Mercer improved debarking system
Monday, June 19, 2023
Mercer with the aim to improve its resource efficiency has installed an improvised system to reduce wood losses during the debarking process. This new system was installed during the mill’s annual shutdown in September 2022 by a Finnish supplier.
Mercer as a well-known producer of wood products has always tried to develop their working process to fuel its process efficiencies. Mercer has a global spread but they specially consider their local commitments. They believe in sustainably, therefore tries to make the best use of the available raw materials to achieve economic growth. The resource wood is now better conserved due to this improved debarking process. It can be said that now sustainability is better maintained in the processing with better production and lesser waste production.
The company now uses this newly installed system to control the debarking process to remove as little bark as possible from the log. Let’s shed a light on the system and its components-
- Feedsmart Scanner- The scanner detects the logs in the infeed to the chipper and it also keeps a check on the overall quality, quantity and dimensions of the logs. Each infeed lines from the log yard and the log wagon line has one measuring system.
- Fillsmart Scanner- This particular system makes use of a laser mounted at the end of the debarking drum for accurate level measurement, determining the number of logs currently present in the drum.
- Barksmart + Logsmart Scanner- This system is mounted in front of the chipper to determine the amount of bark on the logs. This system also checks the quantity and dimension of the logs before processing them into chips.
- Profismart Scanner- This system mounted on the bark belt, measures the wood content left in the cut belt. This helps to deter the wood loss.
- Woodsmart Software- This control software is used to optimize the debarking process to reduce wood losses. The necessary adjustments are made with the various input signal received from the previous scanners. The controls of the debarking drum move the sliding gate at the drum outlet to manage the overall speed. These systematic changes help to achieve the desired target values for the specific logs in the drum. These processes reduced the loss of wood and successfully debark the logs to maintain the quality requirements for the mill’s pulp production.
Tags: Mercer, Mercer Rosenthal, wood, wood and panel, woodworking, woodworking and manufacturing, woodworking industry, woodworking USA
