Abstract: A system for sorting lumber using a scanning camera that generates separate red, green and in some cases blue outputs to scan selected length increments along the surface of a piece of lumber and such data collected for each color is each separately histogrammed to produce a frequency distribution of color intensity. The data is analyzed to determine the mean values for each color in the selected lengths and the lengths characterized based on these mean values into specific colors. The lumber pieces may be automatically severed into pieces having significant differences in color and the pieces of significantly different colors may be automatically collected in different groupings. In an alternative arrangement the histogram for selected color is analyzed to determine the frequency distribution and degree of frequency variability to determine if it is to be classified as vertical or flat grained.

Abstract: A lumber optimizer system that detects the wane in a flitch being processed and by using a plurality of discrete detectors detecting the amount of electromagnetic radiation passing through localized areas of the board to determine the local differences in density provides a density profile of the flitch. The developed data are accumulated as the flitch traverses the detectors and processed in a computer to provide a profile of signal strengths generated by the detectors and used to generate an image of varying intensity depending on the signal (density) for each discrete area of the flitch and provide a density map of the field. The map so produced is analyzed in conjunction with the detected wane to determine the defects in the flitch and the nature and the position of such defects in the flitch and provide a plan of the flitch wherein the locations of good wood, and various defects are provided.