PROCEEDINGS - Industries of the Future - West Virginia - West ...

Inaugural Symposium Poceedings
Projects Identified by the Wood/Forest Products Industry Group
The question "What specific projects should be undertaken to increase productivity and reduce
costs in the wood/forest products industry through improved energy efficiency, reduced material waste,
use of new technologies, better inventory and management systems, etc?" was provided for the group’s
consideration. It was suggested that an identified project be such that it can generate an impact within
two years, that it can be accomplished using existing resources, and that it is supported by the present
wood/forest products industry. The following is a list of ideas generated during the brainstorming
session:
• Develop slicing operation versus sawing to reduce kerf waste
• Develop continuous technology for wood preserving
• Use steam to run process machinery
• What's new in steam generating equipment
• Thin kerf sawing technology advances
• Develop new saw technologies
• Sawdust retention on board in problem with bandsaws
• Co-firing of wood residue with coal in power plants - also reduces sulfur emissions
• Wooddust listed as a carcinogen
• Study of real health risks for wood dust
• Wood waste and sawdust boiler controls- improvements to increase efficiency and
reduce stack emissions- need ways to monitor
• Improved corrosion resistant materials
• Sensors cannot now distinguish between defect wood and mineral stains - optical
systems
• Find better ways to scan logs
• Optimize log breakdown and grade yield
• Cost reduction for recovering preservative chemicals from treated wood
• Variable frequency drives for induction motors
• Recycle boiler ash
• Research in alternative lubricants for saw blades
• Is there data available on the amount of forest which can never be harvested because it is
public land? - Low impact logging and ecosystme manipulation
The following were the highest ranked ideas that should be pursued, as suggested by the
wood/forest industry participants:
1. Log scanning technology to improve grade yield
2. Develop slicing or thin-kerf sawing technology
3. Improve efficiency of sawing, chipping, residue handling, etc.
4. Utilization of short-length lumber
5. Wood waste and sawdust boiler efficiency improvement
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