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Raute has deployed AI enhanced defect detection in production environments to improve how veneer, plywood and LVL production lines identify and utilize raw material. The solution enables earlier and more consistent production decisions, helping mills improve recovery, reduce waste, and optimize energy use. Source: Timberbiz Raute is a global leader in technology and services for the wood products industry specializing in supplying machinery, digital solutions, and plant-wide services for veneer, plywood, and Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) production. In veneer based engineered wood production, defect detection has a direct impact on how efficiently raw material can be utilized. It influences grading, clipping, routing and repairing decisions throughout the process. When detection is inaccurate or inconsistent, it leads to unnecessary waste, reduced recovery and inefficient use of energy in downstream stages. Raute’s analysers are industrial systems used to measure, grade and classify veneer and panels at different stages of production. They provide real time quality data to support production decisions across the process. By combining visual defect detection with measurements such as moisture and strength properties, analysers create a consistent foundation for data driven and increasingly automated production. AI enhanced defect detection strengthens this role. By combining industrial machine vision with deep learning models developed specifically for veneer based engineered wood production, analysers can identify defects more consistently under different wood species, surface characteristics and production conditions. The systems generate detailed defect maps for individual sheets, supporting more precise and repeatable decisions. Demand for this capability is growing as manufacturers work with a wider mix of raw materials. AI based defect detection in Raute analyzers is built on more than 50 years of analyzer development and extensive experience from veneer processing across over 50 wood species. This provides a strong foundation for applying the same approach to both commonly used and more specialized materials. “More variable raw materials mean that mistakes made early in the process become increasingly costly later on,” said Markus Sirviö, responsible for analyser business development at Raute. “When detection becomes more consistent, mills can improve recovery and avoid inefficiencies that would otherwise carry through the entire production process.” Raute analysers can be applied at multiple points in production, including green veneer inspection after peeling, dry veneer grading after drying, and panel repairing and grading. Early-stage defect detection is particularly important, as it helps prevent low quality material from entering energy intensive processes such as drying and hot pressing. As engineered wood producers work to improve efficiency with increasingly variable raw materials, AI enhanced analysers are becoming an established part of production. Their role is shifting from inspection to enabling consistent, data driven decision making across the production process.

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Kazakhstan has developed a prototype of a new high-mobility firefighting vehicle designed specifically to combat forest fires, drawing on lessons from the devastating wildfire that swept through the Abai region in 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources said. The Times Central Asia In June 2023, a major wildfire broke out in the Semey Ormany State Forest Nature Reserve in eastern Kazakhstan’s Abai region, killing 14 forestry workers and burning tens of thousands of hectares of forest. Authorities later estimated the damage at more than US$354 million. The disaster prompted forestry and emergency response specialists to conclude that Kazakhstan needed specialized equipment better suited to fighting large-scale forest fires. “Following an analysis of the events in the Abai region, it was decided to develop a prototype of a modern, manoeuvrable firefighting vehicle capable of responding rapidly to forest fires,” the Ministry of Ecology said. The prototype later underwent field testing in the Akmola, Karaganda, Pavlodar, and Abai regions. Engineers incorporated feedback from firefighters and forestry specialists, along with technical requirements identified during firefighting operations. “As a result, a firefighting vehicle was created that meets all the key operational requirements,” the ministry said. The new vehicle is built for off-road conditions and is powered by an engine producing approximately 300 horsepower. It carries a 3,000-litre water tank and is equipped with a high-capacity pump that allows firefighters to combat flames while stationary or moving. The pump system can be operated from inside the cab or directly from the firefighting compartment, providing greater flexibility during emergency operations. The vehicle is also fitted with a rear-view camera to improve manoeuvrability in low-visibility conditions and difficult terrain. One of the vehicle’s most notable features is an integrated self-protection system. In the event of approaching flames, the system creates a protective barrier around the vehicle, shielding the wheels, cab, and engine compartment from fire. According to the developers, the technology is particularly valuable during large forest fires, where rapidly changing conditions and extreme temperatures can place firefighting crews and equipment at significant risk. Officials say the vehicle has no direct equivalent elsewhere in the post-Soviet region and represents a modern solution tailored specifically to forest firefighting operations. Kazakhstan has increasingly focused on improving its wildfire response capabilities following recent disasters. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, engineers in the Karaganda region last year unveiled a prototype drone capable of detecting forest fire hotspots and supporting wildfire monitoring efforts.

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