April 2012 • Volume 18, Number 04 INDUSTRY NEWS & MACHINERY www.timberlinemag.com • 800-805-0263 Laser Technology Inc. Rangefinder, Software Improves Log Inventory Control By Tim Cox Contributing Author Measuring log deck volumes is much faster and easier with the TP360 laser rangefinder. John Calkins knew there had to be a have been developed over time so a sawmill can be used to monitor yield and maximize better way to measure log decks at a saw- can measure incoming raw material as well sawmill operations. mill. He discovered what it was when he as outgoing product. Sawmills can know the volume of a log partnered with Laser Technology Inc. “Logs are our largest cost and accurate deck if it is a ‘closed’ log deck, a practice As a log scaler for Simpson Lumber inventory of raw material is a key business most mills typically follow. A closed deck Co., his duties included measuring decks at metric,” noted John. That information, is one that has been assembled with every the company’s sawmill in Shelton, Wash- knowing precisely how many board feet are log scaled and the scale receipts tracked ington. contained in the inventory of logs as well as tabulated; the mill scales and tracks every Of course, different methods and tools the board feet of lumber out the door, also log that goes into the deck. “When we build Reprinted by persmission of Timberline magazine – Copyright © 2013 Industrial Reporting, Inc., all rights reserved Sawmills find themselves needing to calculate inventory volumes of literally mountains of logs. our log decks, we know the volume going known as a prism pole, which requires one He settled on a tool – a device – that into them,” said John. man to adjust the pole and another standing revolutionized his approach to measuring The need for measuring becomes criti- away from the deck to indicate the appro- log decks: the Laser Technology TruPulse cal as logs are removed from a deck and priate height or the top of the deck. 360 laser rangefinder. processed by the mill; the decks must be “Some try to use other tools,” said “You measure with the laser measured in order to calculate the remain- John. “Some drive around in a pickup and rangefinder right to the deck…It’s straight ing volume. guess. They don’t last long,” he added with forward, easy to understand.” Until now the methods have not pro- a laugh. “This is a great device for measuring vided the accuracy desired. Every sawmill John, 57, who earned a forestry degree this,” he added. has a forester or log yard manager who is in applied science from Green River Com- The technology provides a number of responsible for keeping track of inventory. munity College, was a bureau log scaler for benefits. The most important benefit, to Most of them have to pace the length of a 30 years. He has been employed the past companies like Simpson, according to log deck and measure it with a tape mea- five years as a check scaler and log quality John, is improved safety. “Safety first,” he sure or have a two-man crew, with one man specialist for Simpson, responsible for log said. “It is the most important thing.” stretching the tape measure and the other and chip quality for the company’s north- Using a hand-held laser to take mea- reading the measurement. The height of the west lumber division. surements virtually eliminates all the haz- deck is similarly measured using a device He set out on a four-pronged mission, ards associated with walking around log to come up with a new method that would: decks. In addition, because of water and 1. Improve physical log deck measur- other obstacles, in some cases it is physi- ing for more accurate log accounting. cally impossible to make measurements us- 2. Allow one person to take more mea- ing the manual methods, resulting in forest- surements. ers and log yard managers having to rely on 3. Develop a procedure that would be an estimate or “educated guess.” easy to understand and replicate. “That’s where this device makes it 4. Devise a procedure that would be completely possible,” said John. “You just acceptable to accountants and auditors. could not do it.” John Calkins, a log scaler for Simpson Lumber Co. with over 35 years of experience, set out on a four-pronged mission to come up with a new method to measure log decks. He settled on a Laser Technology TruPulse 360 laser Clinometer deck measurements allow one person to do the job that used to take rangefinder. multiple people much more time to measure log volumes. 2 “I can stay in one position without log decks at five sawmills – by himself – in terly or even annual basis, the technology moving my feet and measure a deck 300 a week’s time. allows log deck volumes to be measured feet long.” Another important benefit is improved weekly and adjustments can be made In addition, measuring log decks no accuracy. “It’s really quite incredible com- monthly. “They figure weekly (lumber) longer is a task that may involve several pared to the way that we used to do it,” said sales, so they want to be able to figure people. It can be done by one employee. John, referring to the improved accuracy. their supply on a weekly basis,” noted “This has really made it extremely easy for The methods of manually measuring log John. one person,” said John. decks had a margin of error 10 percent at “We don’t need to over-supply our Typically a crew of two people would best, he suggested. The LTI technology mills with costly raw material,” added start by sweeping the pavement of the log doubled the accuracy to 5 percent or even John. In the past, because of uncertainty deck, then using a measuring device that better, he said. With more ‘shots’ with the over inventory, sawmill mangers would utilizes a small wheel, rolling it along the hand-held laser, accuracy is even greater be prone to make sure they had plenty of length of a given deck in order to measure and approaches the accuracy of individu- logs on hand. “This allows you to get just it. The process would take the two employ- ally scaling a log, John argued. a little closer to reality,” said John, by ees all afternoon. Where in the past log deck volumes keeping track of inventory more accu- “You don’t need any of that,” said were determined on a monthly basis, and rately. John, who now measures all the pertinent the figures could be used only on a quar- The technology would benefit virtu- LTI a True Pioneer in Laser Technology From missions in outer space to golfing and hunting, Laser the first recreational rangefinder and the first reflectorless hand- Technology Inc. (LTI) can claim to be a true pioneer in design- held total station. ing and manufacturing lasers for what’s technically known as LTI began working with the US government over 24 years reflectorless measurement. ago by designing lasers that measured distances between two The company’s hand-held laser rangefinders find many ap- planes in-flight for a de-icing exercise. The company subse- plications in the forest products and other industries. In addition, quently won a contract with NASA to build a custom laser that it has developed computer software tools specifically to be used could measure both distances and speeds for space docking mis- with its devices for forest products industry applications. sions. Later it partnered with Bushnell Optics and designed the For example, mills can readily ascertain the volume of a chip first low-cost recreational rangefinder for golfing and hunting. pile with the aid of an LTI laser rangefinder in conjunction with LTI’s line of TruPulse laser rangefinders can be used with a the company’s MapSmart and Volumetrics software. The tech- compatible data collector with either a standard serial port or nology makes the task quick, safe, and accurate. Bluetooth. Each ‘shot’ with the rangefinder automatically down- The latest addition to the company’s portfolio of products for loads a full data string that comprises horizontal, slope and ver- the forest products industry is its Log Deck Volume software. It is tical distance, the degree of inclination, and azimuth values. a cost-effective, easy solution to instantly calculate deck area as well They feature superior optics with 7X magnification and in- as the board feet volume for specified log species and diameters. scope data display for capturing the right measurement to the cor- Users can quickly get accurate, repeatable results simply by rect target. Toggling on the ‘Closest’ or ‘Farthest’ mode ensures following the step-by-step instructions built into the software and the laser sensor ignores unwanted obstructions in front or behind using the helpful illustrations that guide them through the pro- the desired target. cess. It offers five different survey methods that can be adapted Small enough to fit in a pocket and economically priced, the to the specific environment of any log deck. These features also LTI TruPulse laser rangefinders display all measurements and address the difficulty of working with uneven ground. menus right in the scope, and they integrate with GPS and popu- “We developed the Log Deck Volume software because it lar GIS software. can streamline the inventory process and even make it safer for The LTI TruPulse 360 features on-board height and missing our customers,” said Steve Colburn, Laser Technology’s national line solutions. The user can instantly measure slope distance, in- sales director.