Pre-cut infeed system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9314937-B2
Application number	US-201313928167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2013
Priority date	Feb 22, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments provide a pre-cut infeed system for a machine center, such as an edger. A pre-cut infeed system may include an infeed, one or more saws arranged along the infeed, and a scanner optimizer system. The scanner optimizer system may scan a workpiece and determine whether greater value can be obtained from the workpiece by cutting the workpiece transversely into two or more pieces upstream of the machine center. If so, the workpiece may be cut transversely by the saw(s) positioned along the infeed, and the cut pieces may be fed sequentially into the machine center.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A workpiece processing system comprising:
an infeed configured to convey a workpiece in a direction of flow;
a first cutting system disposed along the infeed and selectively actuable to cut the workpiece transversely into two or more pieces along a corresponding one or more first cut lines, wherein the one or more first cut lines are transverse to a longitudinal axis of the workpiece;
two or more workpiece lifts downstream of the first cutting system, the two or more workpiece lifts independently actuable to move the two or more pieces asynchronously onto an outfeed;
a second cutting system disposed downstream of the outfeed, the second cutting system configured to cut the two or more pieces longitudinally along corresponding second cut lines, wherein the second cut lines are transverse to the first cut lines; and
a scanner optimizer system operatively coupled to the first cutting system and the two or more workpiece lifts, the scanner optimizer system including a scanner configured to scan the workpiece and a computer system operatively coupled with the scanner, the scanner optimizer system configured to
calculate a cut pattern for the workpiece, wherein the cut pattern includes the one or more first cut lines, and
control the two or more workpiece lifts to move the two or more pieces asynchronously onto the outfeed.

2. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , wherein the scanner optimizer system includes a controller, the scanner optimizer system further configured to determine one or more cutting positions for the first cutting system based at least on the calculated cut pattern, the controller configured to reposition the first cutting system according to said one or more cutting positions.

3. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , further comprising two or more workpiece positioners disposed proximal to the infeed, the two or more workpiece positioners independently operable to position the two or more pieces on the corresponding two or more workpiece lifts.

4. The workpiece processing system of claim 3 , wherein the outfeed is disposed proximal to the workpiece lifts, the workpiece processing system further including a plurality of overhead rolls positioned along the outfeed proximal to the workpiece lifts.

5. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , wherein the infeed is a transverse conveyor and the second cutting system is an edger.

6. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , wherein the scanner is positioned along the infeed.

7. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , wherein the scanner is positioned upstream of the infeed.

8. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more ending rolls disposed along the infeed conveyor.

9. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , the first cutting system comprising one or more saws positioned above the infeed conveyor.

10. The workpiece positioning system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more workpiece lifts independently includes a platform portion with a groove therein, and the outfeed includes an endless loop, the endless loop extending through the grooves.

11. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , wherein said cut pattern is a first cut pattern, the scanner optimizer system further configured to
calculate a second cut pattern for the workpiece, wherein the second cut pattern lacks the one or more first cut lines,
calculate a predicted monetary value for the first cut pattern and a predicted monetary value for the second cut pattern,
select one of said cut patterns based at least on the predicted monetary values, and
control the first cutting system to cut the workpiece according to the selected one of said cut patterns.

12. The workpiece processing system of claim 1 , wherein said cut pattern is a first cut pattern, the scanner optimizer system further configured to
calculate a second cut pattern for the workpiece, wherein the second cut pattern lacks the one or more first cut lines,
calculate a predicted effect on throughput volume for the first cut pattern and a predicted effect on throughput volume for the second cut pattern,
select one of said cut patterns based at least on the predicted effects on throughput volume, and
control the first cutting system to cut the workpiece according to the selected one of said cut patterns.

13. The workpiece processing system of claim 12 , the scanner optimizer system configured to select one of said cut patterns based at least on one or more mechanical constraints of the first cutting system or the second cutting system.

14. The workpiece positioning system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more mechanical constraints includes a length of time required to reposition a saw of the first or second cutting system to cut said workpiece, a preceding workpiece, or a successive workpiece.

Assignees

• Usnr Llc

Inventors

• Saastamo Petri

Classifications

• B26D5/007

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• B27B1/007 Primary

  taking into account geometric properties of the trunks or logs to be sawn, e.g. curvature · CPC title

• G05B2219/36515

  As function of material or pattern direction, nerves of wood for optimal cutting · CPC title

• G05B2219/35162

  Determine workpiece placement, nesting in blank, optimize, minimize loss material · CPC title

• G05B2219/45044

  Cutting · CPC title