Non-contact encoder for board measurement

A system for processing a post-kiln wallboard panel having a length, a width and a thickness, the length being longer than the width, the post-kiln wallboard panel having two long surfaces, a front long surface and a back long surface, the post-kiln wallboard panel having a first long edge and a second long edge, the system comprising:

• a post-kiln conveyor having a surface configured for receiving a post-kiln wallboard panel at a first location,
• the conveyor surface further configured for moving horizontally the post-kiln wallboard panel on the conveyor surface from the first location to a second location,
• the conveyor surface being sized for moving the post-kiln wallboard panel with one of the two long surfaces contacting the conveyor surface and the other long surface not contacting the conveyor surface;
• and
• a non-contact encoder configured for producing a laser beam, splitting the laser beam into at least a first laser beam and a second laser beam, and transmitting the first laser beam and the second laser beam to the conveyor surface,
• the non-contact encoder being mounted vertically above the post-kiln conveyor at a distance from the conveyor surface, the distance configured such that the first laser beam and the second laser beam intersect and overlap fully or substantially fully at the non-contacting long surface of the post-kiln wallboard panel when the post-kiln wallboard panel is passing under the non-contact encoder.