Features Mills Sawmilling
OptiSaw West releases full agenda for learning, networking event

Speakers including researchers and innovative mill managers will offer valuable insight into the cutting edge of sawmilling technologies and processes, and share ideas about getting the most for your money. 

Sawmill 4.0: Using floor-level data to drive productivity
François Léger, president of PMP Solutions, and Jean-Sébastien Pelletier, sawmill manager for Maibec’s St-Pamphile mill in Quebec, will discuss industry 4.0 as it evolves, drawing on developments at St-Pamphile where data is collected at every step of the production process to optimize mill operations.

Eurovations: UBC looks at the cutting edge overseas
University of British Columbia Assistant Professor Julie Cool, who specializes in sawmill optimization and machinery, will provide an overview of European processing techniques and strategies and share insight into what Canadian sawmills can learn from them.

Mass timber, carbon and construction: Trends and opportunities for Canada
Who are the major players in cross-laminated timber/mass timber? What’s the market? Where is the industry going? Peter Moonen, National Sustainability Manager for the Canadian Wood Council, will explore the opportunities that mass timber presents to sawmills in Canada

The CLT end game
USNR is offering a cross-laminated timber (CLT) press and associated handling equipment for the mass-timber market. The company installed its first press at a plant in Riddle, Ore., and has had significant interest since then. Sam Pope will share the case study from the Riddle plant and talk about how CLT can fit in to Canada’s forest products sector.

Scanning sooner: Moving grade optimization into the sawmill
Novrin Laudon, Springer-Microtec’s chief technology officer, will present on their latest innovation: the new four-sided Goldeneye 900 transverse lumber scanner. This presentation will explore some of the benefits of grade scanning in the sawmill, with practical examples from a recent installation in Coastal British Columbia.

Optimizing the gang edger
Autolog sales manager Gilles Gauvin and Tembec vice-president of Ontario Operations, Andre Ouimette, will present a case study about the overall improvements at Tembec’s Hearst sawmill in Quebec, with a focus on Autolog’s curve sawing optimization of a gang edger (wiggle box).

Staying current: Steps to avoid gear obsolescence
Equipment obsolescence is a growing issue for sawmills as the pace of technology and the sophistication of sawmills increases. In order to protect machinery investments, sawmills need to manage the risk of obsolescence. Joey Nelson, president and founder of JoeScan, will discuss strategies to mitigate the risk of equipment obsolescence in sawmills.

Better beetle wood: Split detection case study
USNR has invested in developing a split detection system at Lakeland Mills in Prince George, B.C., and is now ready to take it to market. Doug Strasky, primary optimization systems manager for USNR, will share why the new system is particularly applicable to the regions affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation and similar invasive pests.

Register online now at www.optisaw.com 

Platinum sponsor
USNR

Gold sponsor
HewSaw, JoeScan, Springer-Microtec

Lunch sponsor
Autolog

Presented by
Canadian Forest Industries