Automatic grading 2022

In 2017, a comprehensive study of the grading systems was carried out at a large number of sawmills. The results showed that the systems did what was expected, but that there were some areas for improvement that could give an even better grading result. The question now is if something has happened in 5 years, have the systems improved? With that background, a new study will be started in 2022 that will answer the question of whether the systems have become even better, the study has been named "Automatic sorting 2022".

Automatic sorting 2022 has two clear objectives: to investigate the ability of the grading systems to optimize the value of production and thereby investigate whether the systems have improved since the last study, which was conducted in 2017, and to see differences between the sawmill-specific rules and Commercial Grading of Timber, Swedish Wood / STTF 2020. The studies shall be carried out in collaboration with manufacturers and users of the systems, with RISE as principal. 

The project gives interested companies the chance to participate in studies of the systems' ability to sort and optimize outcomes under realistic conditions, and to take part in the results.
Furthermore, any differences between the sawmill-specific regulations and the Commercial Grading of Timber, Swedish Wood / STTF 2020, will clarify what this means in practice for an individual plant.
The system suppliers are given the opportunity to present their system to interested and potential customers under production conditions.

Because there are more components to an investment than "just" the optimization result in a study that shows a snapshot, this study can not determine which system is "best" for a particular work.
The purpose is thus not to set the studied systems or regulations against each other in a competition element.
The sawmills and system suppliers that participate in the study may also participate in the other supplier's studies at other plants. Of course without "rooting" in the system's internal hardware and software. Everyone's participation gives additional legitimacy to the study.

After the study, the participating sawmills will have a better sense of what the systems can and may not be able to assess, and what value exchange they can be expected to get with a new system and with the different regulations: sawmill-specific rules and Commercial Grading of Timber. After the study, the participating suppliers must have an impartial assessment that shows the systems' ability to use in their marketing. What is measured is the systems' ability to optimize the value of the product produced. The rules used are for appearance sorting, not for strength sorting.

The goal is not to answer the question of whether one system is better than the other, as there are many factors other than those examined that determine this.