Small Log Mills - Tech Update

By Helen Johnson

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Anderson Ventures Ltd
The multiple-dog-end end dogging saw from Anderson Ventures Ltd was developed for high-speed, all-wood sawing. The AVL2000 series, available in six models, can saw very thin flitches and, with the aid of an edger or rip saw, can recover as much as 20 per cent more wood. The five-tonne machine can also saw as a twin or scragg with the ability to back up and recover boards or cut thicker on one side or the other or both sides. With the assistance of a cant edger, it can achieve very high production, as well as yield, with a low dollar investment, the company says. Built with easy maintenance in mind, the end dogging saw cuts logs up to 18" in diameter at the butt and 4" minimum at the top, with logs ranging in length from 36" to 17'. It has a minimum saw size of 24", a maximum saw size of 48" and requires from 50 to 200 hp. The carriage drive is hydraulic and all controls are electric over hydraulic. Optional are a log loader, 90degree turning for the log, PLC adaptability and heated operators cab.
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HewSaw Machines Inc
The R200 X is the latest addition to the HewSaw Machines Inc line of small log curve sawing processors. If offers controlled curve sawing with full or half taper sawing capability, extended saw stroke to allow for timber or board production from the same saw assembly and reduced log gap for "scann set" operations. With new chipping heads for high speed applications, the R200 X also features extra short log processing for pallet production. The R200 Series from HewSaw includes efficient and fully integrated single pass log processing machines for sawing and chipping small logs with diameters ranging from 2 1/4" to 14". Production capabilities run between 100,000 and 200,000 fbm of sawn lumber or 6,000 to 12,000 logs in an eight hour shift. In a single pass, logs are chipped, sawn and edged in a short lineal distance. The standard, or fixed, saw assembly model processes large runs of presorted logs on a continual ribbon feeding basis. The movable saw assembly, or MSA, is used when log sorting is minimal or unavailable. The chipper heads and saw section shift for maximum high recovery solutions after scanning the log. The separate edging feature enables edging of top and bottom boards immediately after passing through the saw assembly. Separating the edging tools from the saw assembly results in high quality chips from board edging and sawn, rather than chipped, top and bottom board edges. Also, the vertical shifting capability of the edging tools allows for a wider range of sawing solutions.
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Comact Western Canada
The Comact singulating, even ending unscrambler, with its star feeder for gap control, is specifically designed for high speed operations feeding debarkers and primary breakdown lines. Recent design changes have made the log unscrambler a performer in the modern, high feed speed mill environment. The first modification-the installation of even ending rolls in the horizontal section at the top of the unscrambler-even ends the logs and works well feeding debarkers and lines that have logs at a specific length. The star feeder was designed for logs with random lengths to provide proper gap control and the ability to catch up if one or more lugs isn't filled. All of the components together provide three staging points for the log s- one on a f l i g h t, one on one of the arms of the star feeder and one in the star feeder itself. Thus the unscrambler can run independently from the star feeder. Photocells in the conveyor track the trailing end of the log and, with the aid of an encoder, give the signal through the PLC to fire the next log. The design of a highV flight acceleration conveyor creates enough friction to instantly accelerate the log to line speed with minimal slippage. It creates exact gaps at high speeds and is suitable for feed speeds up to 600 fpm. The unscrambler chain is driven with a frequency drive, while the star feeder is driven with a flux vector drive for accurate timing and positioning. The teeth on the flights perform in frozen and wet conditions, the company says, when logs dumped on the belt or chain tend to slip unacceptably.
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CAE Forestry Systems
The SL2000 small log processor from CAE Forestry Systems-part of the new generation of high speed, curve sawing, small log processors-allows mills to maximize the yield from small logs by producing a variety of quality products in a single step. Providing profile scanning, controlled log transport and curve sawing, the SL2000 delivers a high yield of ready to trim lumber and quality chips, the company says. The machine also offers accessible design, user friendly controls and feature rich optimization. CAE provides simulation and control technologies for training and optimization solutions for the forestry, aerospace and defense sectors.
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Sawquip International
The Generation II curve sawing system from Sawquip International Inc features a four head canter and eight inch multisaw edger with positive log orientation. An X,Y or profile scan and logic sets chipping heads and controls taper processing, while positive log orientation is set by control logic. Logs are rescanned after turning and repositioned vertically for best opening face by vertical rolls for half or full taper processing. The six or eight inch gang edger has three to five guided saws moving in two clusters to produce cant thicknesses of three to eight inches. The system can handle log lengths from six feet to 16' 3" and log diameters from 2.5" to 16". Allowable curvature is from zero to 2.5 per cent. The Vchain and fourhead canter can be used separately for production of squares. Lineal feed speeds range from 200 to 450 fpm. The saw has clam shell openings for access and maintenance. The fourhead chipping canter has four 100hp motors and six or eight knives per head. Chip length is between 5/8" and 1 1/4". Optional are the ability to process logs from six to 20 feet in length, a 10inch gang edger, collar saws on chipping heads and inline VDA or band saws.
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Coe Manufacturing
Coe Manufacturing's EDS4000 end dogging system combines threedimensional log scanning with log positioning and rotation to assure accurate and optimum solutions for each log. With the EDS4000 system the log is clamped by the charger and held in place for accurate 3D scanning and skew and offset positioning. From the charger, the log is picked up by the log carriage where it is rotated to the optimum rotation position prior to processing through the canter module. The system operates at feed speeds of up to 650 fpm and can process up to 24 eight foot logs per minute. Circle Reader Service Card #275

Maxi Mill Inc
Maxi Mill sawing systems use an overhead carriage that clamps logs on the ends. End dogging gives the carriage the ability to clamp a log after it is scanned and optimally positioned for processing. The carriages run on 104lb V and flat rails with hardened alloy steel wheels, mounted using Timken tapered roller bearings. Other features include an electric regenerative DC carriage drive, with all solid state controls, and a low inertia electric motor paired with low inertia, high ratio planetary reduction gears to provide precise carriage control, performance and reliability, the company says. Prior to log positioning on the carriage or chain, the control system uses a combination of photoelectric devices, transducer position feedback, precise mechanical movement and advanced mathematical algorithms to determine the log's precise shape and size by measuring length, diameter, sweep and crook, allowing the positioning for maximum yield. Maxi Mill offers systems with or without log rotation. Nonturning carriages are available for smaller logs that require higher processing rates of six to eight logs per minute. These systems feature raising end dogs for quick reciprocation and positive log discharging. For processing larger logs at rates of four to six passes per minute, Maxi Mill features on carriage 90degree log turning, utilizing Tempo sonics controlled hydraulic cylinders at both ends of the log to assure smooth, accurate log rotation across a large range of log sizes. Each turning dog is equipped with a tapered pin to assure a positive lock at precisely zero and 90 degrees. The Maxi Mill system can be integrated with many different types of log scanners. The most often used is the Banner SM30 series, where logs are laterally transported through multiple curtains of through beam photoelectric pairs.
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USNR
Maintenance friendly chipping modules are the key to USNR's small log processing system concept to slew, skew, tilt and shift the log infeed system. The transport system accurately feeds and guides the log through the chip head modules, eliminating the chipped spline surface and providing increased lumber recovery, the company says. The design uses the required pressure and feed capabilities to straighten and transport the log and subsequent cant through the cutting tools. In some applications, this option is a preferred method of shape sawing, which USNR also provides. For applications where speed is a consideration, USNR has started up a small log system capable of more than 650 fpm. The company provides a complete system that includes mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and scanning and optimization. All system machine modules are designed and manufactured within a division of the company. Regional offices provide parts and service for USNR products after initial equipment start up. The company has more than 50 extended length half infeeds in foursided canter applications with 20 in endofeeding sharp chain applications.
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Valley Machine Works
Valley Machine Works Ltd provides made to order edgers and edger infeed systems that produce high quality lumber at productive feed speeds. Edger frames are line bored and bolted and dowelled into one complete assembly, eliminating frame distortion caused by welding and guaranteeing perfect arbor and feed roll alignment throughout the life of the machine, the company says. Single bolt arbor cone removal and assembly, along with adjustable toggle clamp blocks, speed access. The bearing units supplied are SKF or equivalent and seals are easily interchangeable felt or canned lip seals. Other features include: knurled and chromed feed rollers, trunnion mounted cylinders, Pacific Hoe saw guide systems for precision saw control, readily available and easily installed standard replacement components, cast iron saw arbor bearings and easy access for saw maintenance. The main drive belts are easily removeable and the dowelled mounting plate of the outboard bearing guarantees effortless and precise repositioning, the company says.
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Optimil
Based on the principles used in more than 100 Optimil primary breakdown systems installed worldwide, the small log processing line from Optimil provides solutions to the problems specific to the efficient processing of small diameter logs. Following two years of testing and operating in the small log sawmill environment, the system is designed to process logs ranging from 1 1/2" to 7" top diameter at a rate of up to 1,000 16foot logs per hour. Products recovered range from 2x3's to four 2x6's and recoveries are in the range of 250 to 300 fbm per cubic metre, depending on log size and quality, the company says. Circle Reader Service Card #279

Pendu Manufacturing
The 6800 and the 6900 are fully automated scragg mill systems from Pendu Manufacturing Inc, designed to produce four sided cants from logs ranging in diameter from six to 18 inches. The 6800 handles logs with diameters from six to 14 inches and with lengths from 32 to 102 inches, while the 6900 handles logs with diameters from six to 18 inches and lengths from 40 inches to 126 inches. These end dogging systems are fed directly from the log infeed green chain to the log loader, which positions the log for the end dogging carriage. The system then passes the log in one operation through the automatic tilting blades, rotates 90 degrees and returns the log through the tilting blades to produce a four sided cant. Depending on the length of the logs, rates of up to eight per minute have been achieved, the company says. The scragg mill system consists of a four strand log deck, a log chain conveyor, a c h a i n cut off saw, a three strand infeed conveyor, an end dogging scragg mill with waste conveyor and log loader, a cant takeaway roll track, a slitter saw, hydraulic units, an incline conveyor, a slab recovery system, out feed tables, a double end trim saw and a three strand green chain take away.
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This page last modified on Tuesday, February 17, 2004