WO2010051818A1

WO2010051818A1 - Tracking of wood from the forest to an industrial plant

Info

Publication number: WO2010051818A1
Application number: PCT/DK2009/050292
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kim Dralle
Original assignee: Dralle A/S
Priority date: 2008-11-07
Filing date: 2009-11-06
Publication date: 2010-05-14
Also published as: DK200801536A

Abstract

A method of transporting harvested logs of wood from a stack in the forest to a wood-processing industry. The method comprises recording at least one image of the stack that allows determining a size of the stack; recording information on the stack including the geographical location in the forest; loading at least a portion of the logs in the stack onto a transporting vehicle; recording at least one image of a remaining portion of the stack that allows determining a size of the remaining portion of the stack; transporting and delivering the loaded portion of the stack from the forest to the wood-processing industry; and, based on images of the stack and of the remaining portion of the stack, issuing a confirmation of the loaded portion of the stack having been delivered.

Description

TRACKING OF WOOD FROM THE FOREST TO AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the forest industry where trees are harvested and logs are stacked in the forest and later transported to a sawmill or other wood- processing industry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today the demand for sustainable forestry is increasing, and documentation for the origin of each piece of wood is sometimes required at each link or station throughout the supply chain from the forest to the end user.

Figure 1 illustrates a supply chain from forest to e.g. a wood processing industry. Cameras mounted on each crane arm of transporting vehicles take multiple images while the crane is operating, e.g. as described in WO 2004/020938 Al. These images are processed and transformed into a computerized 3D model of trees and individual log pieces. Combining 3D images of objects with the geographical position (e.g. obtained using a satellite based positioning system such as the GPS) and the possibility of sending data wirelessly and managing data in a central database make it possible to measure, classify and track the logs throughout the entire production chain. In this connection measurement of the wood may include volume, quality, shape, species etc.

To make such a system work sufficiently fast, a series of adaptations and simplifications must be made. For instance, it facilitates the development to focus on central points of operation in the chain. By the stack at the forest road the commodity normally changes physically from one entity, e.g. forest owner, to another entity, e.g. a sawmill or other wood-processing industry. The forest roadside has therefore for a long time been considered as a natural place to do the trading, i.e. selling and buying. However, today trading often occurs in industrial facilities or offices remote from the forest.

In the forest - contrary to the industry - what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) is available to both buyer and seller. Further, the time span between these two points of operations can be in the order of 3 months, which implies loss of interest and of value due to deterioration of wood. Thus, in general forest owners can be assumed to have a preference for measurement in the forests while the opposite at a first glance may be the case for the industry.

However, in economics it is common general knowledge, that the earlier you have your information the better options you have for optimisation. So it can be assumed that also the industry will gain by having measurements done earlier, for instance by improved logistics.

An argument could then be that measurement should be done already on the harvesters. Ideally yes, but in a simplified model better alternatives may exist: Often significant amounts of wood are missed in the forest and with measurement on the harvesters there is not the same economical motivation for harvesters and forwarders to bring it all out to the roads as when measurement are made at the road sides where harvested logs are stacked.

Another argument is that the industry needs to measure what is actually delivered. However, that may not be the real need. The real need is to know what is delivered and when - and that may alternatively be handled easier and cheaper and with a much higher documentation value than today. The invention provides a way that may be of direct benefit to improved logistics.

To explain how to do that we need first to consider a system that measures harvested wood at road sides or similar locations in the forest, preferably on forwarders or other available devices. Secondly, we need to establish a system that tracks logs from the forest to the industry such as a sawmill.

This invention provides a way how to apply such two systems in combination to achieve the overall goal of measuring and tracking individual log pieces. We call the first event "measuring wood" and the second event "The wood delivery process". All in a sufficiently secure, precise and proper manner.

TRADITIONAL MEASURING OF WOOD

Assume here that harvested wood is measured at road sides in the forest. The first problem is to get information about ready stacks immediately. Drivers of forwarders are on location in the forest and know when stacks are finished. If they had a system the obvious way would be to measure at once. Assume for now further, that no such system exists. Then a digital camera, e.g. in a mobile phone (cell phone) or a computer such as a Tablet PC in forwarders, could be used to report finished stacks, as for example shown in Figure 2.

Having such information makes any subsequent measuring and notification to hauliers easy. Then assuming a mobile system for measuring exists then it would be fast and efficient to measure at road sides. One such system is disclosed in WO 2005/080949 Al, in the following referred to as sScale, and shown in operation in Figure 3. The sScale system provides a lot of accurate data about the wood and distributes these data at once to a central server shown in Figure 2 that can be used to further distribute information.

Now what is left is to ensure that the measured stacks will actually arrive at the proper location. That may happen by choosing a proper delivery process.

THE TRADITIONAL WOOD DELIVERY PROCESS

The process of transporting wood from the forests to the industries as it is performed today includes one or more of the following steps:

1. Seller receives requirements from buyers. Seller then issues a Transport order via an accounting system such as SAP or similar and sends it to selected Carriers, e.g. by ordinary mail, email or other suitable means.

2. Carriers distribute the received orders to their hauliers.

3. The hauliers drive to the forest to pick up wood (stacks of wood).

4. At the location in the forest the hauliers fill out a delivery form.

5. At the industry delivered wood is stored and/or measured at some point in time.

6. When the wood has been measured the industry pays according to their measurements. Typically with 3 months delay.

Ideally the items 5-6 should be replaced by the following item 5-7:

5. When the hauliers arrive at buyer's location they deliver the wood and get the delivery form signed by authorised personnel. 6. The hauliers distribute a copy of the signed delivery form (on paper) to the buyer, the Forest Owner and himself.

7. Forest Owner enters the delivery form information into accounting systems and request payment according to the signed delivery form.

However, even when the ideal alternative is chosen, the main problem would still be that the time span between items 6 and 7 is unnecessary long due to various delays in sending and getting information into accounting system (not caused by accounting system).

Thus, the objective is to smoothen this process and minimize this time span to the lowest possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a method of transporting harvested logs of wood from a stack in the forest to a wood-processing industry. The method comprises recording at least one image of the stack that allows determining a size of the stack; recording information on the stack including the geographical location in the forest; loading at least a portion of the logs in the stack onto a transporting vehicle; recording at least one image of a remaining portion of the stack that allows determining a size of the remaining portion of the stack; transporting and delivering the loaded portion of the stack from the forest to the wood-processing industry; and, based on images of the stack and of the remaining portion of the stack, issuing a confirmation of the loaded portion of the stack having been delivered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 illustrates a supply chain from forest to wood processing industry.

Figure 2: A modern mobile phone (e.g. HTC) is used to capture stack images, attaching information on the stack to the image and sending the image and attached information to a central server. The software-driven functionalities on the mobile phone can be handled with a single finger such as a thumb. It is also useful in the delivery process as shown later. Figure 3: The mobile measurement system - sScale - mounted on a car. It may equally well be mounted on a forwarder.

Figure 4: Points of major actions.

THE WOOD DELIVERY PROCESS OF THE INVENTION

It is assumed that the overall process as described in the above items 0-7 is working and that the paper-based work flows will be replaced to electronic based work flows by the help of electronic devices such as mobile phones. Further, it is possible to extend this to an almost complete log tracking workflow.

At each handling of the harvested logs of wood a set of data such as the geographical location, date, time and relevant data on the stack are recorded, preferably together with photographic images of the stack and comments. Comments may include observations on the quality of the logs, tree species, growth, harvesting etc. A first set of data may be recorded when the stack is established at the roadside in the forest. Data on the geographical location is useful for haulier drivers for driving to the location, and images are useful for recognising or identifying the particular stack.

According to the invention it is suggested to replace the conventional delivery form on paper with an electronic version using a software program on a mobile unit such as a mobile phone or a PDA device, to eliminate time lags and paper handling processes. We simply put a digital "delivery form" into a program in a mobile unit, preferably a handheld unit such as a mobile phone or a PDA having a digital camera, or a dedicated unit. When the haulier picks up the wood in the forest he may fill out the form as usual or using an electronic version, and he takes a picture of the stack before he starts loading it onto the lorry and another picture after he has loaded at least part of the stack unto the lorry, i.e. of the remaining portion of the stack. The images allow determining a size of the stack and of the remaining portion of the stack, respectively, where "size" includes quantities such as overall volume of the stack, number of logs, volume and mass of wood in the stack and in individual logs in the stack.

The pictures taken are used as documentation for the stack being removed and delivered in its entirety or only partially and can be used as documentation thereof in relation to seller and buyer. Preferably, also data identifying the geographical location of the stack is recorded and attached to or associated with the images. Such geographical data can be obtained using a system based on wireless signals such as the satellite based GPS positioning system, or using corresponding information obtained from a wireless communications network such as a cellular telephone network. After he has filled out the form and loaded the lorry he drives to the destination and delivers the load of wood.

Upon arrival at the buyer or other destination such as a sawmill or other industrial wood processing plant, the driver will get the buyer's signature as an acknowledgement of receipt of the load of logs, e.g. hand written on a touch sensitive screen on the mobile device or using other suitable electronic means, preferably wireless - or alternatively the haulier takes an imageGPSIocated image before and after unloading - again as documentation for the load being delivered. The buyer or other user may optionally fill in comments. When that is done he pushes a "Submit" button and the images and other data are wirelessly transferred to a central sScale server. The digital images of this particular paperless "signature" is uploaded to the sScale server along with the other delivery form information and stored. Preferably, the same mobile unit will be used for all of the above.

Optionally some or all images may be omitted.

Optionally the manual signing at the industry may be replaced by a corresponding pair of RFID chips in the lorry and at the industry.

The reason for choosing the sScale server is that it is already up and running and that significant part of the underlying design is implemented.

Further, the sScale client server solution is fundamentally designed for stack measurement and tracking.

All stack information including images, ID, GPS positions and comments is transferred electronically from the accounting system server to the sScale server before the process starts. They here get a status code assigned, say "unmeasured". This is done for several reasons:

(i) To be able to issue transport orders from the sScale system, and (ii) To ensure that a match can be made between issued transport orders and actually delivered stacks - documented by an electronically signed delivery form.

Issuing of transport orders can be done from the sScale server. Collecting stacks into transport orders is straightforward and they will be submitted automatically from the sScale server to the Carriers who distribute the orders to their hauliers.

The hauliers subsequently do their work as described above, and at delivery, when the server gets a request from a mobile unit containing signed delivery form information for a particular stack, the status code is changed accordingly to "delivered". Through the sScale API it will be possible for an accounting system to automatically retrieve stack information from the sScale server at almost any desired interval.

The same API will also provide a mechanism to upload stacks. The server subsequently automatically distributes delivery forms, e.g. in pdf format, to the Buyer, the Haulier/Carrier and Forest Owner.

SECURITY AND TECHNICAL ISSUES

All communication between clients and server has to be secure. The security issue is important, but it must also be balanced with potential losses and choice of appropriate techniques. Accordingly it is suggested to provide an API for http(s)- requests and a private key as access to the sScale server.

The system of the invention is able to handle an intermediary storage facility, say to be put in between getting the stacks in the forests and delivery at the buyer's location. However, the system can handle the process if Forest Owner regards the storage facility as a buyer in the receiving role and as a seller in the delivering role. Data can be exported freely to other systems to be handled further. It would however be convenient to develop a server-side bookkeeping facility to keep track of storage amount, species, and diameter distributions and so on.

A system for automatic measuring of wood at industries for automatically tracking incoming and outgoing wood at a storage facility can be included for a completely automated process.

Claims

Claims:

1. A method of transporting harvested logs of wood from a stack of such logs at a first geographical location to a second geographical location, the method comprising

- recording at least one image of the stack that allows determining a size of the stack;

- recording information on the stack including the first geographical location;

- loading at least a portion of the logs in the stack onto a transporting vehicle;

- recording at least one image of a remaining portion of the stack that allows determining a size of the remaining portion of the stack;

- transporting the loaded portion of the stack from the first geographical location to the second geographical location and delivering the loaded portion at the second geographical location; and

- based on images of the stack and of the remaining portion of the stack, issuing a confirmation of the loaded portion of the stack having been delivered.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the recorded information on the stack further includes information on a quality of the logs in the stack

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the recorded information includes electronically stored data.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein information on geographical location is obtained from a wireless system.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the wireless system is a satellite-based position information system.