Forestry is a profitable industry for those who manage it well. It requires integrating environmentally responsible methods with technology and forestry management prowess. Part of a successful formula relies on the ability of the lumber mill equipment to be adept for the tasks. Over the centuries, technology has influenced the type of mill equipment workers and mills employ.
Early Years
In the beginning, work occurred under a simple structure. Their placement beside a stream meant easier operation of “mechanized” equipment such as a back-and-forth saw driven by one or more hydraulic motors. Streams and other bodies of water facilitated the delivery of logs for production into the requisite timber planks.
Production was limited in such sawmills. Larger shops and machinery that was more sophisticated was able to increase production. This opened up export possibilities. The lumber mill equipment available for workers soon included larger circular blades for ripping and rendering the logs. Steam began to open up the potential for expansion, making it easier to build mill structures away from rivers.
20th Century
In the 20th century, several technological advances began to increase the potential of the lumber mill to expand its market. Mechanization and electricity increased the ability of machinery to produce finished lumber from logs at a faster and more accurate rate. Automation moved in, decreasing the need for harder physical manual work. Computerization also becomes a major force in managing the output and input of a mill.
Lumber Mill Equipment Today
Lumber mills today are often fully computerized units of industrial size and production. At the very least, the machinery is automated. The focus of lumber mill equipment is primarily to process wood. This industry offers semi-finished products for other industrial concerns. The lumber mill rarely deals with finished products. Today, lumber mills are not stand-alone shops. They form one part of a more complex system of companies and industrial facilities that make up the lumber industry.