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WSO™ - WOODMAN™ Sawmill Optimization
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Most modern sawmills have log optimizers that scan each log and implement "optimum" sawing solutions. The solutions normally use parameters such as the values of each size, length and possibly wane-grade of lumber, penalty costs for machine usage, and decision rules. Similar parameters are used in bucking, cant, edger and trimmer optimizers.
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The extent to which the solutions are truly optimum depends, among other things, on how these parameters are set. The parameters control the mill's product mix, and this has a significant impact on profitability. In most mills the optimizers are set to maximize either the product value or lumber recovery or overrun from each log, with arbitrary adjustments to control product mix or mill flow. This does not necessarily maximize sawmill profitability.
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In fact, to determine the parameters that should be used to maximize mill profitability over time is difficult, and in most mills the actual operation is far from truly optimal. To be truly optimal the parameters should strike an optimal balance between the lumber product recovery and mill production rate, subject to sales constraints.
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So the bucking, sawing, edging and trimming solutions that are selected should depend on:
- the selling prices and lumber finishing yields and costs for each size, length and grade of lumber, and chip and other byproduct values;
- constraints on the volumes and mixes of various lumber sizes, lengths and grades that can be sold at a given price;
- the capacities of machines that may be production bottlenecks, both within the sawmill, such as the canter, trimmer or stacker, and external to the sawmill, such as the kilns and planer;
- the costs of sawmill, kiln and planer time;
- the log mix being processed;
- the availability and price of logs.
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WSO™ determines:
- The optimum production mix, based on current market prices, min/max product mix constraints, and process flow bottlenecks; and
- The mill optimizer parameters to produce this mix.
- WSO™ benefits may come from increased sales average, production or recovery.
- For a mill producing 150MMbf/year, application of WSO™ should improve profits by $1,500,000 per year or more, providing a payback of several months.
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