Australian Forests & Timber News, August 2012 – 33
SCANNING
Reaping the benefits of high-tech development A
SOLID working relationship between New Zealand-based Automation & Electronics (A&E) and Australian-based timber processing equipment manufacturer A.E. Gibson has resulted in many centres in both nations reaping the benefits of their expertise. One of the latest Australian installations involving the two specialist bodies was at S.A. Relf, Bulahdelah. Now, the state-of-the-art computerised mill is geared with a strong future in store. First, though, it’s good to have a look back at where A&E started to stake its claim in the highly specialist field. “In 1992 the first A&E vision system was developed on a Shurman Edger infeed pre-positioner for CHH in Kopu. This was a two camera system that viewed the end of Cants and overlaid the saw lines. The development was solely carried out by A&E engineer Tony Cable on an MS Dos C that communicated with the setworks PLC,” said A&E director Brian Smith. “After solving various issues including scalability and calibration it became the first of its type to be deployed in a live situation,” he said. The system was later upgraded in early 2000. After the original EdgerView system in CHH Kopu Sawmill no further developments occurred until in 1997 when A&E put in a bid for an Edger setworks upgrade on a new Edger for Kiwi Lumber in Dannevirke. A&E had been selected as preferred supplier for the setworks. “At that time we discussed the concept of a vision system in place of the laser tower directly on the infeed roll case with a local engineering company who confirmed with that the concept was a good idea and option. “The main advantages we could see were no more lasers; lasers fail and go out of alignment and a mill operator can follow a laser for
many hours not knowing it is out of line with the saw and producing incorrect material that has to be resawn. Other advantages become apparent as the mill no longer had to be dark in order to see the lasers. Light could be introduced to enable the operator to get a better view of grade, defects etc. “Also as there was no longer a big laser tower structure over the top of the machine. The operator now had a better view of the outfeed which enabled him to see problems like jam ups, downstream stoppages and we should also mention the additional safety aspects of being able to see people around the Edger outfeed,” Smith said.
Add-on option a success “This add-on option was put forward to Kiwi by A&E and the engineering company. Kiwi liked the idea and elected for a new machine and placed a separate order with A&E for the Setworks and Vision system (EdgerView),” he explained. Further systems were later sold in New Zealand to Rosvall, R H Tregoweth, WPI Tangiwai, Central Otago Lumber, plus two systems for Cants were sold to CHH Tokoroa and CHH Putaruru. The EdgerView was officially registered as a trademark on 15 November 2000. The same year A&E developed another type of vision system using Camsensor camera technology for measuring log diameters and sawline overlay on End dogging Twinband at Tachikawa forest products. This is an exclusive A&E product. “Also in 2000 a similar but different EdgerView system was
developed as a two camera system for Oliver & Haua Engineering on the dual infeed pre-positioner for Pacific Pines Edger in Putaruru. “This differed in that in past systems the moveable lines on the screen could not skew. In other words the board or Cant was positioned under the lines and moved by positioners or spotting chains. The new system meant the board stayed stationary on pin stops and the setting lines were skewed in position on the PC screen. This passed the solution to the setworks infeed positioners. This concept and idea was by Peter Oliver with the mechanical and hydraulics design being carried out by him also and the system software and controls were done by A&E. “A second system was later sold to Waitete Sawmills based on the Pacific Pine installation, only this time A&E incorporated enhanced low level look-up table optimiser,” Smith said. During the late nineties A&E had also started dialog with Australian sawmill machinery manufacturer A E Gibson and after a further discussion at AUSTimber in 2000 the first installation on a Gibson machine occurred during 2001. Gibson was however still reluctant to use the EdgerView on its machines but after some discussion and a tour of New Zealand installations with
E dgerView on Shurman Edger at R H Tregoweth Sawmill Te Kuiti NZ.
Gibson’s sales manager John Scott this provided them with the confidence to consider this option for the AE Gibson Multisaw and subsequently further EdgerView systems were install on Gibson Edger’s throughout Australia. As the relationship with Gibson evolved into optimisation the AE EdgerView system became an integral part of the Edger Optimisation package as it offered the ability to grade override the geometric scanned solution from the optimiser if a grade decision was required and also the default option of running manually in the event the optimizer was down for any reason. “This meant the Gibson Opti Edger offered the most versatility
of any Edger in Australasia and subsequently Gibson systems were sold throughout NZ and Australia. “The latest system for A E Gibson was recently installed at S.A. Relf in NSW. These latest generation systems run on a Windows 7 operating system combined with EtherNet Gigbit solid state cameras for high speed image capture and communications. “Since A&E pioneered the EdgerView system a couple of competitors have attempted to replicate the development however A&E has remained at the forefront due to continued development and wider variation and integration,” Smith said. EdgerView is also been introduced into the US market via A&E’s US office in Louisiana.
Virtual Operator Interface Live Sawline Positioning (without laser) For manually controlled Edgers FEATURES • • • • • •
Live video of actual board with adjustable sawlines overlayed No need for lasers Increased lighting enables better view of wane defects Adapts also to prepositioning infeeds Better view of outfeed (no laser tower) Application in both Green mill/Dry mill
• Box Pith End Option >>>
MAIN OFFICE: 4 Portside Drive Mt Maunganui New Zealand. Ph:+64 7 574 6223 Email.sales@automationelec.com Website: www.automationelec.com
E dgerView integrates with AE IRIS Edger Optimiser on a Gibson Edger in NSW.
USA OFFICE: Ruston, LA Ph:+1 318 243 5974 or +1 318 548 7852 EMAIL: jeff@automationelecusa.com Website: www.automationelecusa.com
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Portland Metro Expo Center Portland USA October 17-19 2012