Lumber
Sorting Controls
MPM's
Lumber Sorting System is programmable logic controller (PLC) based with a
Microsoft® Windows NT interface that makes it very user-friendly and easy
for the operator to set up.
The design operating speed is 200+ lugs per minute.
Bin assignments can be
fixed or self-seeking. The system can set any combination of parameters
(lengths, widths, thicknesses, grades, species, and moisture) within a
sorting pattern. Each sort can be assigned to a particular zone in the
sorter. This can all be simply and easily programmed by the user.
The sorting capability
typically provides up to 32 lengths, 16 widths, 16 thicknesses, 16 grades,
16 species and 16 moisture levels. The user can assign a 10-character text
description (such as "Grade A") to each category that acts as a "tag
specifier." The tags are used to specify sort patterns and generate reports.
Each sort pattern contains a primary sort and provision for secondary and
tertiary sorts, along with a corresponding maximum piece count per package.

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Features
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Automatic
bin seeking in tertiary, secondary, primary, and then by empty bin order.
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Assigning up
to 9 zones in the sorter system.
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Set-up
and fine-tuning is handled easily via the computer interface,
and system timing is dynamically adjusted according to sorter speed.
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Diagnostics
are available for troubleshooting and system monitoring.
-
System
reports can be generated on an extensive range of factors. The user can
modify these reports or create custom reports with Crystal Reports™ for
Windows.
-
Monitors
diverter failures using a photocell at the recirculation point.
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Bin
faults to detect overfilling of bins.
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Length
limit switch (photocell) faults to monitor and advises the operator on
limit switch/photocell failures.
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Skewed
board detection.
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Broken
hook detection to disable dealing a board for that lug and to advise the
operator.
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Long-range
photocells to
detect lumber tangled up in a bin.
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Indicators
in sequence to advise the operator that: only one bin is empty,
that no empty bins are available, that all bins are full and lumber is
going into recirculation.
-
Hot
backup
of sorter data to the master computer hard disk every 30
seconds in case of a PLC crash.
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Operator
display provides the bin chaser with real-time bin status along with
pop-up error messages for sorter problems.
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Management
report package
for defining and modifying sort specifications, monitoring system status,
diagnosing problems, and reporting production information.
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