The Fingerprint Method: Using Over-bark and Under-bark Log Measurement Data Generated by Three-dimensional Log Scanners in Combination with Radiofrequency Identification Tags to Achieve Traceability in the Log Yard at the Sawmill

Abstract

In the forestry–wood chain the concept and the technologies of traceability are in a mature development phase. Important advances in marking and reading techniques have been made in different parts along the forestry–wood chain. For Swedish sawmills the most critical information gap is located between the log sorting station and the saw intake, where the forest log batch identity disappears and the logs are mixed according to different sorting criteria. This study utilizes radiofrequency identification tags for automatic log marking/reading to develop a traceability system for logs, which is free of marking/reading, between the log sorting station and the saw intake, i.e. the fingerprint method. The originality of the fingerprint approach rests on the hypothesis that logs are separate entities with individual features. The results show that the log parameters and the search algorithm developed, combined with the negative influence of the measurement uncertainty due to bark thickness and bark damage, made it possible to achieve an individual separation for 57% of the tested logs.

Keywords:

• 3D scanner
• fingerprint approach
• measurement accuracy
• Norway spruce
• PCA
• RFID
• scaling
• Scots pine
• sorting

Acknowledgments

The financial contribution from The Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems (Vinnova), the Kempe Foundation Sweden and the EU-financed project LINESET is gratefully acknowledged.