COMPUTER DIRECTED HARDWOOD EDGING SYSTEM

PRESENT CONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR EDGING HARDWOOD LUMBER PRODUCE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE OPTIMUM LUMBER YIELD ANDVALUE FROM THE WOOD PROCESSED. THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES A PROJECT TO ESTABLISH THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF A COMPUTERDIRECTED EDGING SYSTEM WHICH WILL PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN LUMBER YIELD AND VALUE PRODUCED. THIS SYSTEM'S KEY FEATURES ARE THE COMBINING OF THE TRIM LENGTH DECISION WITH THE EDGE WIDTH DECISION AND THE USE OF A COMPUTERIZED SAW SETTING DEVICE TO SET IN WIDTH INCREMENTS CORRESPONDING TO THE PRODUCTION OF MEASURED BOARD FOOT VALUES. THE FIRST TASK OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS A PRELIMINARY THEORETICAL TEST AT AN OPERATING HARDWOOD SAWMILL. THE NEXT STEP IS THE ENGINEERING, PROGRAMMING AND CONSTRUCTION OF A TEST SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WILL BE INSTALLED ON AN EXISTING EDGER AT THE CORLEY MFG. CO. PLANT FOR MORE EXTENSIVE NON-PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT TESTING. AFTER THIS TASK IS COMPLETED AND EVALUATED, THE TEST SYSTEM WILL BE INSTALLED IN A MODERN HARDWOOD SAWMILL FOR EVALUATION IN AN ACTUAL PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT.