Timber iQ February - March 2019 // Issue: 42 | Page 34

FEATURES
The future of processing – design
technology and automation
The explosion of technological advances has resulted in a fundamental
shift and transformation of the human experience through new-age
requirements and concept design.
Compiled by Benjamin Brits
Many processing and manufacturing facilities have used some kind of robotics and automation for many years already.
F
rom forestry onwards safety, improving productivity
and getting workers out of the ‘danger zone’ has been
a major push for international forestry managers,
forest owners, logging contractors and equipment
suppliers, to modify their wood harvesting and processing
operations over the past few years.
Another major driver to increased mechanisation
internationally has been the skilled machine operator
shortages that many forestry companies are now currently
32 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2019 //
facing. The ultimate goal of the world industry is to have
‘no worker on the slope, or no hand on the chainsaw’.
Technology development and the pace of change over
the last couple of years, in keeping with other industries,
has been rapid and exciting for the industry. Recent
research suggests that in 2019, as many as 35% of leading
organisations will explore the use of robots to automate
operations. The timber industry isn’t any different. In fact,
the switch is already underway in many overseas countries.
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