Neue Nachsortierung EN New re-sorting system

The Pfeifer sawmill in Uelzen has been in business for almost 30 years and, while timber production was originally around 200,000 cubic metres p.a., the anticipated volume this year is 500,000 m³. This enormous increase over the years means that bottlenecks are experienced at a variety of production stages. One of these was remedied around the turn of the year 2018/19.

The Pfeifer Group sawmill in Uelzen/DE is primarily involved in the production of packaging material and timber. “We’re a completely integrated location, utilising every product created at the site”, stresses site manager Marco De Gennaro in reference to the associated block production and CHP plant. Timber production has more than doubled since the mill was commissioned in 1991. The target volume for 2019 is 500,000 m³. The Pfeifer Group invests constantly to maintain its state-of-the-art technological capability and continuously enhance performance. A further step in this direction was taken in the autumn of 2018 when Kallfass (Baiersbronn/DE), specialists for mechanisation, installed a new sorting system for dry material. A re-sorting plant was already in operation Uelzen, but this had reached the limits of its performance. “We liked the Kallfass concept very much, and the company had proven to be a good partner”, explained De Gennaro. The new system is designed for a volume of 90,000 m³/p.a. “All our dry timber will run through this line in future”, says the site manager. He is particularly satisfied with the millimetre precision with which boards from 600 mm in length are cut, a point he emphasised in our discussion.

Sophisticated solution

The new dry sorting system enables Pfeifer to process raw material from 2.5 to 4 m in length. Karsten Gottschalk, project manager at Pfeifer in Uelzen, quantifies board cross sections at a thickness of 12 to 100 mm and a width of 70 to 250 mm. The generously dimensioned sawn timber discharge is suitable for either double packets with a width of 1.2 m or 2 m wide large packets. A tilt destacker separates the timbers in layers, whereby the stack battens fall automatically onto a conveyor belt. Kallfass installed an additional automatic batten collector for this purpose which, in effect, is a miniature sorting system. “As packets are often stacked in double layers, we separate the boards using a separation stage. In the case of single-layered packets, this can be passed over for a higher output”, explains Kallfass Managing Director Hans Haist during the tour. The boards pass by the operator in a transverse run-through, with the operator assessing them and ejecting substandard examples. This is followed by the tong loader that separates the board film. Kallfass guarantees a performance of 120 cycles per minute. A moisture meter measures the wood moisture. Material that is too moist is separated and dried again. The downstream Kallfass CNC crosscutting saw in Uelzen has four chop saws. This means that cutting with millimetre accuracy is possible as of a capping length of 600 mm. The stacking unit is equipped with magazines for automatic batten positioning. The finished packets are lowered using a hoisting unit where they are strapped and coated in film by an existing plant. The clean packets then stand on a roller conveyor ready for removal. Kallfass project manager Enrico Goldhahn summarises the advantages of the system: “No time is lost during destacking by the buffer, and just as little during packet assembly, thanks to continuous stacking with the auxiliary hoisting unit”. The new Kallfass re-sorting plant currently operates in two shifts. “But we can add another shift if necessary”, says De Gennaro.

Discharge: Kallfass installed a cross conveyor that provides space for several packets – then the process continues to the tilt destacker

Kallfass_Lattensammler

During separating in layers, the stack battens fall automatically downwards to the automatic batten collector.

Kallfass_Beurteilung

The boards run in the transverse transport past the worker who assesses them and, where necessary, ejects substandard examples.

Pfeifer-Kallfass_Lattenmagazin

Packet assembly and removal: Batten magazine with automatic stick placement.

Kallfass_Zuteilung

Individual cycling with tong loader: This has a capacity of up to 140 pieces a minute.

Kallfass_CNC-Crosscutting

The Kallfass CNC cross-cutting system enables cross-cutting of boards to the desired length.

Holzkurier 42/2019, pictures and text Martina Nöstler
Sortierung_Boxensortierung

Ausgezeichnete Ressourcenschonung und Innovation EN Excellent resource conservation and innovation

With an investment in a new sawmill, Hegener-Hachmann changes its production process and expands its cutting capacity
In the Hochsauerland District, in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, a complete new sawmill is under construction. In the future this sawmill will also serve other SMEs as an example of how the use of round timber can be improved and the efficiency of sawmill production can be increased: The Hegener-Hachmann GmbH & Co. KG had submitted its investment project in April 2017 for the “Resource NRW” call for the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises and received the funding decision in November 2017. The system will go into trial operation in October and will then be open to all interested parties for viewing.

Sortierung_Boxensortierung

Kallfass sorting system with 50 inclined boxes for triple allocation

The Kallfass multiple crosscut saw produces cutting lengths as short as 600 mm

-Excerpt from article-

System configuration

...

Kallfass from Baiersbronn, Germany, supplied the sawmill mechanisation and the sorting and stacking plant. The material to be cut travels at a speed of 60 to 80 cycles/min from the resaw or from the log band saw or the gang saw and can be transported via curve conveyors both to the stacking unit and to the sorting system. The aim is to send over 70% of the production directly to the stacking unit. Eine Mehrfach-Ablängsäge kann Schnittlängen bis zu minimal 600 mm erzeugen, für die Stapelung müssen Längen unter 800 mm allerdings mit einer Doppellänge in der ersten Paketlage abgestapelt werden. Die Stapelmaschine mit automatischer Lattenlegung bildet 8 bis 10 Lagen pro Minute.

...

The sorting system can handle a maximum width of 280 mm and a maximum thickness of 100 mm. The incoming timber is measured in a grid of 500 mm. The sorting system has a capacity of up to 60 cycles/min. There are 50 inclined boxes available, having a volume of 3 m³ each, which can be filled with up to three different widths. Subsequently, a re-sorting unit upstream of the stacking system, from which two widths of the timber are returned for sorting purposes.

...

The minimum cutting lengths of a multiple crosscut saw is 600 mm, however, lengths shorter than 800 mm must be stacked with a double length in the first package length. A stacker with an automatic batten laying function forms 8 to 10 layers per minute.

...

Lighthouse Project in North Rhine-Westphalia

...

The state government of NRW recognises the company as a nationwide lighthouse project (a model project that aims to have a signal effect for numerous follow-up projects). Visits are possible by arrangement with business partners Hegener-Hachmann and von Weichs. Commissioning of the sawmill is scheduled for mid-October.

.

Pictures Kallfass, Text Jürgen Härer, Holz-Zentralblatt, Issue 40.