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An Important Upgrade for Any Mill

The MiCROTEC Grade Mark Reader (GMR) reads handwritten lumber grade, trim, and sort marks. The GMR system interprets these marks and converts them into instructions and communicates them to another device: trimmer or sorter control, trimmer optimizer, grade stamp machine, ink-jet printer, bar code labeler, or other control system.

Full of Features

  • MiCROTEC’s GMR deciphers symbols that are similar to commonly used lumber grade marks. They have been simplified for fast, clear marking, and accurate interpretation.
  • Graders physically apply these marks to boards using fluorescent markers that are either chalk or wax-based. Because they fluoresce, the marks stand out from the background of the boards.
  • When configured with the color recognition feature, MiCROTEC GMRs not only interpret the written mark but also recognize the color of the marks, thereby allowing the system to also identify the grader or lumber inspector.
  • Installation is simple. In the planer mill, for example, the GMR scanning head mounts on the trim line between the lug loader and the trimmer. It can mount directly over the lug loader facilitating cut-in-two solutions that require retarding trailing lugs. High-speed processing allows short-coupled retrofits in most operations.

Features

  • Parameters are readily changed on-site using the personal computer user-friendly menu system. GMR management report system is also designed to be completely configurable in the field.
  • When mounted properly with skirt, GMR is not affected by mill lighting, and in some cases can be operated without the skirt. Grade Mark Reader is both optically and electrically filtered from ambient lighting conditions to achieve the greatest signal-to-noise ratio possible.
  • The Grade Mark Reader delivers accurate readings for at least 99.7% of all boards, at any line speed. MiCROTEC’s GMRs have been used with the newest rotary lug loaders to ensure that they can perform in the most demanding applications.
  • Configurable to read up to eight grade symbols at the same time. A full-feature solution would include FE trim, FE grade, center defect trim, cut-in-two, NE grade, NE trim, fence, and scale-off. All these features can be used at the same time on a single board, and some will require more than one symbol – in fact up to six symbols could be used for any feature.
  • Most boards are marked with fewer than three characters, resulting in an average solution time of less than 6 milliseconds.
  • For green or dry lumber applications in either hardwood or softwood mills.
  • Anywhere a human grader is involved in passing off grade, trim, or sort instructions to a computer or PLC control is a potential site for a Lucidyne GMR.
  • The control enclosure mounts remotely from the head, typically less than 300 feet away. This distance can be increased if desired.
  • GMR will operate from -5 C (23 F) and +50 C (122 F) and between 20% and 90% humidity. Temperature control of the GMR reader head and control electronics is not required.

Customizable

Today’s lumber manufacturer is required to process an ever-increasing variety of lumber products while still trying to operate more efficiently. MiCROTEC offers several options to customize your GMR for your specific application. If you don’t see what you need listed, call us today to discuss your needs!

MiCROTEC’s  GMR can be customized to meet the requirements of your mill. The basic GMR is a single symbol (per board) recognizing GMR that provides ten outputs for basic sorter, edger, or trimmer optimizer data input.

THE MULTIPLE INSTRUCTION FEATURE gives the GMR the ability to identify more than one symbol per board, allowing the graders to indicate not only grade but an assortment of trim commands as well.

THE COLOR RECOGNITION FEATURE adds the ability to detect the color of the symbols written on each board. Assuming each grader is assigned a unique color, the GMR can associate each board with a specific grader.

Anywhere a human grader is involved in passing off grade, trim, or sort instructions to a computer or PLC control is a potential site for a MiCROTEC GMR.

The system most often used in the planer is the basic GMR system enhanced with both the Multiple Instruction and Color Recognition features. This system recognizes grade, all trim instructions, as well as the person who graded the board.

Configurations

STORYBOARD DISPLAY MiCROTEC’s GMR Storyboard presents current production information for all mill personnel to see at a glance. The system is operated by the GMR and shows what is happening now at your trimmer/sorter. Both single color and multiple color displays are available.

WIDTH MEASUREMENT MiCROTEC offers the ability to consume board width data from existing measuring equipment in discrete format (binary, BCD).

THICKNESS MEASUREMENT MiCROTEC offers the ability to consume board thickness data from existing measuring equipment in discrete format (binary, BCD).

GRAPHICAL GRADER DISPLAY Knowing how your graders compare at a glance is a valuable management tool. MiCROTEC’s GGD presents color graphs of grader performance with real-time charts of their personal $/1000, percentage of each grade, reject rate, trim loss, and others. Alarms can be triggered by specific events, such as excessive trim loss or reject rate. This powerful tool helps align actual production metrics with individual graders so you can bring everyone up to their highest possible performance level.

TRIMMER SOLUTION OVERRIDE MiCROTEC’s Trimmer Solution Override option provides a fast and cost-effective way to make your lumber production output reflect day-to-day price fluctuation in the lumber market. It allows you to temporarily modify your trim results without retraining your graders.

Simple to install, reliable, cost effective, and customizable – that’s why MiCROTEC’s GMR leads the industry.

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