| 摘要 |
A wood-quality system and method, comprising an imaging system to view lumber, image processing hardware and software, and an output to communicate to a trim-saw system where the lumber should be cut to optimize recovery. The ima ge processing system specifically identifies areas of rot using soft x-rays and image processing software. Although trees produce wood in a continuum of sizes, most lumber is sold i n selected standard sizes. It is common practise in the softwood industry for pieces to be trimmed to a standard length before drying, but this trimming is often based solely on surface profile information (wane - areas of bark and the associated volume where there is no wood (usually from the top of the tree)), or surface profile and visua l examination for surface rot (usually from the base of the tree). Therefore, trimming removes not only bonafide scrap, but also removes sound wood, so as to produce lumber of a standard size. If rot is identified at a later stage in processing, an additional trimming may be required - and to maintain the lumber at a standard length it is often a who le two foot length of scrap which will be generated. Failure to identify rot internal to lumber is also to be avoided, as it reduces the quality of the piece. Additional losses, inherent in unidentified rot, exist in the form of energy wasted in drying non-saleable wood, wasted drying-kiln space, etc. Conversely, rot evident at the surface of a piece may be only superficial, a nd quite acceptable in some grades of wood. To trim it would be wasteful. This inspection system is ideally suited to being placed on the 'green-chain ,' before the first trimming and drying operation is performed. It may also be applied to lumber passing longitudinally, as it does in the area of a planer mill.</SDO AB>
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