APOS WoodClassifier
Glue Reduction – automatic adjustment of soft to hardwood ratio
WoodClassifier to identify soft to hardwood mix ratio, reduce glue usage and improve board properties
The exact ratio between hard- and softwood is often only estimated or an „experience value“. Important process parameters like the pH-value or glue metering can only be determined inaccurately. Problematic types of wood, e.g. poplar, can interfere even further with the process.
APOS addresses exactly this point with its WoodClassifier product. APOS has developed a system type which allows recognition and visualization of the mixture ratio and transfer the data to the plant control system. The plant control system in a next step allows either optimized use of glue or an optimized mix of the wood qualities (e.g. by automatic management of screws/conveyors emptying the silos based on the APOS values). The result is a measurable reduction in glue usage with significant saving potentials.
APOS has adapted the APC (APOS Prediction Calculator) and has created calibrations and measurements for many common wood types, using thousands of wood chip samples.
The information describing the wood types is included in the near-infrared spectrum in a complex manner. These have to be identified and extracted. Interferences (such as noise, scattered light, surface influences and temperature) are eliminated by APOS’ APC to achieve stable results under all typical environmental conditions.
In addition, there is a newly developed visualization in APOS’ ProcessOPT application and the possibility to store customer specific control algorithms for e.g. glue nozzle or screw speed parameters.