The robots are coming to wood manufacturing

Advanced Automation was a key component of the just completed WoodTECH 2018 series run for local wood manufacturers. In fact, one presenter discussed in New Zealand a local wood producer that has just integrated robotics into much of their new lumber manufacturing operation. In this article leading suppliers discuss major trends and developments in pallet and lumber machinery including robotics, scanners and more. This article will help you identify what you need to know before making that big machinery or automation purchase including a list of key questions to consider.

Leading suppliers discuss major trends and developments in pallet and lumber machinery including robotics, scanners and more. This article will help you identify what you need to know before making a purchase. At the recent Interpal meeting, one issue rang out more than any other. No, it wasn’t lumber. It was labour. Regardless of the location or the type of business, almost everyone was having problems finding and retaining good production employees.

This labour crunch has spurred significant technology research and investment over the past few years. None of the technologies are breakthroughs compared to other major industries, such as automotive or high-speed consumer product manufacturing. But they are firsts for pallets and in some cases wood products.

The following are insights from machinery experts who share their thoughts on advanced automation, including robotics. Some of these comments come from interviews conducted by Pallet Enterprise. Others are taken from a panel at the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association’s Annual Leadership Conference (ALC) held earlier this year.

More than really answering your questions, this article is designed to help you know what questions to ask so that you can make the right decisions. There is no one right solution here. However, the options are improving daily.

Advanced automation is a whole lot more than just robots. Some of the fastest production facilities use no robots at all because robots have longer cycle times required by the motion of the robot. But there are some applications where robots are a good fit. More>>.