The method of imaging a lumber board generally has the steps of: emitting laser light along a laser plane and toward a transit plane from both opposite sides thereof, in a manner to form a pair of opposite transversal lines of laser light on the lumber board as the board is conveyed across the laser plane; recording a plurality of images of the transversal lines of laser light as the board is conveyed across the laser plane, with each image being associated to a corresponding longitudinal position of the board along the transit plane; and producing a mapping of the geometry of the board by correlating, for each one of the images, the position of points located along the transversal lines of laser light in the recorded images with tridimensional coordinates in a conveyor reference system using tracking data indicative of the movement of the lumber board and calibration data.

Embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for identification of wood species based on one or more pitch characteristics. A workpiece may be exposed to a beam of radiation from a radiation source. The beam of radiation may cause pitch on or within the workpiece to emit visible light. The emitted light may be imaged and used to determine pitch content, pitch location. a pitch deposition pattern, pitch emission wavelength, and/or other characteristics of the workpiece. One or more of these characteristics may be used to identify a tree species or group of tree species from which the workpiece was cut or manufactured.

A system (100A) to track logs in a wood processing chain, includes a database arrangement (102) that includes pre-recorded image of a given log, wherein the given log is associated with log identification information. The system further includes a plurality of imaging devices implemented at a sorting station. The plurality of imaging devices (104) is configured to capture a first set of images from at least a first prespecified oblique angle. The system further includes a data processing arrangement (106) that is configured to: identify the given log at the sorting station; compare the at least one pre-recorded image with the captured first set of images at the sorting station in order to find an optimum image from the compared images for identification of the given log; determine a plurality of physical characteristics; and append the log identification information with the determined physical characteristics of the given log.

A computer-implemented method for estimating a pith location with regard to a timber board, including: receiving a pixelated actual digital image of each lateral face of at least a longitudinal part of the timber board, extending along a longitudinal axis of the timber board; identifying an input portion in said longitudinal part of the timber board, where the input portion is a portion of the timber board which extends along the longitudinal axis; extracting from each pixelated actual digital image of the longitudinal part of the timber board, an input image representing said input portion, so obtaining four input images representing an appearance of the input portion at each lateral face of the timber board; inputting said four input images into the input layer of an artificial neural network and making the artificial neural network operate; and reading, at an output layer of the artificial neural network, output data defining a location of a pith of a log from which the timber board has been obtained, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the timber board at the input portion.

The present invention relates to a system for repairing a plywood panel, the system comprising: at least one detection device for scanning the plywood panel; at least one repairing device for performing a repair operation for the plywood panel; a conveyor device for conveying the plywood panel; and a control device for generating at least one control signal to the conveyor device to halt the plywood panel in the system for performing a scanning operation of the plywood panel with the at least one detection device and to halt the plywood panel for performing a repairing operation with the at least one repairing device on the basis of information obtained with the detection device. Some aspects of the invention relate to a method for performing the repair operation.

A method for detecting defects in the wood and/or properties of the defects in the wood during the processing of a log, having the steps of: A) measuring a profile of the log (1) and determining a log geometry of the log; B) processing the log (1) by cutting so as to produce a processing surface (8) along a log axis of the log (1); C) imaging inspection of the log (1) processed by cutting at least on the processing surface (8) and determination of at least one inspection image (14); and D) using the inspection image (14) from method step C) and the log geometry from method step A) as a basis for spatially resolved determination of a defect (10) in the wood and/or a property of the defect in the wood on the log processed by cutting.

A calibration method of an analysis instrument (1) for analysing the direction of wood fibres of a piece of wood operating by detecting structured light scattering, wherein a calibration sample (3) is used having a working surface (5) and comprising fibres (17) which can be at least partly illuminated with structured light at the working surface, and wherein a detecting step is carried out, in which a detected trend of the fibres is detected, and a processing step is carried out in which said detected trend of the fibres is processed, and wherein moreover the calibration sample used has the working surface constituted of a composite material (13), which is an anisotropic light diffusion material and which comprises a matrix (15) and said fibres, which are dispersed in the matrix and which have a known trend of the fibres at the working surface.

The present invention relates to a system for repairing a plywood panel, the system comprising: at least one detection device for scanning the plywood panel; at least one repairing device for performing a repair operation for the plywood panel; a conveyor device for conveying the plywood panel; and a control device for generating at least one control signal to the conveyor device to halt the plywood panel in the system for performing a scanning operation of the plywood panel with the at least one detection device and to halt the plywood panel for performing a repairing operation with the at least one repairing device on the basis of information obtained with the detection device. Some aspects of the invention relate to a method for performing the repair operation.