The company’s analyser technologies combine visual, moisture and strength data for veneer, plywood and laminated veneer lumber manufacturers.
Wood products manufacturers are increasingly turning to measurement and data technologies as they seek to improve productivity, increase yield and make more efficient use of raw materials.
As more stages of production become data-driven, linking information from different points in a mill can give manufacturers a clearer picture of material quality and process performance.
Raute has brought together visual, moisture and strength measurements through its analyser technologies, allowing manufacturers to assess these characteristics within a connected framework.
The approach is intended to provide a broader view of material quality and how it may affect later stages of production. The resulting data can be used to support grading decisions, raw material utilisation and product quality, while giving production teams greater visibility of mill performance.
Linking quality measurements across production stages can also help manufacturers track how material moves through the mill and assess how grading decisions influence yield, recovery and finished product performance.
The approach may be particularly relevant to mills using equipment from multiple suppliers. In North America, for example, many mills have evolved through successive investments in machinery and technologies from different manufacturers.
A connected view of quality data can help bring information from these systems together, providing production teams with a more consistent basis for decision-making.
“Manufacturers are looking for practical ways to improve performance and make better use of the information available within their operations,” said Todd Kurle, business development director for North America at Raute.
“When visual, moisture and strength data are combined into a single view, production teams can better understand material quality and make decisions that support yield, grading consistency and overall mill performance,” he said.
The integration of different measurements also provides a foundation for further process optimisation. As mills collect and connect more production data, the information could support wider use of analytics and automation across wood products manufacturing.
