CT Scanning of wood
Abstract
For the production of high quality timber, it is necessary to detect knots, starting decay, resin pockets, cracks, etc. and the annual ring alignment. In studies performed, mainly softwood species were investigated, using the Microtec spiral CT-scanner (CT.LOG - x-ray emitter rotates around the log and generates a 3D picture). It is not clear, if wood characteristics and wood defects of hard wood and softwood species can be detected at higher feed speed, which are relevant for the production of high value sawn timber. The basic idea of this project is to prove the higher yield of valuable sawn hard and softwood timber by using state of the art CT technology and to estimate the yield by using CT technology of the future (considering running developments of the CT technology also for medical applications). The evaluation should be especially focus on the situation of medium size saw mills producing high quality sawn timber products. Another aspect for the operation of a scanner is the profitability. Due to technology developments the investment cost has decreased in the last couple of years. The implementation of a scanner reveals adoptions of the entire production flow, which have to be rated from a process as well as from an economic perspective. The intended project is separated into the four work packages: 1) determination of the current state of the art in CT-Technology, 2) evaluation of detectable wood characteristics in hardwood as well as softwood sawmills using CT-Technology for the production of high quality timber, 3) simulation of accompanied changes in material flow and logistics, 4) economical assessment of the implementation of CT-Scanners. 1) State of the art in CT-Technology (investigation and evaluation): i) determination of current possibilities in CT-Technology, ii) assessment of the potential of future developments in the scanner technology (extrapolation of scanner development in the field of wood as well as medicine) 2) Evaluation of detectable wood characteristics: i) which characteristics can be detected by means of CT.LOG for different species of hardwood and softwood, ii) rating of detectable wood defects (determination of the timber quality before the sawing process), iii) effects on the sorting of timber (comparison of virtual sorting and real live sorting), iv) effects of CTTechnology on sawing pattern, assortments and machine configurations as well as the analysis of systematic borders with different sawing concepts, species and assortments, v) analysis of the possibilities for the sawing pattern optimization and the potential of the predetermination of customer specific products and vi) deducing parameters for the requirements in medium size and small sawmills 3) Simulation of accompanied changes in logistics: i) analysis of necessary changes and optimizations in the process chain with the implementation of a CT-Scanner, ii) simulation of the production chain 4) Economical assessment: i) break-even analysis for the implementation of a CT in a softwood and hardwood sawmill.
Publikationen
Project staff
Ulrich Müller
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Ulrich Müller
ulrich.mueller@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-89112
BOKU Project Leader
01.03.2014 - 30.06.2016
Gabriel Oliver Praxmarer
Gabriel Oliver Praxmarer B.Sc.
gabriel.praxmarer@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-89135
Project Staff
01.03.2014 - 30.06.2016