Last Updated: August 11, 2020
Lumber, Timber and Wood Products
Laser Sensors for the Lumber, Timber and Wood Products Industries
Laser sensors are used widely in the lumber industry from bucking lines to length of logs and many other high speed length and width applications. Acuity sensors are suited for wood product production due to their high speeds, high accuracy and quick return on investment. Our displacement sensors are ideal for measuring the length of lumber, thickness measurement of particle board, MDF and OSB targets. Our Laser Line technology is used more and more to measure the surfaces of targets, edge profiles and squareness of products like doors, windows and shutters. Our rugged sensors are suited for applications in lumber, logging, timber and paper industries.
This application list is not intended to be exhaustive. The measuring tasks are by no means limited to these examples, and may serve as a suggestion for similar or completely different applications.
Calculating Length of a Stack of Cut Lumber
Laser rangefinders are used to measure the length of lumber to ensure that the boards are cut to the correct length. While other methods of end-tallying lumber rely on human judgment or estimations, using laser measurement sensors guarantees that boards are measured and cut with extreme accuracy.
Log Height for Inventory Control
Long distance sensors can be mounted on cranes to profile the height of log stacks to provide an accurate inventory count.
Loop Control Position Measurement
Laser sensors are used to monitor loop distance between rolls. The non-contact laser is mounted above the loop and pointed down to measure the bottom of the loop.
Lumber Board Width Measurement
Acuity’s rangefinders are used at sawmills to measure the width of lumber boards while sorting on a conveyor line. A customer has an AR1000 laser distance sensor mounted in line with the board and housed under a higher conveyor area approximately 10 feet away.
Lumber Length Measurement in Sorting Lines
Lumber mills are taking advantage of the high speed and high accuracy AR2000 sensor for sorting applications. As lumber is moved down the conveyor line, sensor length measurements are made on each board in less than two seconds.
Lumber Thickness and Dimensions
The forest, lumber and wood products industry is a regular user of Acuity laser sensor products for the measuring of logs, cants, lumber, veneer thickness, paperboard, etc.
Manufacturing Plywood with Sheet Thickness Gauging
Sawmills are harsh environments that demand accurate laser sensors under dusty conditions. Production of plywood and OSB (oriented strand board) sheet is highly automated. Several Acuity customers are system integrators who develop specialized instruments for the forest products industry.
Paper Roll Diameter
As a very large roll of paper winds off to smaller individual rolls, manufacturers must ensure that the smaller rolls have enough material present to be able to sell.
Precision Accuracy Measurement in the Lumber Industry
Our customer from the lumber industry is using the AS2100 laser sensor to measure the length of cut lumber as it moves down the mill. With a measurement range of over 300 feet on natural targets and an accuracy of 0.040″ at 20 Hz, the AS2100 is a good fit for this customer.
