Yield implications of global versus local process optimization in rip-first rough mills

Current rip-first processing technologies use local optimization methods to find the best cutting solution for each board. First, lumber is cut to strips with the local optimization establishing the highest yielding strip solution. Then the strips are cut to part lengths, also using a local optimiza...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inForest products journal Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 66 - 70
Main Authors Thomas, E, Buehlmann, U
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Madison, WI Forest Products Society 01.03.2007
Subjects
Applied sciences
computer analysis
Costs
cutting bill
Cutting tools
Degradation and preservation
dynamic models
Exact sciences and technology
Forest products industry
lumber
Mechanical woodworking and drying
Optimization
Optimization techniques
Polymer industry, paints, wood
Production capacity
Properties and testing
Raw materials
ROMI-3
rough milling
sawing
sawmilling industry
Simulation
simulation models
Studies
Vision systems
Wood
Wood products
Wood. Paper. Non wovens
Yield stress
yields
United States > US
Softwood
Spermatophyta
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Summary:Current rip-first processing technologies use local optimization methods to find the best cutting solution for each board. First, lumber is cut to strips with the local optimization establishing the highest yielding strip solution. Then the strips are cut to part lengths, also using a local optimization algorithm that searches for the highest yielding part solution from the given strips. Thus, local rip-first optimization involves the generation of two local optima. Conversely, global lumber cut-up optimization generates a single optimal cut-up solution (ripping and chopping) for each board before it is actually processed. The impact of these two optimization modes on yield were evaluated using a variety of cutting bills and grade mixes and the USDA Forest Service's ROMI-3 rough mill simulator. Simulation results indicate that improvements in yield can be significant with global optimization. In this study global optimization was shown to return as much as 10.67 percent higher primary part yield than local optimization.
ISSN:0015-7473
2376-9637