To develop a method for establishing a fibre budget in a sawmill, we selected a sample of stems and had it converted into lumber. We also took advantage of this opportunity to pursue this exercise somewhat further by quantifying volume and value recoveries for the sample, as well as the various performance indicators used to monitor the lumber manufacturing process.
A specialized company measured and weighed the stem sample to determine mass/volume ratios. The stems were then bucked and debarked, and we recovered all resulting products and by-products to measure and weigh them, and develop the different bucking ratios. The debarked logs were sawn in a mill and, as for bucking, all resulting products and by-products were quantified, weighed and classified. We used all product and by-product volumes or weights to generate the various indicators used to monitor operations and process performance.
With products and by-products suitably quantified, we introduced product values, which allowed us to determine the value of all products and by-products generated from the conversion of a given log or stem sample. In addition to making it easier to control production value, these performance indicators can be used to compare values generated from similar samples with modified production criteria, or different samples processed through the same production criteria. The ultimate objective is to measure the effects of changes in the resource or the sawmilling process.