The Opti-Max System for Primary Lumber Mills

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The Opti-Max system replaces conventional Babbitt guide pad & uncoated saw blade cutting systems with four key hardware components:

  • The EXO™ Coated Guide Arm – custom designed with very tight tolerances, optimized lubrication flow, using materials of construction that minimize distortion of the tang during the cutting process
  • The EXO™  Coated Guide Pad – custom engineered component, based upon proprietary, innovative designs, that optimize performance with lower saw deviations, better control of the cut, and ultimately lower target size for improved recovery and quality of cut.
  • The EXO™ Coated Saw Blade – the saw plate is manufactured to UCT Forestry specifications; gullet design and tooth count are specified by UCT Forestry engineers consistent with the machine and operating parameters of the mill.  The EXO coating process has been developed to enhance the performance of the blade during “hot” situations, ensuring that saw blades run straighter, longer.
  • Lubrication System – configured to deliver lubricant to the sawing operation at accurate flow and pressure, regarding of the operating status of the saw-gang.

These four components of the Opti-Max system coupled with the hands-on field support provided by the UCT Forestry’s engineering and service personnel, deliver significant economic value to lumber mills through:

Significant Improvement in Recovery & Yield

Overall tighter tolerances, reduced cutting deviation, the use of thinner (but mechanically stable) saw blade kerf and/or plate affords the opportunity to reduce target size by 0.0015” to 0.0040”, leading to a significant improvement in lumber yield and recovery. This target size reduction translates into a 2-4% improvement in yield, amounting to an annual economic impact of $0.3 to $0.7 million for an average size (50 million board-feet per year) lumber mill.

 

Improved Quality

Lumber mismatch, grain tear-out and wash-boarding incidents are significantly reduced, resulting in higher quality and a higher percentage of Grade 1 and 2 lumber.

Improved Productivity

The significantly longer life of the coated components leads to a dramatic reduction in the frequency of guide pad changeovers and incidents of unscheduled saw changes in the middle of a shift.  These factors lead to impressive mill productivity improvements.

Less Lube Consumption

The Opti-Max system controls the flow and placement of lubrication more precisely than the current outmoded technology, resulting in significantly reduced lubrication usage.

Environmental and Safety Enhancement

UCT’s coated steel components allow the elimination of Babbitt operations, which can be occupationally unsafe and environmentally unfriendly.

From the data gathered in several installations, it is clear that improved Recovery, Productivity and Quality impact of the Opti-Max system can bring a $500,000 to $1 million economic benefit to an average-sized lumber mill. Based upon the cost of implementing this system, the return on investment is the range of two to six months, depending upon the output rate and capacity of the lumber mill.

For more details on the Opti-Max system, please click on the links below: