Finding the perfect board
Wood lovers like furniture made from high-quality clear material, but a lot of wood gets wasted in the process. But, how will you know what lies inside of the log? With the growth of 3D scanning technology, the answer is simple – like a hospital put the woods, the solution is to use industrial CT scanning services. Such is the usefulness of the log CT scanner that in 2016 the developers of an industrial CT scanner for whole tree log won the prestigious Marcus Wallenberg Prize. This groundbreaking invention has laid the platform for the sawmill and log industry to optimize their process and maximize the yield. Furthermore, specific grades of logs such as decadent hemlock are challenging to mill at an affordable cost because of persistent quality issues. But, with the latest CT scanning technology, companies can quickly recover value from low-grade logs.
How are industrial CT scanning services helping the sawmill industry?
One of the nightmares of the sawmill industry is low-yield compared to the huge investments because a log which looks healthy from outside may be decaying from inside. Predicting the quality of the wood from inside has long remained a mystery but not anymore. Today, with the help of non-destructive technologies, companies can locate and classify the defects in the log. It only helps in improving the overall yield but also boosts the volume. Furthermore, by identifying decay and flaws, the sawmill industry will improve the much-needed efficiency in the production. The non-destructive technology can identify tree rings, cracks, rots, resin pockets and knots before the timber is sawn.
Furthermore, it can also determine the density of the wood. With industrial CT scanning, companies can identify and choose the best log to tailor the product. Interestingly, new industrial CT scanners in the market increase the valuation of coniferous trees by 15% and broadleaf trees by 24%.
How does industrial ct scanning identify wood flaws?
Industrial CT scanning services produces 3D images of the log which is taken from different directions with penetrating X-ray radiation. Using the 3D models, companies look right through the inside of the timber, just like doctors sees the internal injuries using a medical CT scanner. On studying the images, companies know the decayed and flawed area. A computer calculates the best possible way of cutting the log for maximum yield and volume. The hi-fi industrial CT scanners available can extract maximum wood from decaying and old timber.
How do industrial ct scanners assist with lumber recovery?
According to research, industrial CT scanning technology can increase the value of recovered lumber by using the appropriate log rotation angle. Other methods use the horn-up angle when the wood is sawn, resulting in low-value products. The research concluded that based on the different grades of log or timber, the industrial CT scanning technology was able to increase the sawn product value by up to 20% – a significant increase for the sawmill industry. Furthermore, these scanners can accurately locate the possible compression wood, fissure and pits, flaws which can spoil a cut piece.
In short, industrial CT scanning can provide new life to different industries in the coming years.
