Browsing by Author "Dr. Steve Jackson, Committee Member"

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Determining the Economics of New Moulder Configurations
(2006-11-08) Morales, Lucia; Dr. Steve Jackson, Committee Member; Dr. Richard L. Lemaster, Committee Chair; Dr. Thom Hodgson, Committee Member
The moulder is one of the most used machines in the wood industry. It is used to cut stock with rough dimensions to a finished width, a finished thickness and a finished cross-sectional shape in one pass, making it cost effective to produce mouldings, floors, door and window components, furniture and other products that we use everyday. Since its invention, the moulder has gone through several changes. Today's moulders are faster, more flexible, more versatile, more precise, safer and more productive. This research highlights the different technical aspects of the modern moulder and presents an economic calculator that will help the user determine the economic impact of choosing different moulder configurations. The economic calculator is based on the examination of the technical and economic aspects of the moulder from the literature review and consultation with machine experts and users. It has been validated by international machining experts and a leading moulder manufacturer. The Moulder Economic Calculator (MEC) Program uses LabviewTM and requires a basic knowledge of the machine capabilities and of the production requirements. It is based on economic considerations of the wood machining process. The MEC program uses input data on machine price and purchase method, machine configuration (feed speed, spindle speed, type of tool clamping system, type of spindle positioning indicators, tool design, etc.), production parameters (number of shifts per year, length of shifts, etc.) and production costs (tools, maintenance, labor). The MEC program gives three types of outputs: surface quality (knife marks, pitch height), productivity (setup time and possible jobs) and costs (machine, labor, setup, tooling, power consumption and maintenance). The MEC program is a flexible tool that allows the user to estimate the cost of machining one linear foot of wood with a particular machine configuration, production parameters and production costs. Some capabilities of the MEC program include determining the effect of machine price on machining cost, the effect of setup time on production time and the effect of machine configuration on machining cost. In this way, the MEC program serves the user to compare between different machine configurations and determine which one is best based either on cost, production or flexibility.
An Investigation of High Speed Machining on CNC Routers used for Upholstered Furniture Manufacturing
(2004-09-19) Annamalai, Sattanathan; Dr. Steve Jackson, Committee Member; Dr. Cecil Bozarth, Committee Member; Dr. Thom J Hodgson, Committee Co-Chair; Dr. John S Stewart, Committee Co-Chair
Productivity gains through high-speed machining (HSM) has become a major focus of the metal working industry. HSM also has applications in wood machining, primarily in operations such as upholstered furniture manufacturing where parts are cut from sheet material. This research considers HSM on CNC routers used in upholstered furniture manufacturing and includes (1) a review of the state of the art for HSM on CNC routers in wood machining (including an experimental evaluation of the performance of spindles, tool-holders, and tools), (2) an economic analysis which helps determine the conditions under which HSM is beneficial (including a computer program for comparing the economic aspects of HSM to conventional machining), and (3) the refinement of an existing computer program for predicting spindle motor power, torque, and cutting forces for HSM cutting conditions (necessary to evaluate spindle, chuck, and tool performance). The research effort has focused on overcoming technical problems relating to the machines, spindles, toolholders, and tools which are currently impeding the implementation of HSM on CNC routers. Technology to overcome these limitations has been identified, and where necessary, developed in cooperation with spindle, toolholder, and tool manufacturers. An effort has also been made to aid manufacturers in assessing the economic impact HSM could have on their operation. This effort has included the development of an easy to use HSM router economic calculation program. The results of this research are being transferred to industry and have resulted in a better understanding of the economics of HSM for CNC routers used in upholstered furniture manufacturing.
Process Monitoring and Control System Design, Evaluation and Implementation of Abrasive Machining Processes
(2007-05-09) Saloni, Daniel Enrique; Dr. Richard Lemaster, Committee Chair; Dr. Charles T.Culbreth, Committee Member; Dr. John Stewart, Committee Member; Dr. Steve Jackson, Committee Member; Dr. Ted Shear, Committee Member
Wood processing industries have continuously developed and improved technologies and processes to transform wood to obtain better final product quality and thus increase profits. Abrasive machining is one of the most important of these processes and therefore merits special attention and study. The objective of this work was to design, develop, evaluate, and demonstrate a process monitoring and control system for use in the abrasive machining of wood and wood based products. The system developed increases the life of the belt by detecting (using process monitoring sensors) and removing (by cleaning) the abrasive loading during the machining process. This study focused on belt abrasive machining processes and included substantial background work, which provided a solid base understanding of the behavior of the abrasive, and the different ways that the abrasive machining process can be monitored. In addition, the background research showed that the abrasive belts can effectively be cleaned by the appropriate cleaning technique. The process monitoring and control system developed included data acquisition (information from the sensors), signal analysis, and belt cleaning actions as required which were integrated and continuously monitored during the abrasive machining process. A control system was created on LabView® version 8.2 from National Instruments (www.ni.com) that integrates the monitoring process and the actions required depending on the abrasive machining process conditions. Thus, the system is able to acquire information from the optical sensor to detect loading and activate the cleaning system. The system designed continuously monitors the condition of the abrasive belt by using an acoustic emission sensor and alerts the operator of the status of the belt (green, yellow and red lights indicate optimal, medium and poor belt condition). The system also incorporates an additional safety device, which helps prevent permanent damage to the belt, equipment or workpiece by alerting the operator when an excessive temperature has been reached. As a final step, the system design was adapted to an industrial machine manufactured by a prominent woodworking machinery manufacturer. This adaptation included the design of a mounting and traversing system for the sensors and cleaning apparatus and the integration of the system with the current machine PLC in order to take action based on information from the sensors relating to belt loading, acoustic emission and temperature and take action based on the status of the process.