Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1301695
PalletCentral • September-October 2020 37 material sizing can pose a problem for automated nailing systems. Increasingly, however, automated equipment is being designed with remanufacturing in mind. There are two approaches. One is machinery designed for the automated nailing of variable thickness and width boards. The other is automation designed around reducing variability. Let us consider the former approach first. Nailing machines are now available that can facilitate the nailing of random width and variable thickness boards on stringers, thanks to bars that apply pressure from the top to hold the boards down while they are being nailed to stringers. The latter approach involves automation to eliminate variability. This challenge can now be addressed through automated scanning that can identify the geometry or the dimensions of boards, and sort them accordingly. More uniformly sized material will make it better suited for pallet nailing systems. Such systems may include trim optimization to cut off the bad end and trim to the desired length. Given the considerable amount of jobs typically involved in sorting and trimming boards in pallet recycling operations, such systems have the potential to significantly enhance productivity while improving lumber recovery. The other approach to reducing lumber vari- ability is through resizing it. Some pallet companies currently resize recycled wood pallet stringers to make their height uniform. One equipment provider is currently developing a machine that will perform as a combination planer/edger, to reduce the size of boards on two or three sides to give them a uniform profile. Old nails will be pulled out or cut smooth to the wood surface, while the planing/cutting action will also remove weathered wood to produce bright, clean boards that will give re-manufactured pallets more of a "new pallet" look. Automated Inspection, Robotics & More Some high-volume recycled wood pallet inspection systems have installed automatic digital inspection or ADI systems in recent years. The use of high definition cameras and laser sensors can determine the dimensions of a pallet and identify whether a pallet has structural damage requiring repair. Robots are being seen in recycling systems for activities such as pallet sorting, and to a lesser extent, for repair. One exciting application is regarding robots to feed pallets through a band dismantler, thereby eliminating the most physically demanding job in many pallet recycling plants. Some of these approaches are still in the early stages of adoption, and it remains to be seen which ones will leave their mark on the industry. If there is one certainty, however, it is that new solutions resulting from research and development by industry suppliers remain critical to the industry's continued success. One exciting application is regarding robots to feed pallets through a band dismantler, thereby eliminating the most physically demanding job in many pallet recycling plants.