EP-4739474-A1 - A METHOD FOR SORTING A WOOD BOARD AT A SAWMILL AND A WOOD BOARD SORTING SYSTEM

EP4739474A1EP 4739474 A1EP4739474 A1EP 4739474A1EP-4739474-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for sawing wood log (1) into wood boards (2). The method comprises scanning the wood log (1) with a sawing scanner system (3, 8) to provide wood log data (10), generating wood log sawing instructions (11) based on the wood log model (102) and the wood log data (10), providing the wood log sawing instructions (11) to the saw line (300), sawing the wood log (1) into wood boards (2) based on the wood log sawing instructions (11). The method further comprises scanning the wood boards (2) with a board scanning system (9) and generating a wood board fingerprint data (20) of each wood board (2), associating the wood log data (10) and the wood board fingerprint data (20) at the central data server (100) for providing a log-to-board data record (21).

Inventors

Heikkinen, Jere
Alatalo, Juha
Kauppi, Tomi

Assignees

Finnos Oy

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240704

Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1. A method for sawing wood log (1) into wood boards (2) at a sawmill, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method comprises: maintaining a wood log model (102) at a central data server (100), the wood log model (102) comprising sawing rules for sawing the wood log (1) into wood boards (2), scanning the wood log (1) with a sawing scanner system (3, 8) at a saw line (300) to analyse wood log characteristics of the wood log (1) and generating wood log data (10) based on the analysing, the saw line (300) having a first communication connection (Cl) with the central data server (100), receiving the wood log data (10) in the central data server (100) from the saw line (300) and providing the wood log data (10) as input data to the wood log model (102), generating wood log sawing instructions (11) for the wood log (1) at the central data server (100) based on the wood log model (102) and the wood log data (10), providing the wood log sawing instructions (11) as a data output from the wood log model (102) to the saw line (300), sawing the wood log (1) into wood boards (2) at the saw line (300) based on the wood log sawing instructions (11) received from the central data server (100), scanning the wood boards (2) with a board scanning system (9) and generating a wood board fingerprint data (20) of each wood board (2) based on the scanning, receiving the wood board fingerprint data (20) in the central data server (100), associating the wood log data (10) and the wood board fingerprint data (20) at the central data server (100) for providing a log-to-board data record (21) to associate the wood log (1) with the wood boards (2) sawn from the wood log (1), and updating the wood log model (102) with the log-to-board data record (21) at the central data server (100). 2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method further comprises generating post-sorting instructions (14) for the wood boards (2) at the central data server (100) based on the wood board fingerprint data (20) or based on the wood board fingerprint data (20) and the wood log model (102), the wood log model (102) comprising wood board sorting rules for sorting the wood bords C2), receiving the post-sorting instructions (14) in a post-sorting station (400) via a second communication connection (C2) between the post-sorting station (400) and the central data server (100), and sorting the wood boards (2) at the post-sorting station (400) based on the post-sorting instructions (14). 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the scanning the wood log (1) with the sawing scanner system (3, 8) at the saw line (300) comprises one or more of the following: capturing an end view (la) of the wood log (1) with a camera (3); capturing one or more x-ray images of the wood log (10); capturing one or more images of sheath surface of the wood log (1); capturing three-dimensional shape of the wood log (1). 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the scanning the wood boards (2) in the board scanner (9) at the saw line (300) comprises: capturing side view of one or more side surfaces of the wood boards (2) with the board scanner (9); or capturing end view of one or more end surfaces of the wood boards (2) with the board scanner (9); or capturing side view of one or more side surfaces of the wood boards (2) with the board scanner (9), and capturing end view of one or more end surfaces of the wood boards (2) with the board scanner (9). 5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method further comprises: scanning the wood boards (2) with a control system (4) during sawing at the saw line (300) for analysing dimensions of the wood boards (2), generating board dimension data (30) based on the scanning with the control system (4), receiving the board dimension data (30) in the central data server (100), and associating the board dimension data (30) to the log-to-board record (21) at the central data server (100); or scanning the wood boards (2) with a control system (4) during sawing at the saw line (300) for analysing dimensions of the wood boards (2), generating board dimension data (30) based on the scanning with the control system (4), receiving the board dimension data (30) in the central data server (100), associating the board dimension data (30) to the log-to-board record (21) at the central data server (100), and updating the wood log model (102) with the log-to-board record (21). 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method further comprises: scanning the wood log (1) at a pre-sorting station (200) with a log scanner (6) to analyse wood log characteristics of the wood log (1), generating a wood log pre-data (40) of the wood log (1) based on the scanning with the log scanner (6), the pre-sorting station (200) having a third communication connection (C3) with the central data server (100), receiving the wood log pre-data (40) in the central data server (100), and associating the wood log pre-data (40) to the log-to-board record (21); or scanning the wood log (1) at a pre-sorting station (200) with a log scanner (6) to analyse wood log characteristics of the wood log (1), generating a wood log pre-data (40) of the wood log (1) based on the scanning with the wood log scanner (6), the pre-sorting station (200) having a third communication connection (C3) with the central data server (100), receiving the wood log pre-data (40) in the central data server (100), associating the wood log pre-data (40) to the log-to-board record (21), and updating the wood log model (102) with the log-to-board record 7. A method according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the scanning the wood log (1) with the wood log scanner (6) at the pre-sorting station (200) comprises one or more of the following: capturing an end view of the wood log (1) with a camera (3); capturing one or more x-ray images of the wood log (10); capturing one or more images of sheath surface of the wood log (1); capturing three-dimensional shape of the wood log (1). 8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method further comprises: providing the wood log pre-data (40) as input data to the wood log model (102), the wood log model (102) comprising wood log sorting rules for presorting wood logs (1), generating a wood log sorting instructions (12) for the wood log (1) at the central data server (100) based on the wood log model (102) and the wood log pre-data (40), receiving the wood log sorting instructions (12) from the central data server (100) in the pre-sorting station (200), and sorting the wood log (1) at the pre-sorting station (200) based on the wood log sorting instructions (12) received from the central data server (100); or generating the wood log sorting instructions (12) for the wood log (1) at the central data server (100) based on the wood log model (102) and the wood log pre-data (40), the wood log model (102) comprising wood log sorting rules for pre-sorting wood logs (1), providing the wood log sorting instructions (12) as a data output from the wood log model (10), receiving the wood log sorting instructions (12) from the central data server (100) in the pre-sorting station (200), and sorting the wood log (1) to a correct location at the pre-sorting station (200) based on the wood log sorting instructions (12) received from the central data server (100). 9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method comprises: identifying the wood boards (2) by comparing the wood log data (10) and the wood board fingerprint data (20) in the central data server (100); or identifying the wood boards (2) by comparing the wood log pre-data (30), the wood log data (10) and the wood board fingerprint data (20) in the central data server (100). 10. A method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method comprises identifying the wood log (1) arriving at the saw line (300) by comparing the wood log data (10) with the wood log pre-data (40) in the central data server (100). 11. A method according to claim any one of claims 1 to 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the method further comprises: analysing an orientation of the wood log (1) with an orientation module setup (5) at the saw line (300) to identify the orientation of the wood log (1) and generating a wood log orientation data (60) based on the analysing, receiving the wood log orientation data (60) in the central data server (100), generating orientation instructions in the central data server (100) based on the wood log orientation data (60) and the wood log model (102), the wood log model (102) comprising wood log orientation rules, receiving the orientation instructions (13) in the orientation module setup (5) from the central data server (100), and rotating the wood log (1) to a sawing orientation based on the orientation instructions at the saw line (300); or analysing an orientation of the wood log (1) with an orientation module setup (5) at the saw line (300) to identify the orientation of the wood log (1) and generating a wood log orientation data (60) based on the analysing, receiving the wood log orientation data (60) in the central data server (100), providing the wood log orientation data (60) as input data to the wood log model (102), the wood log model (102) comprising wood log orientation rules, generating orientation instructions in the central data server (100) based on the wood log orientation data (60) and the wood log model (102), providing the orientation instructions as a data output from the wood log model (10), receiving the orientation instructions (13) in the orientation module setup (5) from the central data server (100), and rotating the wood log (1) to a sawing orientation based on the orientation instructions at the saw line (300). 12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that: - the wood log model (102) comprises one or more wood log processing algorithms; or - the wood log model (102) comprises one or more wood log processing algorithms, the one or more wood log processing algorithms comprising one or more machine learning algorithms; or - the wood log model (102) comprises one or more wood log processing algorithms, the one or more wood log processing algorithms comprising one or more neural networks. 13. A method according to claim 12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that: - the wood log model (102) comprises a sawing algorithm comprising the sawing rules for sawing the wood log (10) into wood boards (2); or - the wood log model (102) comprises a sawing algorithm comprising the sawing rules for sawing the wood log (10) into wood boards (2), and - the wood log model (102) comprises a board sorting algorithm comprising the wood board sorting rules for sorting the wood boards (2); or - the wood log model (102) comprises a sawing algorithm comprising the sawing rules for sawing the wood log (10) into wood boards (2), - the wood log model (102) comprises a board sorting algorithm comprising the wood board sorting rules for sorting the wood boards (2), and - the wood log model (102) comprises a log sorting algorithm comprising the wood log sorting rules for pre-sorting the wood logs (1). 14. A wood board sawing system for sawing wood logs (1) into wood boards (2) at a sawmill, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sawing system comprises: a central data server (100) having a wood log model (102) stored therein, the wood log model comprising sawing rules for sawing the wood log (1) into wood boards (2), a sawing scanner system (3, 8) at a saw line (300) configured to scan the wood log (1) a sawing device (310) arranged to saw the wood log (1) into wood boards (2) in the saw line (300), a board scanning system (9) arranged to scan the wood boards (2), the sawing system being configured to: - scan the wood log (1) with the sawing scanner system (3, 8) at the saw line (300) to analyse wood log characteristics of the wood log (1) and generate wood log data (10) based on the analysing, the saw line (300) having a first communication connection (Cl) with the central data server (100), receive the wood log data (10) in the central data server (100) from the saw line (300) and provide the wood log data (10) as input data to the wood log model (102), generate wood log sawing instructions (11) for the wood log (1) at the central data server (100) based on the wood log model (102) and the wood log data Cio), provide the wood log sawing instructions (11) as a data output from the wood log model (102) to the saw line (300), saw the wood log (1) into wood boards (2) at the saw line (300) based on the wood log sawing instructions (11) received from the central data server (100), scan the wood boards (2) with the board scanning system (9) and generating a wood board fingerprint data (20) of each wood board (2) based on the scanning, receive the wood board fingerprint data (20) in the central data server (100), associate the wood log data (10) and the wood board fingerprint data (20) at the central data server (100) for providing a log-to-board data record (21) to associate the wood log (1) with the wood boards (2) sawn from the wood log (1), and update the wood log model (102) with the log-to-board data record (21) at the central data server (100). 15. A wood board sawing system according to claim 14, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the system comprises a wood board sorting device (410) at a post-sorting station (400), the wood board sorting device (410) being arranged to sort wood boards (2), and the system is configured to: generate post-sorting instructions (14) for the wood boards (2) at the central data server (100) based on the wood board fingerprint data (20) or based on the wood board fingerprint data (20) and the wood log model (102), the wood log model (102) comprising wood board sorting rules for sorting the wood bords C2), receive the post-sorting instructions (14) in a post-sorting station (400) via a second communication connection (C2) between the post-sorting station (400) and the central data server (100), and sort the wood boards (2) at the post-sorting station (400) with the wood board sorting device (410) based on the post-sorting instructions (14). 16. A wood board sawing system according to claim 14 or 15, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the system comprises a log scanner (6) at a presorting station (200) and a wood log sorting device (210), the wood log sorting device (210) being arranged to sort wood logs (1), and the system is configured to: scan the wood log (1) at the pre-sorting station (200) with the log scanner (6) to analyse wood log characteristics of the wood log (1), generate wood log pre-data (40) of the wood log (1) based on the scanning with the log scanner (6), the pre-sorting station (200) having a third communication connection (C3) with the central data server (100), receive the wood log pre-data (40) in the central data server (100), provide the wood log pre-data (40) as input data to the wood log model (102), the wood log model (102) comprising wood log sorting rules for pre-sorting wood logs (1), generate wood log sorting instructions (12) for the wood log (1) at the central data server (100) based on the wood log model (102) and the wood log predata (40), receive the wood log sorting instructions (12) from the central data server (100) in the pre-sorting station (200), and sort the wood log (1) at the pre-sorting station (200) with the wood log sorting device (210) based on the wood log sorting instructions (12) received from the central data server (100). 17. A wood board sawing system according ay one of claims 14 to 16, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the system is configured to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

Description

A METHOD FOR SORTING A WOOD BOARD AT A SAWMILL AND A WOOD BOARD SORTING SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for sorting a wood board at a sawmill and more particularly to a method described in the independent claim 1. The present invention also relates to a wood board sorting system and more particularly to a wood board sorting system as described in the independent claim 13. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the prior art wood logs and wood boards and analysed using tomography methods in which dozens of X-ray images need to be taken of the wood logs so that wood logs can be analysed, and the structure of the wood can be detected in order to be processed properly according to the wood characteristics. Tomography scanning produces 3D images of the wood log which is taken from different directions with penetrating X-ray radiation. After taken dozens of X-ray images they are inverted, and a 3D density map is created. This must be done for each wood log. One of the problems associated with the prior art is that the tomography methods are very expensive to implement at sawmills. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method for sorting a wood board at a sawmill such that prior art disadvantages are solved or at least alleviated. The objects of the invention are achieved by a method for sorting a wood board at a sawmill and a wood board sorting system for sorting wood boards and associated wood logs at a sawmill which are characterized by what is stated in the independent claims. The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. The invention is based on the idea of providing a method of sorting a wood board at a sawmill in which the method comprises maintaining a wood log model at a central data server, analysing wood log characteristics of a wood log at a saw line to identify the wood log and generating wood log data based on the analysing, the saw line having a first communication connection with the central data server, receiving the wood log data in the central data server from the saw line and providing the wood log data as input data to the wood log model, generating wood log sawing instructions for the wood log at the central data server based on the wood log model and the wood log data, providing the wood log sawing instructions as a data output from the wood log model to the saw line, sawing the wood log into wood boards at the saw line based on the wood log sawing instructions received from the central data server, scanning the wood boards and generating a wood board fingerprint data of each wood board based on the scanning, receiving the wood board fingerprint data in the central data server, associating the wood log data and the wood board fingerprint data at the central data server for generating a log-to-board data record to associate the wood log and the wood boards sawn from the wood log, and updating the wood log model with the log-to-board data record at the central data server. In other words, the wood log is analysed at the saw line to receive the characteristics of the wood before sawing at the saw line. The characteristic of the wood can be received for example by capturing an end view of the wood log or scanning the wood log. The characteristics of the wood log that can be analysed are for example fresh knots, strength, detecting if the wood log is debarked badly, rot, blue stain, bad cracks, heart wood or growth centre. In other words, the analysing of the wood log before sawing gives information about the wood log quality. The characteristics of the wood log are received in the central data server as wood log data through the communication connection between the saw line and the central data server. The wood log data is provided as input data to the wood log model in the central data server which generates wood log sawing instructions based on the characteristics of the wood log. The wood log sawing instructions are then received at the saw line and the sawing is performed according to the wood log sawing instructions acknowledging the characteristics of the wood log. The wood boards resulting from the sawing process at the saw line are scanned in order to generate a wood board fingerprint data of each wood board. The wood board fingerprint data provides specific characteristics of each wood board. The wood board fingerprint data is communicated to the central data server which receives the wood board fingerprint data and generates a log-to-board data record based on associating the wood log fingerprint data and the wood log data received prior sawing. The wood log model is then updated with the log-to-board data record for defining that the wood log having certain type characteristics provide wood boards of certain type when sawn according to the sawing instructions given to that wood log. The capturing of the end view of the wood log can be combined in the scanning step.