Debarking and root reducing: The debarking system CamShift's most striking feature is its modular structure. Combining it with the root reducer opens up new possibilities © USNR
With a product portfolio featuring more than 200 articles, USNR looks like a huge department store for sawmill equipment. The wide range of offered products is astounding. From log handling to data processing, the entire sawmill domain is covered. In an interview with Timber-Online, USNR customer representative Eckart Müller explains current trends and presents some of the product highlights.
Root reduction and debarking
With debarking system CamShift, USNR introduced a system in 2016 which takes care of debarking as well as reducing. With a speed of 150 m/min it is a viable alternative for high-performance sawmills. The advantages of this system are the round reducer, the triangle feed mechanism and the low-maintenance modular design.
The root collar reducer rotor can be adjusted manually and infinitely for reduced diameters up to 56 cm. The design of the installed milling cutter makes very high feed speeds possible.
Triangle feed mechanism: The feed mechanism with three arms ensures the log is passing smoothly through the system. To balance irregularities, every feed mechanism is equipped with its own drive © USNR
High-speed debarking
CamShift is available in three rotor sizes. The model with one rotor can reach speeds of up to 130 m/min. If a second rotor is installed, even 150 m/min are possible.
To make debarking as effective as possible at speeds like these, the system convinces with its triangle feed mechanism. It enables logs to pass through in a stable and smooth manner, even oval-shaped timbers. To ensure that the feed mechanism runs as smoothly as possible, every feed roll has its own drive.
Easy to maintain
In terms of maintenance, the developers even go one step further. The most impressive feature of the modular system of the debarking unit is its good accessibility. Pulling out individual elements saves the trouble of time-consuming machine accessing procedures. Maintenance flaps allow for easy access to all necessary elements.
Catech 4000 TS: The optimizing scanner with high-speed edging. Here in a Swedish sawmill © Fabian Pöschel
Unmanned edging
With the Catech 4000 TS, USNR promote modern and fully automated technology. At an edging performance of up to 70 boards per minute, the system is not only fast and powerful, its control is also fully automatic. The machine operator controls the system using a control panel. Thanks to elaborate details, additional staff is no longer necessary.
It is the combination of scanners and mechanics in particular that makes this kind of handling possible. A laser distance meter determines the line's occupancy rate and automatically controls the board feed to prevent overlap.
At high speeds, this requires technical subtleties: the continuous chain conveyer, for instance, that is designed in such a way that warping at the handover is prevented. Furthermore, slight elevations help to smoothly transport unedged lamellas.
Laser scanner: The Biolum 2900 laser scanner stands out for its construction. The closed system prevents contamination © Fabian Pöschel
Resin-free laser scanner
Just in case, side boards can be boxed back and re-fed before the optimization scanner.
The centerpiece of the system is not the well-functioning circular sawing unit that takes care of the actual edging, but rather the optical laser scanner that determines the exact cutting position.
The scanning unit Bioluma 2900 stands out for its closed system-architecture and prevents malfunctions due to resinifications or contaminations. The company provides its own software to analyze acquired data directly and transfer them to the sawing unit.
Keeping the boards in line: This device allows for a throughput rate of 70 boards per minute © Fabian Pöschel
Centering arms and rakes
This kind of high-speed edging that follows right after scanning is possible due to two developments: On the one hand, centering arms that vertically align boards by means of plastic lamellas that are arranged on top and keep them in track horizontally by means of laterally positioned rolls. On the other hand, the conveyor chains are equipped with distinct rakes that accelerate the boards.
Splinter cutter and separating modules
The splinter cutter is operating at speeds of up to 460 m/min and the edging saw can process boards with lengths of up to 6 m. If the side boards need to be rip sawed, a separating module that can be added downstream of the splinter cutter is used for splitting the boards with up to four saw blades. This is followed by a brake belt that reduces the speed of the boards by means of a pneumatic plastic hatch.
USNR in Europe
Sawmill technology by USNR is in use all over the world. With the takeover of Söderhamn Eriksson, a production site in Europe was established. In order to get to know USNR's product range, it is best to visit fairs. This is why the American sawmill outfitter has a fair booth in Klagenfurt.
