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Virginia Tech

Design and testing of a prototype in-line chip quality monitor

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This project involved the design and testing of a prototype in-line chip quality monitor for gathering process control information for the manufacturers of wood chips. This monitor specifically addresses three common complaints with current chip sampling procedures. Chip sampling occurs too late in the process. It is inadequate. It is too infrequent to develop management information. The monitor is composed of a double screen drum separator to divide chips into oversize, accepts, and pins/fines. Counterbalanced tip buckets are used to weigh each size class. Tip bucket cycles are recorded by a computer via magnetic proximity switches attached to each bucket. This information is then used to chart production of chip size classes, updated continuously over the sorting period. This monitor is capable of sorting one ton of chips per hour. Two trials were conducted to test the monitor. One in a lab environment, and one on site at a chip mill. Both trials compared monitor output with independent samples classified using a Williams classifier. The trials showed that outputs were consistent with Williams output. This monitor can effectively chart chip distribution information. This process control information provides the manufacturer with immediate knowledge of chipper performance.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Forestry
Department dc:contributor.department
Forestry
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1996

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Auel, John B.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Stuart, William B.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Oderwald, Richard G.
  • Zink-Sharp, Audrey G.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-06102009-063437
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/43014

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Auel, John B.. Design and testing of a prototype in-line chip quality monitor. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/43014