Rauma brings machine vision to the sawmill industry Using machine vision is a central element of the modern production technology at the new sawmill in Rauma. Machine vision is used to ensure the quality of final products and the efficiency of the production process.
Matti Närhi The author is the safety manager for Metsä Fibre’s sawmill business operations. He previously worked in wood supply at Metsä Group.
We must work together to make our workplaces safe. Even the smallest step in the safer direction is significant. SAFETY WITH SMALL STEPS As an adult, I have thought myself as an obedient and rule-abiding citizen. Complying with the laws of civil life, daily rules or workplace guidelines has never been a problem for me. I have also focused on safety in relation to one of my hobbies: hunting. When I was working as a ski instruc- tor, I set a good example for younger skiers by wearing a helmet. Starting a family has also made me more re- sponsible. Before joining Metsä Fibre, I worked in wood supply at Metsä Group for nearly 20 years. The work environment in wood supply differs con- siderably from the environment in industrial plants. In terms of safety, in wood supply, the focus is mainly on the office work and the safe navigation outdoors. Of course, if you are working near harvesters or earthworks and wood transport equipment, you must pay attention to protective equipment and safety distances. At the production plants, the situation is completely different. There are many moving machines and pieces of equipment. Electricity, compressed air, chemicals, and sources of radiation can be found in every plant. Dust, cuts shooting out from the processes, stairs, high places and confined spaces cause different challenges for occu- pational safety. We absolutely need to make sure together that our workplaces are safe. During the year, Metsä Group has adopted common occupational safety standards. Each
MARKKU PULKKINEN, photo FINSCAN
The Rauma sawmill will be the most modern sawmill in the world. To ensure high-quality final products, the lat- est technology including machine vision, smart control and artificial intelligence solutions are used at all stages of the sawing process in Rauma. This guarantees even better product quality for Metsä Fibre’s customers. “Machine vision and the artificial intelligence solu- tions that utilise it, will help us ensure even better that products of the correct quality are delivered to their destination. The customer receives exactly what they ordered,” says Jarkko Vihervuori , Technical Director of the Rauma sawmill project. QUALITY IS MONITORED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS When trees grow in a forest, they are subject to natural conditions, and each log is always at least slightly dif- ferent from the others. However, it is necessary that the material produced from different logs is of consistent quality and suitable for the customers' needs. “Since wood is a living material, every log has its par- ticular internal quality which is affected by, among other things, knots, heartwood content, density and growth rings. The internal quality can be established with X-ray technology, which has been used for a long time," Vi- hervuori says. “The data measured during the different process stages is combined to produce individual information on the logs and products. Artificial intelligence tirelessly con- nects the results together and follows the pieces through the entire process. With the help of precise scanning and continuous development, the end customer is guaran- teed to get the agreed quality.” RELIABLE OPERATION WITH MACHINE VISION The sawing process traditionally includes a multitude of sensors, lasers, meters and photocells. Machine vision can replace them all, resulting in fewer components sub- ject to a risk of failure in the process. This also enables high availability and, consequently, makes full use of the tremendous sawing speed.
“Machine vision is used both on the sawing line and in item processing. Equipment that uses the new machine vision technology is placed in dozens of positions along the production line,” Vihervuori says. Machine vision changes the standard operating model of sawmills considerably. For example, with the help of machine vision and smart control, defective pieces can be automatically removed from production lines, which means that the personnel does not need to stand next to the lines, monitoring the production. The change improves occupational safety, working conditions and product quality. “The work of sawmill workers, or operators, chang- es to monitoring and control carried out from a single control room. The work tasks of operators at the plant focus on ensuring that the machines operate correctly, the quality is at it should be and the conclusions made by the machine vision application are correct.” Metsä Fibre implemented a machine vision pilot pro- ject at its sawmill in Vilppula to ensure that the new technology works reliably. “We have received encouraging results from the pilot project, and identified some items for development. The machine vision technology being introduced at the new sawmill in Rauma is therefore guaranteed to operate reliably,” Vihervuori says. •
plant has similar guidelines and goals for safe ways of working. I have been glad to notice that everyone finds safety at work important. Each of us is responsible for contrib- uting by following the safety guidelines and addressing the issues if a service provider or colleague neglects the instructions. Addressing issues shows we care! It is clear that changing familiar ways of working is met with an emotional response. Personally, I remember how strange it initially felt to wear a bicycle helmet, but nowadays I refuse to hop on my bike without one. I have set an example for my children, who have learnt to wear a bicycle helmet from an early age, which is why it feels natural for them. This is what often happens: you will soon notice that the new, safe way of working is actually better than the old one. Each production plant is different in terms of its age and equipment. For this reason, not all operating methods can be copied from others. It is therefore of paramount importance that each employee or service provider at a production plant makes safety observations and reports them. This helps us keep on improving the safety of our work environment. Even small acts towards better safety help us achieve our safety goals. Everyone’s commitment to working safely is important. It makes it possible for us to ensure that, at the end of the working day, everyone returns home healthy. •
Finished products are photographed from several directions to ensure quality. In the picture, the angle is from below.
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