françois léger mouloud amazouz patrick tousignant · survey was done among canadian sawmilling...

François LégerMouloud Amazouz

Patrick TousignantQuebec city, June 19th, 2005

François LégerMouloud Amazouz

Patrick TousignantQuebec city, June 19th, 2005

Agenda

Part I – Survey – Industry needs in R&DPart I – Survey – Industry needs in R&D

Part II – Forintek response: Sirocco projectPart II – Forintek response: Sirocco project

Part III –DevelopmentsPart III –Developments

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SurveySurvey

The objective of the survey was The objective of the survey was to identify new requirements to identify new requirements in R&D arising from new in R&D arising from new drying practices that are drying practices that are emerging gradually in the emerging gradually in the lumber drying industrylumber drying industry

Survey was done among Canadian Sawmilling industry in 2003 – 120 answers principally Eastern mills

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Survey – Key PointsSurvey – Key Points

1.1. Industry perceives its current drying Industry perceives its current drying operations as sufficiently functional operations as sufficiently functional for market needs for market needs

2.2. Industry mentions that drying quality Industry mentions that drying quality (downgrading) is the most significant (downgrading) is the most significant point in evaluating drying point in evaluating drying

3.3. However, quality not being easily However, quality not being easily measured, time remains the tool measured, time remains the tool mainly used to evaluate mainly used to evaluate performances performances

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Survey – Key PointsSurvey – Key Points

4.4. The drying practice is not limited solely to The drying practice is not limited solely to what occurs in the kiln. Material what occurs in the kiln. Material management, before and after drying, management, before and after drying, supplements the drying process supplements the drying process

5.5. Although quality is recognized as being a Although quality is recognized as being a very significant process variable, there is very significant process variable, there is an average proportion of 16% an average proportion of 16% overdriedoverdriedpieces and 9% under pieces and 9% under driedpiecesdriedpieces

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Survey – Point 5Survey – Point 5

5.5. Although quality is recognized as Although quality is recognized as being a very significant process being a very significant process variable, variable, there is an average proportion ofthere is an average proportion of

16% over dried pieces and16% over dried pieces and9% under dried pieces9% under dried pieces

Value of IncreasingDrying Quality (decreasing rejects)

Up to 25% of lumber drying production

falls outof quality specifications

resulting in an average of6% value lost

Up to 25% of lumber drying production

falls outof quality specifications

resulting in an average of6% value lost

1Survey by Canmet-Forintek

Distribution de la teneur en humidité d'un paquet

0

10

20

30

40

50

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25Teneur en humidité [%]

Nom

bre

de p

ièce

s 16% 9%

MC distribution

Improvement to lower cost production Improvement to lower cost production

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Survey – Point 1Survey – Point 1

1.1. Industry perceives its current drying Industry perceives its current drying operations as sufficiently functional for operations as sufficiently functional for market needs market needs

In fact markets are moving !In fact markets are moving !

Satisfying Market Needs?

others

packaging

non residentialrenovation

residential

second transformation

• Sawmills used to consider themselves as a supplier of lumber for residential construction where products were defined by standards

• Market Needs are moving !!!

• Sawmills used to consider themselves as a supplier of lumber for residential construction where products were defined by standards

• Market Needs are moving !!!

•• Actual production Actual production as revealed by our as revealed by our surveysurvey

Value to DefineNew Drying Quality

Package Moisture Content Distribution

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25MC [%]

Piec

es

Improvement to increase sales and profits Improvement to increase sales and profits

$ Improvement focus on client needs

$ Need change agents

Example: Clearly, there is a need for improvementExample: Clearly, there is a need for improvementbased on drying qualitybased on drying quality

To deliver the right productto the right client

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Survey – ConclusionSurvey – Conclusion

Drying practices are numerous, but none seems Drying practices are numerous, but none seems

to be prevailing. They often come from to be prevailing. They often come from

initiatives of operators that do not have the initiatives of operators that do not have the

means to prove the profitability of their efforts. means to prove the profitability of their efforts.

The lack of measurement and monitoring tools The lack of measurement and monitoring tools

might explain this fact.might explain this fact.

Agenda



Part III – DevelopmentsPart III – Developments

Sirocco Project

• To design practical tools to help the operator modify drying practices and measure their impacts based on the data available in the field

• Technology implemented– Establish raw material traceability– Build the RT-database - historian– Implement data mining techniques– Define key performance indicators

•• To design practical tools to help the operator To design practical tools to help the operator modify drying practices and measure their modify drying practices and measure their impacts based on the data available in the fieldimpacts based on the data available in the field

•• Technology implementedTechnology implemented–– Establish raw material traceabilityEstablish raw material traceability

–– Build the RTBuild the RT--database database -- historianhistorian–– Implement data mining techniquesImplement data mining techniques–– Define key performance indicatorsDefine key performance indicators

Forintek response Forintek response

Technical Challenge

Why drying production falls out of quality specificationsWhy drying production falls out of quality specifications

Sawing

Spec

ies

Spec

ies Dim

ensi

onD

imen

sion

leng

thle

ngthSorting

processSorting

process• Sorting strategy multiples the

packages paths in the yard• Makes difficult

– comparison between expected vs obtained results

– feedback to the operation to adjust on perturbations

• Sorting strategy multiples the packages paths in the yard

• Makes difficult – comparison between expected

vs obtained results– feedback to the operation to

adjust on perturbations

Dry

ing

Planer

Packages pathsPackages paths

OptimisationOptimisation

Prediction &design

Prediction &Prediction &designdesign

Control system &Monitoring systemControl system &Control system &

Monitoring systemMonitoring system

Evaluationof new practices

EvaluationEvaluationof new practicesof new practices

KilnsKilnsKilnsLumber Yardbefore dryingLumber YardLumber Yardbefore dryingbefore drying Planner

millPlannerPlanner

millmill

Data historianData historian

Data miningData mining

Strategic PlanningStrategic PlanningStrategic Planning Long Term Goals: profitability

Short Term Goals: drying operations

Instrumentdevelopment

Sirocco Project RoadmapSirocco Project Roadmap

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millPlannerPlanner

millmill

Data historianData historian Instrumentdevelopment

First level : Data historianFirst level : Data historian

Data historianA) Information integration over 1500 process variablesA) Information integration over 1500 process variables

PI UDS

DATA SERVER

PLC

Acquisition Node

Balance

Black Box

Acquisition NodeWagner/Décanteur

Black Box

Acquisition Node

Séchage

PLC

Acquisition Node

Empileuse

PLC

Acquisition Node

Code à barres

PLC

Acquisition Node

Classeur

Black Box

Acquisition Node

Météo

Sawmill exit Yard

Kilns

Planer mill

Packages labelling

B) Lumber pile labelling systemB) Lumber pile labelling system

Kiln Loading

C) Kiln loading information system managementC) Kiln loading information system management

• Portable tool developed to scan package position in the kiln

• Example of a screen capture

• Portable tool developed to scan package position in the kiln

• Example of a screen capture

Monitoring Kiln batches process• Drying batches are monitored

based on “Batch Control Standards ISA-S88”

• This eases comparisons of drying steps in a schedule with former kiln loads

• Gaz meters installation in the kilns in collaboration with GazMetro

• Gaz meters allow additional in formation on initial load conditions.

• Drying batches are monitored based on “Batch Control Standards ISA-S88”

• This eases comparisons of drying steps in a schedule with former kiln loads

• Gaz meters installation in the kilns in collaboration with GazMetro

• Gaz meters allow additional in formation on initial load conditions.

Monitoring individual packages performance at the planer mill

• Every package (bundles) is monitored to account for

• over dried, correctly dried, under dried pieces

• Grades produced• length produced

• Every package (bundles) is monitored to account for

• over dried, correctly dried, under dried pieces

• Grades produced• length produced

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millPlannerPlanner

millmill


First level : ConclusionFirst level : Conclusion

• This first level allows to compare predicted to actually produced lumber value on a package unit observation

• This is a huge step because former tools allowed only per shift comparisons, which were imprecise to react to disturbations

• This first level allows to compare predicted to actually produced lumber value on a package unit observation

• This is a huge step because former tools allowed only per shift comparisons, which were imprecise to react to disturbations

Agenda



Part III – DevelopmentsPart III – Developments

OptimisationOptimisation

Prediction &design

Prediction &Prediction &designdesign



Evaluationof new practices

EvaluationEvaluationof new practicesof new practices


millPlannerPlanner

millmill


Data miningData mining

Strategic PlanningStrategic PlanningStrategic Planning Long Term Goals: profitability

Short Term Goals: drying operations

Instrumentdevelopment

Second level – Data MiningSecond level – Data Mining

Steps in Data Mining Process

• Collecting and preparing the data

• Model development

• Validating the models

• Building computerized systems

• Monitoring changes over time

• Collecting and preparing the data

• Model development

• Validating the models

• Building computerized systems

• Monitoring changes over time

It is reported that up to 80% of the efforts devoted to data mining projects are allocated to collecting and preparing the data

– the Sirocco project confirms the rule!

It is reported that up to 80% of the efforts devoted to data mining projects are allocated to collecting and preparing the data

– the Sirocco project confirms the rule!

Process analysis

Comparison tool

Process analysis – Models

Developing Multivariate modelsDeveloping Multivariate models

Results: Maximizing Stud & better production

% Stud et better

%

New product: % Premium

%

Length: % 8 ft Stud +

%

Mill productivity increasedMill productivity increased

Impact of Better Drying PracticesImpact of Better Drying Practices

• Sorting

• Systematic Tuning of Drying Practices

• Sorting

• Systematic Tuning of Drying Practices

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ConclusionConclusion

•• This project based on package This project based on package traceabilitytraceability

helps the pilot sawmill maximizing its helps the pilot sawmill maximizing its

productionproduction

•• Increasing drying quality will help the industry Increasing drying quality will help the industry

to increase sales and profits by delivering the to increase sales and profits by delivering the

right product to the right clientright product to the right client

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ConclusionConclusion

•• Package Package traceabilitytraceability is the unit based element is the unit based element

needed for technical assessment but the needed for technical assessment but the

process analysis are based on individual process analysis are based on individual

board measurement board measurement

•• This pilot project offers a tremendous research This pilot project offers a tremendous research

potential and becomes our industrial potential and becomes our industrial

laboratorylaboratory

Project Partners

Scierie LeducDivision Stadacona

Building a PartnershipBuilding a Partnership

françois léger mouloud amazouz patrick tousignant · survey was done among canadian sawmilling...

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