WoodTECH 2018 – new innovations focus of the series

WoodTECH 2018 – new innovations focus of the series

Friday 13 Jul 2018

After an absence of over eight years, the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) will this year be focussing the WoodTECH 2018 event on innovations and new technologies around dry-mill and wood manufacturing operations. The programmes have just been sent out by direct mail and the information including full programmes for both countries have been posted onto the event website.

The previous two WoodTECH events, 2017 and 2015 have both concentrated on sawmill scanning, sawing and green-mill optimisation technologies.

The WoodTECH 2017 tech series drew in record numbers with over 400 delegates attending the New Zealand and Australian events. Exhibition booths sold out well in advance of the series being run. In fact, it was the largest gathering yet seen in Australasia of sawmilling companies, saw-doctors and sawing technology providers from around the globe.

What’s being covered in 2018?

Like the 2017 sawmilling event, short focussed presentations, quick-fire technology updates and a large number of exhibitions will be used to provide a unique platform for local mills and manufacturers to learn. Practical troubleshooting presentations such as breathing new life into your planer have been set up for production and operational staff to hear how they can extract the very best performance out of their own timber manufacturing equipment.

“A real focus for the series this year is on new technology” says FIEA Director, Brent Apthorp. “Advancements and new developments around key manufacturing operations like wood scanning and board optimisation, finger-jointing, gluing, laminating, kiln drying, timber machining, finishing and material handling systems are being covered by technology leaders from around the globe”.

“We’re also profiling new innovations that have just been commercialised and used in other industries but show real promise for wood manufacturing operations. Research and new trials for the first time in this region are also being unveiled” says Brent Apthorp.

Smart sensors, the internet of things connecting all operations on site, wearable technologies to harness the real power of mobile connected employees, robotics and automation advancements, industrial exoskeletons - a future tool for reducing working fatigue and assisting physical operations within the mill, laser cutting rather than sawing of timber …. There’s plenty to add value to local companies and to open the mind here to systems that can be looked at and adopted to increase efficiencies.

Full details on the wood processing event of 2018 can be found on the event website, WoodTECH.events.

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