Manual veneer grading is a production bottleneck, slow, subjective, and inconsistent across shifts. The iPAWS-3 scans every sheet at line speed using a 12-zone red laser, classifies defects with an AI engine, and routes each sheet to the correct grade stack via the AutoStacker, with no manual handling required for standard grades.
After drying and setting, veneer sheets must be graded before they can enter the assembling line. A face veneer that goes on the outside of the plywood panel must be visually clean: knots, splits, discoloration, and rough patches are all grade-defining defects. A back veneer has less stringent visual requirements. Core veneer only needs to meet structural thickness criteria. A reject sheet is diverted before it consumes glue and press time.
In most mills today, a grader stands at a table and visually inspects each sheet, assigns a grade, and physically sorts it into a stack. A skilled grader can process 3–5 m² per minute, but grading speed and accuracy degrade over a shift as fatigue sets in. Different graders produce inconsistent results against the same grade standard. And at peak production volumes, the grading table becomes the constraint that limits the throughput of the entire downstream assembling line.
The iPAWS-3 Smart Veneer Grading System addresses this by replacing visual inspection with laser surface scanning at line speed. The PH-312RD red laser scanner spans the full veneer width with 12 independent measurement zones, detecting surface defects as the sheet passes under it on the conveyor. The AI classification engine, trained on a library of veneer defect types, analyzes the scan data and assigns a grade based on the configurable grade standard for your market.
The grade decision is sent immediately to the AutoStacker, a PEM sub-system that physically routes the sheet to the correct stack using a mechanical deflector. Face sheets go to the face stack. Back sheets to the back stack. Core and reject sheets to their respective positions. For standard production, the grading station runs unattended, with an operator reviewing only the edge cases flagged by the system. The grading bottleneck disappears, grade consistency holds across shifts, and the assembling line receives accurately sorted veneer every time.
From dried veneer infeed through AI classification to grade-sorted stacking. Click any node to view a detailed description of that stage.
Watch the iPAWS-3 laser scanning, AI classification, and AutoStacker operating on a live veneer line, every sheet graded and sorted without manual handling.
Tell us your current grading method, production volume, and grade standards. Our engineering team will assess your line and propose the right iPAWS-3 configuration.
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