CONVERT is a computer program that allows users to evaluate the conversion efficiency of hardwood sawmills. Users can consider six factors that influence conversion efficiency. Four of the factors reflect characteristics of hardwood sawmill machines: headrig kerf, headrig type, resaw kerf, and rough green size. The other factors reflect characteristics of the mill\u27s raw material inputs: average log length and average log diameter

Boden, Craig T.

Bullard, Steven H

Scott, Penny

Steele, Philip

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Stephen F. Austin State UniversitySFA ScholarWorksFaculty Publications Forestry1993CONVERT: A program to evaluate hardwoodsawmill conversion efficiencySteven H. BullardStephen F. Austin State University, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, bullardsh@sfasu.eduPhilip SteeleCraig T. BodenPenny ScottFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/forestryPart of the Other Forestry and Forest Sciences CommonsTell us how this article helped you.This Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Forestry at SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publicationsby an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact cdsscholarworks@sfasu.edu.Recommended CitationBullard, Steven H.; Steele, Philip; Boden, Craig T.; and Scott, Penny, "CONVERT: A program to evaluate hardwood sawmillconversion efficiency" (1993). Faculty Publications. Paper 151.http://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/forestry/151CONVERT User's Manual Steven H. Bullard Associate Professor Department of Forestry Philip H. Steele Associate Professor Mississippi Forest Products Laboratory Craig T. Boden Research Assistant Mississippi Forest Products Laboratory Penny Scott Former Graduate Research Assistant Department of Forestry DISCLAIMER This software develops estimates of conversion efficiency that are believed to be accurate. However, the authors are not responsible for estimates made by users of the software. Published by the Publications Section, Office of Agricultural Communications, Division of Agricul-ture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University. Edited by Keith Remy, Pub-lications Coordinator. Cover designed by Steven H. Bullard, senior author. Table of Contents Acknowledgments .......................................................... 111 1. Introduction .............................................................. 1 2. Program Requirements .................................................... 1 3. Installing CONVERT ...................................................... 1 4. Program Control Commands ................................................ 1 5. Data Gathering ........................................................... 1 6. Sample Run .............................................................. 1 PLANT IDENTIFICATION MENU ........................................... 2 VARIABLE INPUT MENU .................................................. 2 Headrig Kerf ............................................................ 2 Headrig Type ............................................................ 2 Log Diameter ........................................................... 2 Log Length ............................................................. 2 RESAW KERF ............................................................ 2 ROUGH GREEN SIZE OPTION ............................................. 3 ROUGH GREEN SIZE ..................................................... 3 END OF DATA ENTRY .................................................... 3 CONVERSION EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT RESULTS ....................... 4 END OF PROGRAM ....................................................... 4 Literature Cited ............................................................ 5 APPENDIX A Advance Data Worksheet ................................................... 5 APPENDIX B Sample Run Printout ...................................................... 7 Acknowledgments The authors are grateful to Mike Ruzinski, formerly of the Department of Forestry, Missis-sippi State University, for his contribution to the development of the CONVERT software. The authors would also like to thank Philip Araman, U.S. Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Blacksburg, Virginia, for providing the funding that allowed for develop-ment of the equations on which the CONVERT algorithms are based. iii CONVERT User's Manual 1. Introduction CONVERT is a computer program that allows users to evaluate the conversion efficiency of hardwood saw-mills. Users can consider six factors that influence conversion efficiency. Four of the factors reflect charac-teristics of hardwood sawmill machines: headrig kerf, headrig type, resaw kerf, and rough green size. The other factors reflect characteristics of the mill's raw material inputs: average log length and average log diameter. CONVERT is based on regression equations deve-loped using Sawmill Improvement Program data (Wade et al., 1992). Conversion efficiency changes are calculated as percentage changes in lumber recovery factor - the board feet of lumber recovered per cubic foot of log input. CONVERT allows a user to estimate how a hard-wood sawmill's conversion efficiency will be affected by changes in the above factors. The program there-fore helps determine effective methods to improve cur-rent conversion efficiency, potential benefits of improved machine characteristics, and potential ef-fects of changes in log size. CONVERT is PC-based and requires no prior com-puter knowledge. This manual provides step-by-step instructions on how to install and run the program. 2. Program Requirements CONVERT will run on any IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2, or 100 percent compatible computer running on DOS 3.0 or higher with at least one disk drive. The pro-gram is written in Microsoft BASIC version 7.1 (Microsoft Corp., 1989). Printouts of the results may be obtained after run-ning CONVERT. Any IBM-compatible dot matrix or laserjet printer defined as LPT1 may be used. 3. Installing CONVERT CONVERT can be run directly from a floppy dis-kette, or it can be installed on the user's hard drive. 1 To install CONVERT on the hard drive, insert the CONVERT diskette in drive A:, type COPY A:CON-VERT.EXE C:, and press the enter key. This com-mand assumes that d1·ive C: is the hard drive. For machines with hard drives designated other than C:, the drive letter of the hard drive should be substitut-ed in the above command. 4. Program Control Commands The screens that prompt for input data have a com-mand line at the bottom of the screen. This command line shows the commands that are available while the screen is displayed. All possible commands are listed below: <ENTER> -Enter Data: Enter the previously-typed data <Esc> -Escape to DOS: Allows user to exit the program and return to DOS < 1 > - Up Arrow: Moves cursor to the previous input line < I > - Down Arrow: Moves cursor to the next input line <PgDn> -Page Down: Allows user to advance to the next input screen <PgUp> -Page Up: Allows user to go to the previous input screen 5. Data Gathering Before running CONVERT,it may be convenient to summarize the required data on the Advance Data Worksheet shown in Appendix A. This assures that all data required to run CONVERT are available prior to program execution. 6. Sample Run The following sample run uses hypothetical input CONVERT A Program to Evaluate Conversion Efficiency in Hardwood Sawmills FURNITURE RESEARCH UNIT MISSISSIPPI FOREST PRODUCTS UTILIZATION LABORATORY MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY December 1992, Version 1 Copyright (c) Steven H. Bullard, Philip H. Steele, Craig T. Boden, and Penny Scott. PRESS ANY KEY .. Figure 1. Title Screen. data to show the steps for entering data and obtain-ing results. This sample run is based on an assumed reduction in resaw kerffrom 0.201 inch to 0.160 inch and in rough green size from 1.220 to 1.125 inches for 4/4lumbm; from 1.720 to 1.625 inches for 6/4lum-ber, and from 2.220 to 2.125 inches for 8/4 lumber. Other machine and raw material variables are not changed in this example. To begin the program, type CONVERT and press <ENTER> at a DOS prompt on the drive in which CONVERT.EXE resides. The first screen to appear is the title screen (Figure 1) which gives the title of the program and other relevant information. To advance II CONVERT- PLANT IDENTIFICATION MENU PLANT NAME : MFPL SAMPLE RUN PLANT ADDRESS : 100 BLACKJACK DRIVE CITY : STARKVILLE STATE : MISSISSIPPI <ENTER>~Enter Item <Esc> -Exit to DOS <1>-Up <1>-Down <PgDn>-NextMenu II Figure 2. PLANT IDENTIFICATION MENU Screen. 2 the program to the PLANT IDENTIFICATION MENU screen (Figure 2), press any key. PLANT IDENTIFICATION MENU. The PLANT IDENTIFICATION MENU (Figure 2) allows the user to enter information that identifies the plant. Although not required, it is recommended that this information be given. For this sample run, enter the plant information shown in Figure 2. After the data have been entered, press the <PgDn> key to advance to the VARIABLE INPUT MENU screen. VARIABLE INPUT MENU. The VARIABLE IN-PUT MENU screen (Figure 3) allows the user to enter both current and new values for the following varia-bles: (1) headrig kerf, (2) headrig type, (3) average log diameter, and ( 4) average log length. Headrig kerf. Headrig kerf is measured in inches. To enter a value for headrig kerf, type the value and press <ENTER>. If the value is valid (see valid vari-able ranges in Appendix A), CONVERT will advance to the next variable. Headrig type. To specify headrig type, enter b for band headrig or c for circular headrig. Log diameter. Average log diameter is measured in inches at the log's small end. Log length. Average log length is measured in feet. For each of the variables above, enter the example data shown in Figure 3. After the data have been en-tered, press the < PgDn > key to advance to the RESAW KERF screen. RESAW KERF. The first RESAW KERF screen (Figure 4) asks the user if he or she wishes to change the current resaw kerf. If the user's response is "y:' the program will advance to the second RESAW II CONVERT- VARIABLE INPUT MENU II Enter the current and new values tor each of the following varia-bles. Use the <BACKSPACE> key to edit in-line, and the <UP> and <DOWN> arrow keys to edit a previous line. 1) Headrig Kerf (.120 to .350 inch): 2) Type of Headrig (Band or Circle): 3) Average Log Diameter (8 to 24 inches): 4) Average Log Length (8 to 18 feet): Current New .165 .165 b b 10 10 15 15 <ENTER>-Enter Value <Esc>-Exit to DOS <PgUp> -Previous Menu <PgDn> -Next Menu Figure 3. VARIABLE INPUT MENU Screen. II CONVERT- RESAW KERF II Do you want to change the current resaw kerf (y/n) ? y II <PgUp>-Previous Menu II Figure 4. First RESAW KERF Screen. KERF screen. If the user's response is ('n:' the program will advance to the ROUGH GREEN SIZE OPTION screen. For this sample run, enter "y?' The second RESAW KERF screen (Figure 5) allows the user to enter both current and new resaw kerf values. This screen also allows the user to enter the percentage of total production, the current rough green size, and the percentage of production processed through the resaw for each of the following standard thicknesses of hardwood lumber: 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 7/4, and 8/4. The percentage of total production by lumber thick-ness must add to 100%. The percentages of total production processed at the resaw can total to more II CONVERT - RESAW KERF II Enter current resaw kerf (.080 to .300 inch) . . . .201 Enter new resaw kerf (.080 to .300 inch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 For each of the thicknesses of hardwood lumber given below, enter the requested Information. Total Current Rough Green Percentage Proces~ed Thickness Production Size at the Aesaw 4/4 40% 1.22 10% 5/4 30% 1.47 % 6/4 20% 1.72 20% 7/4 7.5% 1.97 % 8/4 2.5% 2.22 30% <ENTER>-Enter Value <PgUp> -Previous Menu <PgDn> -Next Menu Figure 5. Second RESAW KERF Screen. 3 or less than 100%. For example, if 40% of the 4/4 and the 20% of the 6/4 lumber produced by the sawmill were both produced 100% at the resaw, the percentage would add to 200%. For this sample run, enter the data shown in Figure 5. After the data have been en-tered, press the < PgDn > key to advance to the ROUGH GREEN SIZE OPTION screen. ROUGH GREEN SIZE OPTION. There are four options on the ROUGH GREEN SIZE OPTION screen (Figure 6). The first option allows the user to change the current rough green size for the resaw only. The second option allows the user to change the current rough green size for the headrig only. The third op-tion allows the user to change the current rough green size for both the resaw and the headrig. The fourth option should be chosen if the user does not wish to change the current rough green size. If the first, second, or third option is chosen, the pro-gram will advance to the ROUGH GREEN SIZE screen. If the fourth option is chosen, the program will advance to the END OF DATA ENTRY screen. For this sample run, choose the third option. ROUGH GREEN SIZE. The ROUGH GREEN SIZE screen (Figure 7) asks the user for the new rough green size values. For this sample run, enter the new rough green size values given in Figure 7. After the data have been entered, press the < Pg Dn > key to advance to the END OF DATA ENTRY screen. END OF DATA ENTRY. The END OF DATA EN-TRY screen (Figure 8) allows the user to choose from three options: (1) compute conversion efficiency im-provement, (2) go to the previous menu, or (3) view a summary of the changes made. For this sample run, II II CONVERT- ROUGH GREEN SIZE OPTION Please enter selection: 1 - Change current rough green size for the resaw only. 2 - Change current rough green size for the headrig only. 3 - Change current rough green size for both the resaw and the headrig. 4 - Do not change current rough green size. <PgUp>-Previous Menu II Figure 6. ROUGH GREEN SIZE OPTION Screen. II CONVERT - ROUGH GREEN SIZE II For each of the thicknesses of hardwood lumber given below, enter the new rough green size. Current Rough New Rough Thickness Green Size Green Size 4/4 514 814 714 814 1.22 1.126 1.47 1.27 1.72 1.625 1.97 1.67 2.22 2.125 <ENTER>-Enter Value <PgUp>-Previous Menu <PgDn>-Next Menu Figure 7. ROUGH GREEN SIZE Screen. compute the conversion efficiency improvement by pressing the <PgDn> key. After the <PgDn> key is pressed the CONVERSION EFFICIENCY IM-PROVEMENT RESULTS screen will appear. CONVERSION EFFICIENCY IMPROVE-MENT RESULTS. The CONVERSION EFFICIEN-CY IMPROVEMENT RESULTS (Figure 9) screen will give an estimate of the conversion efficiency improve-ment and a table summarizing the changes made throughout the program. As can be seen from Figure 9, the conversion efficiency improvement for this sam-ple run is 8.90%. In this screen, the user is asked if he or she would like to print the results. If a printer is connected to II CONVERT - END OF DATA ENTRY II This is the end of the data entry screens. PgDn • Compute Conversion Efficiency Improvement PgUp - Previous Menu V- View Summary of Changes Figure 8. END OF DATA ENTRY Sct·een. 4 CONVERT - CONVERSION EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT RESULTS The changes which are given below wi!l improve !he conversion efficiency by an estimated 8.90 %. Variable Current N•w Aesaw Kerf (ln.) .201 .18 Rough Green Size (in.) 414 "' 1.22 4!4 = 1.125 5{4 "' 1.47 5!4 "' 1.27 6{4 = 1.72 6{4 = 1.625 7/4 = 1.97 714 = 1.87 8/4 = 2.22 8/4 = 2.125 WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRINT THE RESULTS TO THE PRINTER {y/n) ? Figure 9. CONVERSION EFFICIENCY IMPROVE-MENT RESULTS Screen. your computer system, enter "y" to print the results. A sample printout of this run is given in Appendix B. If you choose not to print the results, then enter "n?' Upon entering a valid response, the program will advance to the END OF PROGRAM screen. END OF PROGRAM. The END OF PROGRAM screen (Figure 10) includes three options: (1) start over with new data - this choice will erase the current data and start the program over, (2) modify current data - this choice will start the program over while maintaining the current data, or (3) exit program -this choice allows the user to exit the program and return to DOS. For this run choose the option you desire. II CONVERT~ END OF PROGRAM II Please enter selection: S · Start over with new data M · Modify current data E • Exit program FigUl'e 10. END OF PROGRAM Screen. Literature Cited Microsoft Corp. 1989. Microsoft BASIC Professional Development System, Version 7.1. Redmond, WA. Wade, M.W., S.H. Bullard, P.H. Steele, and P.A. Ara-man, 1992. Estimating Hmdwood Sawmill Con-version Efficiency Based on Sawing Machine and Log Characteristics. Forest Prod. J. 42(11/12):21-26. APPENDIX A Advance Data Worksheet 5 Variable Headrig Kerf(in.) Headrig Type Advance Data Worksheet Valid Input Data Average Log Diaroeter(in.) Average Log Length(ft.) Resaw Kerf (in. ) .100 - .350 b-band, c-circle 8 - 24 8 - 18 .080 - .300 Thickness 4/4 5/4 6/4 7/4 8/4 Thickness 4/4 5/4 6/4 7/4 8/4 Thickness 4/4 5/4 6/4 7/4 8/4 Total Production (%) Current Rough Green Size(in.) Percentage Processed at the Resaw (%) 6 current Value New Value Valid Range 0 - 100 0 - 100 0 - 100 0 - 100 0 - 100 Valid Range .1- 1.25 .1- 1.50 .1- 1.75 .1 - 2.00 .1 - 2.25 Valid Range 0 - 100 0 - 100 0 - 100 0 - 100 0 - 100 APPENDIX B Printout of Sample Run 7 Today's date current time PLANT NAME PLANT ADDRESS CITY STATE C 0 N V E R T 09-10-1992 11:33:07 MFPL SAMPLE RUN 100 BLACKJACK ROAD STARKVILLE MISSISSIPPI Rough Green Size Percentage Production per Nominal Thickness per Nominal Thickness (in.) 4/4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . 40.00 ~ 0 4/4 .............. 1.220 5/4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30.00 9,-0 5/4 • 0 . " ........ 1. 270 6/4 0 0 0 0 0 • 0 0 . 20.00 % 6/4 ......... 0 .... 1. 720 7/4 . 0 0 0 0 0 • 0 0 0 7.50 9,-0 7/4 . . ......... • 0 1. 870 8/4 0 • 0 • • • 0 0 0 2.50 9,-0 8/4 .. .. 0 ........ 2.220 Summary of Changes Variable Current New ----------- -----------Resaw Kerf (in.) 0.2010 0.1600 Rough Green Size (in.) 4/4 = 1. 220 4/4 = 1.125 5/4 = 1. 470 4/4 = 1. 270 6/4 = 1. 720 6/4 = 1.625 7/4 = 1. 970 7/4 1. 870 8/4 = 2.220 8/4 = 2.125 The improvement in Conversion Efficiency for the changes is 8.90 percent. 8 

CONVERT: A program to evaluate hardwood sawmill conversion efficiency

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CONVERT: A program to evaluate hardwood sawmill conversion efficiency

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