Method and apparatus for optimizing planer mill output
AssigneeNewman-Whitney
InventorDavid K. Davenport
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and associated apparatus for selecting a target rate of board treatment by a woodworking tool, measuring the difference between the actual rate of board treatment by the woodworking tool and the selected target rate, calculating the tool speed required to reduce the difference between the target rate and the actual rate to zero, and then periodically adjusting the tool speed of the woodworking tool based on the calculated speed required to reduce the difference to zero.
Claims20
A method of optimizing the output production of a woodworking tool in a production lien of the type in which individual boards are sequentially handled by different tools that typically operate at different speeds, the method comprising:
- selecting a target rate of board treatment by the woodworking tool;
- measuring the difference between the actual rate of board treatment by the woodworking tool and the selected target rate;
- calculating the tool speed required to reduce the difference between the target rate nd the actual rate to zero;
- and
- periodically adjusting the tool speed of the woodworking tool based on the calculated speed required to reduce the difference to zero.
A method of optimizing the output production of a planer-matcher in a production line of the type in which individual boards are sequentially handled by the planer matcher and by different tools that typically operate at different speeds, the method comprising:
- measuring the difference between the actual rate of board treatment by the planer-matcher and a selected target rate of board treatment;
- and
- periodically adjusting the tool speed of the planer-matcher based on the a calculated tool speed required to reduce the difference between the target rate and the actual rate to zero.
An apparatus for optimizing the output production of a woodworking tool in a production line of the type in which individual boards are sequentially handled by different tools that typically operate at different speeds, said apparatus comprising:
- a counter for counting boards that pass said counter during production;
- a woodworking tool operatively associated with said counter and having variable tool speed;
- a central processing unit for comparing the rate at which boards pass said counter to a preselected target rate, and for calculating the tool speed required to reduce the difference between the target rate and the actual rate to zero;
- and
- a tool speed control system operatively associated with said central processing unit for moderating the speed of said woodworking tool in response to the calculations of said central processing unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.