SMEs profit from scanner technology in multiple ways

“My company is only medium-sized – not an industrial-scale company with a cutting volume of 1 million m³ a year. It wouldn’t pay off to invest in a scanner.” Microtec knows that this opinion is quite common among many small or medium-sized sawmills. One of the company’s reference customers in Italy is proof that purchasing optimization solutions pays off especially for such companies. The Mariana Luigi sawmill, which cuts around 35,000 m³ of log wood a year, has been a Microtec customer for many years and has been making repeated investments in its scanner solutions.

State-of-the-art optimization solution in the sorting line

The most recent Microtec solution installed at Mariana Luigi is a scanner inside the Springer sorting line, for which Microtec already supplied the electronics. Last year, the Goldeneye Transverse, a high-precision multi-sensor grading scanner with a crosswise transport system, was integrated into the line. “This scanner reliably determines the surface quality of green, dry or planed lumber from all four sides. The seamless integration of color and laser imaging in a multi-sensor system enables a quick and uncomplicated installation and increases production output,” Martin Baumgartner, sales account manager at Microtec, explains. Microtec’s Variosort control suite supervises the fully automated sorting process. “Thanks to the scanner, much more homogeneous results can be achieved in sorting,” Baumgartner says about one of the major advantages. The scanner has been used in lumber sorting since October 2023. Even after such a short time, Maurizio Mariana, managing director of Mariana Luigi, is more than satisfied with his decision. “With the Goldeneye Transverse, we can scan 80 boards per minute. Also, its sorting and optimization accuracy when selecting lengths and qualities is exceptional and could never be achieved by one operator alone,” he sums up.

In the log yard as well

A 3D measurement system including the sorting and management software Winlog has been in use in the sawmill’s log yard since 2005. “Winlog is an all-encompassing control suite for any log yard or infeed line. Winlog can be connected to all Microtec log scanners and integrated seamlessly into a company’s existing software,” Microtec explains. The software solution also manages suppliers and shifts, creates reports and exports transport log data. Thanks to its upgraded GPS functionalities, it allows users to manage and optimize the routes of wheel loaders, while also offering an improved monitoring of bin fill levels. “The 3D measuring system which is installed in the log receiving area also ensures precise sorting,” Mariana says.

Significant increase in efficiency

Just a few years ago, Mariana Luigi invested in one of Microtec’s optimization solutions in the sawmill. After the clamping carriage on the log band saw had been updated, Mariana opted for the Logeye Stereo log scanner, including the new Optiline cutting line visualization software and the Maxicut cutting optimization. “Mariana Luigi was one of the first sawmills we equipped with the Logeye Stereo,” Baumgartner recalls. The Logeye Stereo is a real-shape scanner for logs. The stereoscopic imaging system provides a full 360-degree scan of each log. The scanning process already takes place while the logs roll into the clamping carriage. This way, each log is already fully optimized and ready for sawing the instant it lies inside the carriage. High-resolution digital cameras and powerful LED lighting take pictures from different angles without the need for a longitudinal transport of the logs. The Logeye Stereo can also detect the current rotation of the log at any point in the process.

The scanner data is taken over by Microtec’s Optiline software with the Maxicut cutting optimization. On a screen, the operator can see the optimized cutting pattern, which is projected onto the front sides of the log. “The band saw carriage’s high-precision measuring system significantly increases efficiency because it substantially reduces the operator’s workload. This way, the operator can focus more on quality, which leads to accelerated production. The precise positioning of the logs also resulted in a significant increase in yield,” Mariana emphasizes.

By relying on all of those Microtec solutions, Mariana wants to tackle the shortage of skilled workers. “Although Mariana Luigi is a rather small sawmill, the company can automate its sorting processes and compensate the lack of personnel as a result,” Microtec underlines. In addition, the sawmill’s performance can be increased. “Small and medium-sized businesses benefit from scanner technology. The Mariana Luigi sawmill is proof of this,” Baumgartner says.