The traditional thinking on sawmilling systems is that they are only used in high-production sawmilling environments.
While that might be true, it’s also a fact that small to medium-sized sawmills use sawmilling systems very successfully to grow their businesses and to maintain their lead over competitors.
How do these non-industrial size sawmillers use sawmilling systems to their advantage?
It starts with one simple question - what amount of sawn timber does a sawmill produce? This can be existing volumes or targeted output.
The ranking below based on output/day* confirms the volumes that sawmills of different sizes produce:
Small: 6-12+ m³/day
Medium: 15-30+ m³/day
Small-scale industrial: 30-50+ m³/day
Industrial: 100+ m³/day
*Depending on a number of variables such as log diameter and lengths, species, final sizes etc.
When the output target is confirmed, the right sawmilling equipment can be brought into place and so too the sawmilling system that is needed to achieve this target.
A basic definition of a system is a collection of parts that work together to produce a specific outcome.
A sawmilling system consists of primary (square or open a face on a log) and secondary breakdown (resawing and edging) plus material handling to link everything to take the log from round to sawn.
Wood-Mizer offers two basic entry level sawmilling systems with a third option offering a mix of both:
Wood-Mizer’s LT (LT15, LT20, LT40, LT70) and LX (LX50, LX450) range falls in this category.
The first Wood-Mizer sawmill in 1982 gave birth to this range that revolutionized sawmilling. Its launch made it possible to produce sawn timber with one machine instead of several.
The sawmilling system that made this possible combined primary and secondary log breakdown processes in one sawmill for an easy and affordable method to turn logs into sawn boards.
Both ranges include entry level to small-scale industrial sawmills with all the models in both ranges providing room more features to match production and budget requirements.
Wood-Mizer’s modular range takes the idea of an All-in-One sawmilling system a step further.
The modular design approach builds on the versatility of the all-in-one range by focusing on the speed and quality of a particular task such as squaring, edging or resawing.
This emphasis provides the potential to increase speed and efficiency across several fronts, whether it’s a module that slots into an existing process or several modules that work together as a system.
The range includes primary (TVS - Twin Vertical Saw), edgers (e.g. EG300) and resaws (e.g. HR115) that are scaled from entry level to full industrial to fit individual production and budget requirements.
Flexible Configurations:
The All-in-One and Modular ranges provide the flexibility to create custom systems based on individual production requirements and budgets.
E.g. LT15 (primary breakdown) + EG300 and HR200 (secondary breakdown).
Improved recovery:
The All-in-One range already has high recovery potential. Recovery = the difference between the log volumes that go into a mill and the sawn volumes that exit.
When an All-In-One system is paired to a modular unit(s) that is built to unlock higher efficiencies, recovery can improve further.
Budget:
Sawmills start small and grow over time, which is closely tied to budgets. Wood-Mizer’s All-in-One and Modular options are designed to be affordable and fit into budgets.
An example is to match an LT mill to an entry-level edger or resaw that can cost less than another LT.
Simplicity:
Splitting primary and secondary processing can be simpler and easier to manage. Primary breakdown on an LT and secondary processing on a resaw and edger is an example.
Improved processing speed:
Processing speed measures how fast a log is cut into sawn timber.
Log loading, total machine movements (Up/Down, Forward/Backward), material movements in the cut, and outfeed are all part of this measurement.
Wood-Mizer's All-in-One range has distinct processing speed advantages e.g. everything done on one machine.
But multiple movements and size changes on one machine can restrict processing speed.
By linking units (e.g. LT and Edger) with each doing one specific task, processing speed can be increased, even more so when material handling such as manual rollers tables are used to link everything together.
Lower labor costs:
Wood-Mizer's All-in-one sawmill use one operator and two assistants. Operating a sawmill with fewer people makes it cheaper, more productive, and more profitable.
Combining All-in-One and Modular’s in a system can reduce labor costs further.
Increased affordability:
The All-in-One and Modular ranges have one key focus – upgradability over time.
Models in each range go from small to large that allows for a mill to start small and then grow. Systems can also be developed over time without stretching the budget.
Lower energy costs:
The use of thin-kerf narrow bandsaw blades in Wood-Mizer's All-in-One and Modular (Twin Vertical primary breakdown head) ranges improves recovery and lowers energy and blade maintenance costs.
Material handling:
Wood-Mizer offers a full range of material handling solutions, from entry-level to fully customized automated industrial-size systems with the core focus to streamline systems optimally.
Manufacturing expertise:
Wood-Mizer uses modern design and manufacturing techniques to build entry-level to heavy-duty, durable, and high-value systems that are running efficiently in customer operations worldwide.
Wood-Mizer's sawmilling systems work to unlock maximum value for any size sawmill.
Wood-Mizer's global engineering team and sawmilling systems specialists look forward to partnering with every customer to design system solutions that deliver exceptional growth.
