post: Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: USNR c/o Colleen Schonheiter, 3550 - 45th Street Southeast, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 1X1
Southern Veneer
Ramping up recovery IMPRESSIVE YIELD: 4% MORE RECOVERY, 10-15% ON PRODUCTION “Continuous improvement” and “partner” aren’t just buzzwords at USNR. We stand behind our products and our customers who have chosen to partner with us on capital improvements. Recent updates to the veneer lathe line at Southern Veneer demonstrate the commitment USNR makes when you invest in our technology. It also gave USNR the opportunity to complete development of a new scanning and optimization system – BlockLogix, based on the BlockPLUS system that is operating in North America.
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SOUTHERN VENEER – RAMPING UP RECOVERY
A retrofit Coe Model 1380 core drive holds a block against the lathe knife for peeling, while a new pendulum readies another block for its turn.
Taking advantage of the upswing in markets to make capital improvements that would take it to the next level, Southern Veneer determined the time was ripe to update its existing lathe. The company acquired major components from a nearby closed plant, and
proceeded to source a vendor to take on the project. The goal was to increase productivity and veneer quality, improve fiber recovery, and at the same time decrease downtime and maintenance costs.
Southern Veneer is situated at Fitzgerald, Georgia, in the heart of Southern Yellow Pine country. The major production focus for the plant is veneer that is primarily marketed to producers of LVL panels. The operation includes a log yard, lathe and green end line, vintage Coe dryers, lay-up line, 10-bin Coe dry stacker, press line, and a saw line. Capacity is in the range of 200 million board feet annually.
together through the up and down cycles this industry is famous for. Input for the article came from the following team members who each had a hand in the success of the project, including Robert Clark, special projects coordinator; Mike Edwards, maintenance and electrical supervisor; Barry Donnelly, green end superintendent; Amy Tharp, CFO; and Juan Medellin, sales and production manager.
The operation is privately owned by Kendall and Tammy Adams, and the plant is managed by Rick Payne. The Southern Veneer team is a tight one, having worked together for many years and enduring
Detailing the plan
was looking to realize. Southern Veneer also wanted to incorporate scanning and optimization in the mix, to improve recovery. They determined that USNR offered the best package to bring the lathe system up to the performance standard they required. The team related, “USNR offered the best complete package, as well as service and support.” And having dealt with USNR (Coe) in the past, the Southern Veneer team knew they could count on USNR to be there for future support.
The 20-year-old Raute lathe required significant modification to achieve the level of production and reliability the team
The project was completed in two phases, starting in 2013. Along with the installation of the newly-acquired Coe Model 790 XY
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USNR offered the best complete package, as well as service and support.
charger and Coe Model 1380 core drive, the line was updated with a new charger pendulum, new hydraulic power unit to operate the XY charger and infeed step feeder, BlockPLUS (XY scanning and optimization system) and ControlLogix PLC motion control for all of the lathe mechanical functions. The first phase of the project went off without a hitch, and quickly got the plant up and running. The second phase would require programming changes to the BlockPLUS system to transition it from VME to the ControlLogix PLC platform. The new system is called BlockLogix™. The charger optimization system was started up using a temporary VME controller while the new ControlLogix PLC software code was in development back at USNR. The team knew going into the project that the second phase would require more time because of this effort. They explained, “We knew the installation of the second phase was going to take time. We also ran extra production leading up to the second phase so we didn’t lose any production during the changeover.” Top: The Model 790 Charger is lowered through the roof before being positioned into place ahead of the Raute lathe. Middle: The pendulum is also lowered through the roof and guided into place. Bottom: The charger and pendulum are now in place.
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SOUTHERN VENEER – RAMPING UP RECOVERY
Executing the second phase The second phase involved designing the PLC controls system to transition from the VME controller to the ControlLogix platform. Tim Dezellem, USNR controls technician, master-minded this second phase. He explained, “After the first phase was completed, everything except the XY scanning was controlled via the ControlLogix PLC. Phase two eliminated the requirement for the VME processor. Positioning of the XY spindles and the block rotation are accomplished through the PLC, while the optimization is done through a Dell server PC.” He went on to say that this is USNR’s first full PLC motion controlled lathe deck, and is a significant project that required input and coordination between multiple USNR teams to integrate the redesigned system.
The BlockLogix system Once a block is loaded on the charger's pre-centering vee, each end is sized to determine the best geometric spin axis, and the XY spindles engage the block
ends accordingly. As the spindles raise and rotate the block it is scanned every 0.05 inches along the length of the block and nominally every 1 degree of rotation. The optimizer receives the scan data and analyzes a multitude of possible lathe peeling solutions before generating the best solution. This solution is passed to the PLC to reset the splindles' axes before the pendulum picks up the block, to achieve maximum fiber value. Beyond maximizing veneer recovery and value, a secondary outcome is minimizing lost time in the block peeling cycle, thus improving production. The optimizer calculates the volume of veneer that can be recovered from the block. When the peel is completed the PLC communicates the point at which the peel stopped, and that information is used to generate management reports that display the optimized solution vs the actual volume of veneer recovered from each block.
Adding up results The team is seeing impressive results now that the project has wrapped up. They said, “It’s given us more recovery, saved
We’re averaging 4% increase in recovery. We've been able to decrease labor costs by at least a shift each week and still achieve 10-15% more production volume.
on labor and maintenance costs, saved material costs through increased recovery, and we’ve seen a significant decrease in mechanical downtime.” They went on to quantify some of their comments. “We’re averaging 4% increase in recovery, and between 10 and 15% increase in production. We’ve been able to decrease labor costs by at least a shift each week and still achieve the 10-15% more production volume. Weekly maintenance cost has been dramatically reduced. This project has exceeded our expectations.”
The user interface is user-configurable to view information in a variety of ways. Data displays the optimizer's solution for each block including the block's geometric measurements, volume of veneer, block and charger positioning offsets, etc.
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Southern Veneer was very appreciative of the team effort displayed by everyone involved. “We helped USNR’s team on the install, and they stayed for about a week afterwards to train us on how to operate and maintain the system.” Besides those who offered input for the article, the Southern Veneer team also provided rave reviews for these team members: Dennis Crager, Jose Trejo and Juan Carlos Trejo (lathe operators), and Jeff King Contractors. Now that the project is behind them and the lathe line is humming along the team is looking forward with anticipation to 2015. They’ve enjoyed the past couple of years of steady markets, and are hoping to expand their product mix in the near future. This project has helped to position Southern Veneer to achieve its goals.
The lathe peels a block, another is being picked up by the pendulum, and a third rests on the pre-centering vee waiting to be scanned.
BlockLogix: New era in veneer lathe optimization Ten years ago Coe introduced the first high density (100,000+ data points) XY charger scanning and optimization system, BlockPLUS, and it has been providing good returns for many veneer lathe customers. Now USNR is excited to introduce its new system based on BlockPLUS. It is appropriately renamed BlockLogix™ in recognition of its transition to the AllenBradley ControlLogix motion control platform. And there are more significant changes to this system that make it a better package for our customers. The new BlockLogix system features: Faster, Offers
more efficient processing the best fiber recovery
Simplest Fewer
to maintain, troubleshoot
electronic components
The BlockPLUS system was designed to work with the VME control platform, with the controller software embedded within the optimization architecture. While this configuration is fully capable of generating highly accurate peeling solutions, it is more cumbersome to program and troubleshoot.
BlockLogix uses ControlLogix, an industry standard in many regions. With this new system, the PLC control software is separate from the optimization architecture, making it much easier to adjust motion control functionality. And troubleshooting can usually be performed by your plant's technical personnel. BlockLogix optimization is based on the Windows platform, another industry standard. The redesigned and streamlined code makes it easier to adjust optimization parameters. And together with new, more powerful computer hardware, BlockLogix can process more data faster, allowing an increased number of computations before generating a solution.
No more pac chassis! Another new development in the system is new ethernet-based scan heads. With these sensors, the pac chassis – the computer that was required to collect the scan data and transmit it to the optimizer and PLC controller, is no longer necessary.
BlockLogix sensors user interface for optimization in solid wood applications. (See screen opposite) This evolving system is one more example of USNR’s continuing development and support for its range of panel products. To learn how BlockLogix can benefit your operation, please contact us at 800.BUY.USNR or info@usnr.com.
The user interface has also been redesigned to align with USNR's standard
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Carriage Planetary Screw Actuator
Higher quality veneer NEW ALL-ELECTRIC DESIGN: CONSISTENT PEEL EVERY TIME USNR's new Carriage Planetary Screw Actuator provides an easy retrofit that will ensure consistent peel thickness for higher quality veneer. This innovation lets you switch from hydraulics to all-electric actuation.
Planetary screw actuator assembly 8
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Coupling
Planetary roller screw
Temposonic probe
Major benefits Ensures
No
actuation, no hydraulics
consistent thickness of peeled veneer
Designed
for high cycle rates, improved productivity
backlash typically caused by varying fiber density
Lower
horsepower requirement, less costly operation
Reduced Rapid
maintenance
installation, requires no lathe carriage modifications
Adapts
to any brand of veneer lathe
Interfaces
Piston rod
Anti-rotation key
The direct-coupled AC servo motor and planetary roller screw are housed in a linear actuator assembly that replaces hydraulic cylinder and ball screw technologies. This new mechano-electric design reliably and consistently retracts the lathe carriage at a sustained rate up to 20” per second. This assembly provides an easy retrofit, attaching directly to your existing lathe carriage end frame. No modifications to the frame are required, and it is designed to adapt to any brand of veneer lathe.
All-electric
Infrared temperature sensor
Veneer Lathe Improvements
AC servo motor
is perfectly synchronized. This simple system ensures position errors are eliminated. The planetary screw is actuated via threaded rollers that provide more precise positioning than hydraulic or ball screw and nut components. These threaded rollers offer a larger load transfer contact surface, significantly increasing burden capacity and longer life. The direct-coupled AC servo motor and planetary roller screw design eliminates the precision loss typical with belt-driven roller screws. It allows much higher cycle rates in both peel and retract functions, significantly increasing production. Roller screw technology does not require a complex support system of valves, pumps and filters; maintenance is simplified. Redundant Temposonic probes for each roller screw assembly are attached directly to the knife bar, preventing any opportunity for carriage skew. It effectively reports actual knife location immediately following planned or un-planned power interruption. Homing is not required. To learn more about this new retrofit, please contact us at 800.BUY. USNR, +360.225.8267 or info@usnr.com.
to AB ControlLogix PLC
Improved design Typically a lathe carriage is actuated via hydraulic cylinders that may pose several issues. With hydraulic fluid compression, peeling thicknesses may vary resulting in sub-standard veneer quality. The use of hydraulics may also present environmental concerns with oil leaks and frequent repairs. The use of hydraulics demands much greater power for actuation than similar electrical components. With USNR’s new Carriage Planetary Screw Actuator these issues are eliminated.
Planetary screw actuator assembly: roller screw retracted, above; extended, below.
The linear actuator consists of a servo motor direct coupled to a planetary roller screw mechanism. This provides a compact, simple, energy-efficient solution.
How it works Both planetary screw actuators are commanded via an Allen-Bradley secondary drive controller, ensuring the actuation of both cylinders
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New Projects Browder & Sons Veneer – 6-Section, 4-deck veneer dryer The Browder & Sons plant at Thomasville, AL has ordered a new veneer dryer. The unit will consist of 4 decks, 6 heated sections and 1 cooling section, with an insulated floor throughout.
Kiwi Lumber – BioVision Edger, Sharp Chain Infeed Kiwi Lumber at Masterton, New Zealand is investing in several capital improvements. Included are a new BioVision transverse optimization system for its edger line, featuring BioLuma 2900LVG sensors utilizing HD color vision, HD laser profile and GrainMap™ technologies. The edger oufeed will be updated with USNR’s Flying-V Tailer, proven in applications where space is limited. The mill is also investing in a new sharp chain infeed.
Red Stag Timber – Primary, secondary breakdown lines The Red Stag Timber operation at Rotorua, New Zealand is investing in new state-ofthe-art primary and secondary breakdown lines, and is partnering with USNR for the supply. The mill is building a complex to house its new extended length infeed (ELI) line, horizontal shape sawing (HSS) gang line, dual edger lines, and associated lumber handling equipment. The operation
processes Radiata Pine logs up to 600mm (24”) diameter, and lengths up to 6m (20’). Piece rate is targeted to 10-12 logs per minute once the new supply is commissioned in 2016.
Roy O Mar tin – Stainless steel insulated dryer floor The Martco complex at Chopin, LA is investing in a new stainless steel insulated dryer floor for its No. 4 dryer, covering 18 heated sections and 3 cooling sections.
Sierra Forest – Planer mill trim, sor t & stack equipment Sierra Forest Products at Terra Bella, CA has ordered a number of new lumber handling pieces to upgrade its planer mill trim-sort-stack line. The PLC controls will be updated to ControlLogix as part of the project, as well as installation of a WinTally sorter management system.
Superior Hardwoods – MillExper t/LASAR upgrades Superior Hardwoods of Ohio is upgrading its carriage lines at Cambridge, Barlow and McArthur, OH with the MillExpert/ LASAR scanning and optimization package. These orders come on the heels of a very successful similar project at the company’s Wellston, OH mill.
Urufor – Green automated grading trimmer line Urufor is investing in a Transverse High Grader (THG™) for its green Trimmer line at its manufacturing plant in Uruguay. The new system will provide automated grading of its green mill products derived from high value, Eucalyptus Grandis prune logs. Urufor is a global producer, with its focus on a wide range of lumber and laminated wood products for its markets in over 30 countries around the world. Urufor joins a growing list of global USNR customers that are adding advanced, vision-based grading technology.
York Timbers – Plywood Lay-up Line York Timbers is investing in an automated lay-up line for its plywood manufacturing plant at Sabie, South Africa. This new line is part of a major expansion York is undertaking to automate its process, manufacturing high value pine veneer into quality plywood panels of up to 9 plys. York is a major producer based in South Africa, with its focus on a wide range of solid and engineered wood products for its markets.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION For your complimentary subscription to USNR’s Millwide Insider magazine e-mail subscriptions@usnr.com or go to www.usnr.com/about/news
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Jordan Forest Products
A new paradigm VINTAGE GANG LINE GETS A TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FACELIFT It’s true that you really can teach an old dog new tricks. This was the case for the 20-year-old Newnes-McGehee curve sawing gang line at Jordan Forest Products, Barnesville, GA. Today this line boasts new scanning and optimization that has turned the corner from transverse to lineal orientation, new infeed and outfeed, and new conical chip heads putting a fine finish on Jordan’s quality products. The original sawbox has morphed into the center piece of a brand new paradigm for speed, recovery and quality.
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JORDAN FOREST PRODUCTS – A NEW PARADIGM
A cant is scanned at the QuickScan while several more wait their turn on the sequencing deck.
USNR has developed a strong business relationship with Jordan Lumber. Jordan’s Mt. Gilead, NC operation has invested in merchandizing, log sor ting, bucking and carriage line optimization from USNR, and a Lineal High Grader (LHG ®) automated planer grading line. The existing line featured transverse scanning and optimization on a NewnesMcGehee (NM) curve sawing gang. This was the second curve sawing machine built in this series that took the industry by storm and redefined the cant breakdown concept in the mid-1990s. The sawbox is a double arbor machine built to accommodate 10” cant thicknesses. It was fitted with chopper heads at the outfeed that would chop or break up the waste into smaller pieces to fit into the waste conveyor.
The issues Upstream is a double-length-infeed with a sharp chain feeding the mill’s two gang lines. In addition to the curve sawing line Jordan has an older Ukiah straight sawing,
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Jordan’s Barnesville, GA mill also has a variety of USNR equipment, some of which dates back to its history as a Weyerhaeuser mill that was brought into the Jordan fold in 2004. In 2013 Jordan decided to invest in updating the aging curve sawing gang line at Barnesville.
double arbor machine that had been decommissioned. In order to speed up the primary end Jordan bought a used feed table for the Ukiah gang and put it back into service. Tom Van Horn, project manager for the Jordan mills, commented, “We wanted to start targeting smaller, less costly logs.” The mill performed all the mechanical and PLC retrofits to this line in-house. While this did help improve throughput, it also hurt recovery with a larger quantity of cants being processed without the benefits of curve sawing. Tom said, “We tried to pick out straighter logs to send to the straight-sawing gang, but a lot of times it just had to take the overflow that the curve line couldn’t handle.” The
sharp chain was running at 15-16 logs/min, while the curve line was peaking out at 12. It was time to bring this machine center up to current standards for product processing, efficiency and throughput. Tom explained the reasons for the retrofit were many; to improve on lumber quality and recovery, equipment reliability and supportability, and production throughput. “There had been no real improvements on that machine since it was installed in the mid-1990s. We knew the optimization and PLC were at the end of their life cycles for parts support and service.” He added that the chopper heads were failing mechanically and causing a lot of downtime and defect in the lumber quality.
To further improve efficiency and feed rate, the mill also wanted to transition the line from transverse to lineal scanning. He added, “We wanted to leave the gang sawbox where it was located, and USNR was the only vendor that was able to make the changes we needed without relocating the gang.” Having acquired the NewnesMcGehee product line and intellectual property, USNR was well positioned to upgrade this line with retrofits that were specifically built to accommodate the original design.
down rather than forward toward the saws as is the case with cylindrical heads.
Redesigning the curve The project USNR undertook for the curve sawing gang line entailed supplying a new lineal scanning system, new infeed and outfeed pressroll modules on the sawbox, and a new feedroll module in front of new conical shape chippers. The conical chip heads offer a larger depth of cut, cleaner lumber finishing, and are capable of higher piece counts. Conical heads also reduce overfeeding since the cutting forces point
The new optimization package chosen for the line was MillExpert, standardizing with the upstream and downstream processes. MillExpert optimization is proven on virtually every type of cant breakdown configuration, from traditional straight sawing to complex shifting pockets, arch sawing, curve sawing, versa gang and numerical shape sawing machines. It is configurable for single or multiple scan zone applications where space is limited. A unique feature, this system utilizes exhaustive-fit optimization, meaning no lookup tables, pattern fits, profiles or matrices, to ensure the highest value breakdown solutions possible. The lineal scanning system is based on the USNR QuickScan concept. The scanner is configured with dual scan zones fitted with Smart TriCam sensors. It delivers high density scanning in a shorter footprint than a typical lineal scan configuration,
FLOW
From DLI
Conical shape chipper
FLOW
Intermediate module Gang sawbox
Outfeed module FLOW
FLOW
NEW LINE LAYOUT
Infeed module
Centering infeed table
QuickScan is capable of the highest piece counts available because gaps can be
To straight sawing gang
FLOW
To curve sawing gang
QuickScan
and features the additional flexibility to feed cants from either or both sides. Cants are centered on the scan table. The first scanner can be positioned a mere 18” from lumber line, and with a second scan zone (system is available with up to 3) it accommodates a shorter infeed while capturing densely accurate scan data. With 2 scan zones the cant is fully scanned once it travels half its length, lineally.
FLOW
Sharp chain outfeed
We wanted to leave the gang sawbox where it was located, and USNR was the only vendor that was able to make the changes we needed without relocating the gang.
Bridge
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JORDAN FOREST PRODUCTS – A NEW PARADIGM
It was a very successful project, and the machine is running very well.
Carpenter, Barnesville plant manager; Sam Johnson, lead electrician; Terry Crole, lead electrician from Mt. Gilead; and Scott Laster, sawmill manager.
The new conical chip heads produce a clean, smooth finish to the sides of the cant.
aggressively resized by ramping up or down the feed chain speed. This allows adequate time for resetting the sawbox cutting tools between cants. The sawing solutions are transferred to the PLC controls system via Ethernet communication protocols. As part of the project, the old PLC5 controls platform was replaced with ControlLogix.
Results are two thumbs up Tom said, “It was a very successful project, and the machine is running very well.” Two goals of the project were to increase recovery and throughput. Tom added, “We’ve already noticed a dramatic increase in recovery. We are now running 15-16 logs/minute through the whole line, that’s an increase of at least 4 logs/minute through the curve sawing gang.” Tom also mentioned that it has significantly reduced downtime. When asked how it has affected downstream processes, he commented that it has created more burden on that area, laughing, “but that’s all good!” He explained that the sharp chain and curve sawing line now run virtually the same speed. “Higher throughput helps our recovery because we are very close to being
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We've already noticed a dramatic increase in recovery. We are now running 15-16 logs/ minute through the whole line, that's an increase of at least 4 logs/minute through the curve sawing gang.
able to shut down our straight-sawing gang line. We’re seeing improved optimization benefitting recovery, and new chip heads yielding better lumber quality. Now about 95% of our lumber is running through the curve sawing line, that’s an increase of about 25%.” Because the Jordan personnel are familiar with MillExpert on other machine centers, training was accomplished in a Sunday afternoon session at the mill with USNR start-up technicians. Others who were involved in bringing this project to a successful conclusion include Kevin
With the primary line in good, reliable working order, Jordan is ready to look at downstream processes. USNR’s ongoing practice of working with our customers in support of our legacy products helps processors to realize their goals in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. We appreciate the trust customers like Jordan Lumber place in our products, our technology and our company.
Spotlighting USNR in 2014
Advancing the industry USNR’S INNOVATIVE DESIGNS ON DISPLAY CENTER STAGE This past year has been a pretty good one for producers and vendors alike. We’d like to share some highlights, beginning with the Timber Processing and Energy Expo that recently wrapped up at the Portland Expo Center at Portland, Oregon. For USNR, our ongoing demonstrations of advanced technologies kept the booth buzzing. Customers visited the dynamic display to learn about the latest innovations and trends. It was also a great time to meet with customers from near and far, reminisce about past projects and experiences, and gauge the pulse of the market from those who live it daily!
New mobile technology applications unveiled! With 18 MyMill Mobile Control systems sold globally, it’s catching on as a timeand-money-saving solution for streamlining mill operations. Now we’re expanding that mobile machine control capability to the optimization realm. USNR debuted a revolutionary new application with the MyMill Mobile Interface that delivers remote access to your optimization system, in real time (at right). Now you can take it all with you; log scans and optimizer solutions, reports, sensor diagnostics, and more. Mill managers gain unprecedented freedom through mobile interaction with their optimizers.
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ADVANCING THE INDUSTRY
USNR in 2014
Counter-Flow Kiln with MyMill Kiln Control The MyMill Mobile Interface was also demonstrated in a lumber drying application at the Counter Flow Kiln demonstration unit, where it can be used to remotely control the drying process.
New reman edger design USNR’s tried and true Edger systems prove themselves every day in mills around the world, and we continue to refine our designs. The Reman Edger (at left) displayed offers a transverse dualpositioning infeed that can run at up to 57 pieces/minute.
ElectraTong
New reman edger design
The ElectraTong is USNR’s latest highspeed lug loader. Its all-electric design can feed random lengths and widths, and is clocked at up to 240 lpm. The display garnered plenty of attention at the show with video of fast and accurate handling of mixed board sizes (previous page).
Multi-Track Fence With over 75 sold world wide, USNR’s popular Multi-Track Fence demonstrated the mechanisms that make it an industry winner, able to accommodate high speeds with the most precise board positioning available today. The display also featured our MyMill Mobile Interface allowing attendees to remotely control the fence via iPad (at left).
Transverse High Grader: Green and Dry Applications Attendees were able to examine the THG scanner solution engine first hand, configured for the automated planer mill grading dry planed lumber. Then the software was switched over to display a BioVision Edger application grading green sawmill flitches (opposite page, top right).
Multi-Track Fence, MyMill controlled
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USNR in 2014
Lathe Carriage Planetary Screw Actuator A new electric device for veneer lathes is launched with the Carriage Planetary Screw Actuator. It received keen interest from Panel Industry customers. It’s part of USNR’s overall drive toward electric power and PLC-based controls in panel manufacturing equipment design.
THG for green & dry applications
CUSTOMERS CLAMORING FOR USNR TECHNOLOGY USNR is in the enviable position of developing many new technologies in recent years that are resonating with our customers all over the globe. Just as our customers are busy developing new products and markets, USNR’s innovations are fueling much of that activity. Following are a few highlights of USNR’s achievements over the past year.
MillExper t-LASAR winning combination At the front end of the green mill, carriage optimization is one of the earliest opportunities to recover value. USNR’s MillExpert optimization in combination with 3D LASAR scanning was a very popular solution in 2014, with new orders and installations originating from British Columbia and Quebec in Canada, and Indiana, Ohio, New York, West Virginia, Vermont and Washington in the US.
Green grading Further downstream from the primary line, orders are streaming in for USNR’s advanced, vision-based grading technology for the green mill. In 2014 USNR accepted orders and started projects for this technology from customers in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Uruguay and the US.
Clean and dry The dry kiln segment of USNR’s business is expanding with a new 8-grate Green Fuel Burner, with several North American projects underway this past year. USNR’s innovative Green Fuel Burner eliminates common problems with direct-fired burners while increasing lumber value. The unit burns sawdust as an economical heat source, but employs a unique afterburner module that ensures complete combustion. This is proven to keep high value lumber in the kiln remarkably clean and free from ash.
USNR’s 8-grate Green Fuel Burner produces approximately 40 MM BTUs of heat per hour.
Dry grading USNR’s Lineal High Grader (LHG ®) is on order for a producer in the Pacific Northwest US, grading primarily Douglas Fir. This unit will replace a competitor’s system. The LHG will employ dense laser profile data, X-ray data, and HD vision data, and through DataFusion™ it will detect and classify a wide range of defects for highly accurate grade extraction. The recently launched Grade Projector will assist the process by clearly projecting the grade and trim locations on each board, with no marking required.
Handling precious cargo All that lumber USNR’s equipment is producing in mills around the globe needs to be transported through the process, and we’ve introduced several new innovations
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ADVANCING THE INDUSTRY
USNR in 2014
Value-added processing The secondary processing sector was not left out, with an order for a new AddVantage Rip Scan Optimizer on the books for a customer in eastern US.
Major capital investments In the US, Canada, Russia and New Zealand, 2014 saw USNR taking orders or commissioning major capital equipment lines for some of the world’s top producers. And these lines feature more new products you’ll soon be hearing about in great detail. At USNR, 2015 is shaping up to be another stellar year!
that contribute to the ease for handling this precious cargo. Our popular MultiTrack Fence is now operating – or soon will be – on 75 lines. The first installation of our ElectraTong Lug Loader is underway in BC, targeted to run at 240 lpm. This all-electric machine readily handles mixed width, thickness and length products at very high speeds. MillTrak™ lumber flow control oversees the process to facilitate a smooth, continuous flow. The 30 MillTrak systems sold in 2014 contribute to well over 100 systems our customers have ordered. And our MyMill™ mobile control is catching on as a time and labor-saving system that provides the tools you need to operate your equipment, all from the palm of your hand. USNR sold or installed MyMill to control 11 machine centers in 2014, to total 18 sold to-date.
Veneer, plywood, panels USNR’s plywood and panel business has seen significant activity this past year. US customers from the southeast to the northwest are investing in new lathes and lathe upgrades, including those described
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Millwide Insider | ISSUE 34 | www.usnr.com
in this magazine – the new BlockLogix XY charger scanning and optimization system, and the Carriage Planetary Screw Actuator – as well as other enhancements that will improve the productivity and recovery at their lathe lines. And our dryers kept pace for Canadian and US veneer producers with new 4- and 6-deck dryer orders announced, as well as retrofits like insulated dryer floors and Automated Dryer Efficiency Control (ADEC) systems. Once that veneer has been dried it becomes a building block that is in demand for housing and woodworking. USNR is pleased to be the chosen vendor for a new lay-up line that will be installed in South Africa in 2015 courtesy of a recent order.
Presses In 2014 USNR has taken new orders and completed projects to update press lines in North America. Recent innovations to our Washington Iron Works presses are proving an attractive option to increase the yield and reliability of existing press lines.
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Profile Jason Clay is an Account Manager with USNR, based in West Virginia. Jason came to USNR in 2014 from a senior technical role working for a major hardwood producer. But he started his career in this industry working on a green chain and tallying lumber. He was soon amazed at the level of technology employed in all stages of the process, and says he was “hooked”. He brings a wealth of knowledge about not only the technical aspects of lumber production, but also a respect for the varied nature of individual mills in this industry.
UPCOMING EVENTS 2015
He says, “Sawmillers are a diverse group who are very resilient. Their experience is what has kept the industry alive during some very trying times. I hope I can help them as much as they will help me.” He went on to express, “We are in this business to provide solutions, helping to ensure the longevity of the industry.” Jason started out in the industry to feed his hobby as a woodworker. He says that these days he starts more projects than he finishes, with more of his spare time directed to his wife and 12 year old son.
FEB. 17–19 Montreal Wood
MAR. 1–3 WWPA
MAR. 10–12 IHLA
Montreal, QC
Portland, OR
Indianapolis, IN
MAR. 11–14 WoodMAC
MAR. 24–26 Small Log Conf.
MAR. 25–27 HMA
Shanghai, China
Coeur d’Alene, ID
Charleston, SC