This is the first publication from a project to quantify the opportunity to use technology to increase value recovery from the MPB killed timber resource. Baseline simulation studies using a hypothetical BC interior sawmill layout will be used to estimate lumber value loss as a function of degree of defects in beetle killed timber. Additional simulation studies will explore the potential to accelerate value recovery using emerging technologies.
This report summarizes the results of a Forintek survey of equipment suppliers currently developing technologies to increase lumber value recovery. The survey was completed in February 2005. The results will be used to design the simulation studies to be performed in 2005/06. The results are based on private discussions, visits to laboratories and a questionnaire (see Appendix) emailed to companies developing machine vision system and/or optimization software.
Emerging technologies that will help the sawmill industry to lessen the damage caused by the MPB include: 1) machine vision systems for detecting bluestain and radial-checks and, 2) optimization software capable of incorporating defect information in the breakdown solution. Depending on existing sawmill equipment and machinery, the cost of systems that include machine vision and log breakdown optimization that can interpret defect information, is in the range of $65,000-$200,000. Unfortunately, there is no information available on the increase in lumber value recovery that can be obtained with these technologies and investment decisions are difficult. What is more, there is a lack of consensus within the sawmill industry on the usefulness of these systems. There are sawmillers who doubt that these machine vision systems would consistently outperform manual operation and add enough value to justify the cost. Thus, the primary study, quantifying the benefit of reducing the negative impact of the MPB defects, of which this report is a part, will provide useful information for sawmillers for return-on-investment calculations.