Method and system for layered wood product production

A system for producing layered wood products comprising:

• a veneer analysis system for analyzing a veneer surface and assigning a grade to the veneer based, at least in part, on the analysis of the veneer surface, the veneer analysis system including an NIR analysis system;
• one or more veneer selection and stacking robot control systems to control the operation of one or more veneer selection and stacking robots, the one or more veneer selection and stacking robot control systems generating veneer selection and stacking robot control signals based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the veneer;
• one or more veneer selection and stacking robots, the one or more veneer selection and stacking robots moving veneer from the veneer analysis system to an appropriate one of at least one veneer sheet stack in response to the veneer selection and stacking robot control signals received from the one or more veneer selection and stacking robot control systems;
• at least one stack of veneer, the at least one stack of veneer having been created by the one or more veneer selection and stacking robots;
• a robotic panel assembly cell, the robotic panel assembly cell producing a stack of green layered wood product panels using veneer from the at least one stack of veneer;
• a pre-press, the pre-press pressing the stack of green layered wood product panels to produce pre-pressed layered wood product panels;
• and
• a hot press, the hot press heating and pressing the pre-pressed layered wood product panels to produce cured layered wood product panels.

A method for producing layered wood products comprising:

• providing an NIR analysis system for analyzing a veneer surface and assigning a grade to the veneer based, at least in part, on the analysis of the veneer surface;
• creating at least one stack of veneer including veneer graded by the NIR analysis system;
• providing a robotic panel assembly cell;
• using the robotic panel assembly cell to produce a stack of green layered wood product panels using veneer from the at least one stack of veneer;
• providing a pre-press;
• using the pre-press to press the stack of green layered wood product panels to produce pre-pressed layered wood product panels;
• providing a hot press;
• and
• using the hot press heating and pressing the pre-pressed layered wood product panels to produce cured layered wood product panels.