Systems and methods for the production of glulam and split-lam wood composites

A method of producing a composite wood beam using a continuous wood processing subsystem comprising the steps of:

• analyzing a plurality of wood boards using a visual scanning camera system yielding a plurality of analyzed wood boards;
• transferring the plurality of analyzed wood boards to a cross-cutting saw;
• calculating and automatically recording in a database of a computer system locations of joints between the plurality of analyzed wood boards to be used to produce an initial lamella prior to cutting the plurality of wood boards;
• cutting each of the plurality of analyzed wood boards of an initial set of boards with a first saw to cut out any imperfections, where present, in each of the plurality of analyzed wood boards and produce sections of wood boards to be used to produce the initial lamella having a predetermined length corresponding to a predetermined length of the composite wood beam;
• calculating and automatically recording in the database of a computer system the locations of the joints between the sections of wood boards to be used to produce a subsequent lamella that will be positioned adjacent the initial lamella in the composite wood beam;
• comparing the locations of the joints of the initial lamella to the locations of the joints of the subsequent lamella prior to cutting an imperfection from the sections of wood boards to be used to produce the subsequent lamella;
• cutting each of a plurality of analyzed boards of a subsequent set of boards with the first saw to cut out any imperfections, where present, in each of the plurality of analyzed boards of the subsequent set of boards and produce sections of wood board to be used to produce the subsequent lamella of a predetermined length corresponding to a predetermined length of the composite wood beam that will be positioned adjacent the initial lamella wherein the subsequent lamella of a predetermined length has joints between the sections of wood board of the subsequent lamella and wherein the sections of wood board used to produce the subsequent lamella are analyzed and automatically cut such that the joints between the sections of wood board to be used to produce the subsequent lamella are not within a predetermined distance from the joints between the sections of wood board of the initial lamella;
• and
• adhering the initial lamella with the subsequent lamella to produce the composite wood beam.

A method of producing a composite wood beam comprising the steps of:

• analyzing a plurality of wood boards of material using a visual scanning camera system yielding a plurality of analyzed wood boards;
• transferring the plurality of analyzed wood boards to a cross-cutting saw;
• cutting each of the plurality of analyzed wood boards with a first saw to cut out any imperfections, where present, in each of the plurality of analyzed wood boards and produce sections of a first grade of wood board to be used to produce a first lamella of a predetermined length;
• calculating and automatically recording in a database of a computer system, a location of joints between the sections to be used to produce the first lamella;
• transferring the sections of the plurality of analyzed wood boards having the same grade to a finger jointing system;
• cutting finger joints into the sections;
• joining the finger joints of the sections to form joined sections that together form the first lamella and the joined sections have a length of at least the predetermined length;
• wherein if the joined sections have a length that is longer than the predetermined length, cutting a trailing end portion of a final section of the first lamella with a second saw to create the first lamella at the predetermined length;
• automatically recording in the database of the computer system the location of joints between sections used to produce a second lamella to be placed adjacent the first lamella and using at least one section of a second grade of wood to produce the second lamella;
• and
• adhering the second lamella to the first lamella using an adhesive and wherein none of the locations of joints between the sections used to produce the first lamella are within less than six inches of the locations of joints between the sections used to produce the second lamella.