Embodiments of a system for shape sawing wood may include a feed unit and a saw box pivotably coupled to, and suspended from, one end of the feed unit. The saw box may be coupled to the side walls of the feed unit by pivot pins that define a rotational axis. A motor may be mounted to one side of the saw box to drive a saw arbor in rotation. The system may include an actuator that is selectively actuable to pivot the saw box about the rotational axis relative to the feed unit. Another actuator may be provided to move the saw box laterally along the pivot members. The feed unit may be slideably mounted on rails and selectively movable along the rails relative to a feed axis that extends through the saw box and the feed unit.

Embodiments relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for shape sawing wood. Specifically, embodiments include an infeed with laterally displaceable positioning rolls and a longitudinal axis between the positioning rolls. The embodiments further include a saw box with a frame and a plurality of saws coupled with a plurality of vertical arbors within the frame. In certain embodiments, the frame is operable to move laterally or rotationally with respect to a horizontal axis of rotation.

Embodiments provide a pre-cut infeed system for a machine center, such as an edger. A pre-cut infeed system may include an infeed, one or more saws arranged along the infeed, and a scanner optimizer system. The scanner optimizer system may scan a workpiece and determine whether greater value can be obtained from the workpiece by cutting the workpiece transversely into two or more pieces upstream of the machine center. If so, the workpiece may be cut transversely by the saw(s) positioned along the infeed, and the cut pieces may be fed sequentially into the machine center.

The present disclosure describes methods and systems for virtually calibrating geometric sensors with overlapping fields of view. In some embodiments, a geometric sensor may be virtually calibrated by applying a correction value to profile data obtained by the geometric sensor to generate adjusted profile data. The correction factor may be determined based at least in part on X-Y offsets and/or rotational offsets of prior profile data obtained by the geometric sensor relative to corresponding profile data obtained by a reference geometric sensor, and may be recalculated or updated as new sets of profile data are obtained. The adjusted profile data may be used in place of the original profile data in various data processing operations to functionally offset a positional error of the geometric sensor.

A system that includes a computer processor having a plurality of input data devices, a plurality of output data devices, and a plurality of sensors; and a mechanical assembly integrated with the computer processor to reposition a piece of wood lumber based on software code executing in the computer processor. In some embodiments, the system performs a method that includes eliciting and receiving into the computer processor data parameters from a first human user; obtaining incoming data points about the lumber from the plurality of sensors; processing and storing the data parameters; comparing the incoming data points to the data parameters to obtain comparison results; and, based on the comparison results, (1) rejecting the lumber to a preprogrammed position, (2) feeding the lumber into a saw assembly as positioned, or (3) repositioning the lumber to a more optimal position prior to feeding the lumber to the saw assembly.

Embodiments provide a pre-cut infeed system for a machine center, such as an edger. A pre-cut infeed system may include an infeed, one or more saws arranged along the infeed, and a scanner optimizer system. The scanner optimizer system may scan a workpiece and determine whether greater value can be obtained from the workpiece by cutting the workpiece transversely into two or more pieces upstream of the machine center. If so, the workpiece may be cut transversely by the saw(s) positioned along the infeed, and the cut pieces may be fed sequentially into the machine center.

The present disclosure describes methods and systems for virtually calibrating geometric sensors with overlapping fields of view. In some embodiments, a geometric sensor may be virtually calibrated by applying a correction value to profile data obtained by the geometric sensor to generate adjusted profile data. The correction factor may be determined based at least in part on X-Y offsets and/or rotational offsets of prior profile data obtained by the geometric sensor relative to corresponding profile data obtained by a reference geometric sensor, and may be recalculated or updated as new sets of profile data are obtained. The adjusted profile data may be used in place of the original profile data in various data processing operations to functionally offset a positional error of the geometric sensor.

In various embodiments, a scanner optimizer system may generate a virtual model of a predicted flitch based on a 3D model of a log/cant and a cut solution for the log/cant. The scanner optimizer system may compare a virtual model of an actual flitch to virtual models of predicted flitches by comparing data points at a fixed elevation relative to one or both faces of the models. Based on the comparisons, the scanner optimizer system may identify the source log from which the actual flitch was cut. In addition, the scanner optimizer system may identify the saw used to cut the actual flitch, and/or other relevant information, and use the additional information to monitor and adjust the saws and other equipment. Embodiments of corresponding apparatuses and methods are also described.

An edger feeding apparatus and method of placing flitches in position to be fed into an edger with minimal spacing between successive flitches and with flitches oriented and the edger adjusted so as to yield a maximum value of lumber from each flitch. The edger feeding apparatus may include a scanning system for creating and storing a digital three-dimensional model of each flitch. The apparatus and method may also include a control computer and its use for determining the optimum position for feeding each flitch into the edger to produce the most valuable yield of lumber from the flitch.

An edger feeding apparatus and method of placing flitches in position to be fed into an edger with minimal spacing between successive flitches and with flitches oriented and the edger adjusted so as to yield a maximum value of lumber from each flitch. The edger feeding apparatus may include a scanning system for creating and storing a digital three-dimensional model of each flitch. The apparatus and method may also include a control computer and its use for determining the optimum position for feeding each flitch into the edger to produce the most valuable yield of lumber from the flitch.