Sawmill simulation and the best opening face system. A user's guide

Abstract

Computer sawmill simulation models are being used to increase lumber yield and improve management control. Although there are few managers or technical people in the sawmill industry who are not aware of the existence of these models, many do not realize the modelsa full potential. The first section of this paper describes computerized sawmill simulation models and their use for those who have an interest in the subject, but who will not necessarily be involved in their implementation. The areas of use discussed include management planning and decisionmaking, engineering, automated control systems, and evaluating operating efficiency. The second section details the Best Opening Face program (BOF), the most widely used of the sawmill models simulating the process of recovering dimension lumber from small-diameter, sound, softwood logs. The assumptions used in the program and the theoretical sawing process are discussed. The third section describes the mechanics and possible pitfalls of using BOF. The sawmill configuration simulated by BOF is controlled by data describing a particular mill and options which control the program flow. The appendices contain several formulas, examples of various BOF report formats, and a discussion of using BOF to simulate sawing metric-sized lumber.