Problem Situation

Canfors Isle Pierre planer mill located in Prince George, B.C. Canada currently has an inline barcode labeling system that is used to apply barcode labels to their 2x4 and 2x6 products. There are a number of drawbacks with their current barcode labeling system.

• The inline applicators have a difficult time keeping up with the desired line speed of 170+ lugs/min.
• The dusty environment in the area of the current inline systems results in high maintenance and poor operation of the machines.
• Poor label placement with inline machines results in additional manual handling and "fixing" of packages to attain 98+% labeling with corresponding increases in costs.
• Poor label application and manual application result in visually unappealing product

Inline Barcode label application

Canfor"s customers require a 98+% correct barcode placement rate. Due to this requirement, Canfor personnel at the Isle Pierre mill must manually re-apply labels to every package of lumber that has missing or improperly placed labels.

The process of manually re-applying labels results in additional package handling and missed production deadlines resulting in higher production costs.

The efficiency of our current [inline barcoding] machine is not that high. We are probably getting between 40% and 60% [of the barcode labels] making it on the wood.... We put 3 people on each shift to re-handle the packages and re-apply barcodes by hand and there are 3 shifts per day.... We seem to have hit the wall with barcoders inline and are putting more on by hand today than with the [inline] barcoder system.... We needed to change the way we think about putting on the barcodes so we went out to Z-Tec Automation [Systems Inc.] to see if there was a better way of putting a barcode on a board.

- Bud Wasylyshen, Planer Coordinator - Canfor`s Isle Pierre Planer Mill

Z-Tecs Solution

Z-Tec Automation Systems Inc. personnel realized that the necessary high-speed barcode placement rates could not be achieved by improving upon the current method of inline barcode application. A fundamental change to the way that the barcode labels are applied would be required.

Z-Tec`s Flying Barcoder"

Label placement before Flying Barcoder" Installation

Label placement after Flying Barcoder" Installation

After carefully accessing all of the currently available technologies, Z-Tec Automation Systems Inc. personnel designed a custom integrated solution and called it the Flying Barcoder". The Flying Barcoder" applies the barcode labels after the package has been strapped, guaranteeing 99+% correct label placement without additional human intervention.

The Flying Barcoder" was installed at Canfors Isle Pierre mill in January 2004. The machine can barcode a package of 2x4 (294 pieces) in under 3 minutes, and a package of 2x6 (189 pieces) in 2 minutes, both with 99+% accuracy. An upgrade to be delivered by June 2004 will cut these times approximately in half.

[With Z-Tec`s Flying Barcoder"] right now we`re actually getting 100% [barcode label] application?. I was really surprised on the accuracy of the machine.... It was a pretty exciting time for the operation, we were putting in this [Flying Barcoder"] machine and it was working.... I think we have a very excellent working relationship [with Z-Tec Automation Systems Inc.] .... building a machine that has never been seen before.... We were installed and in place in 24 hours.

- Bud Wasylyshen, Planer Coordinator - Canfor`s Isle Pierre Planer Mill

Compared with existing inline barcode labeling systems, the
Z-Tec Automation System Inc. Flying Barcoder" saves time and money, and improves the appearance of the product to the end consumer.

For more information about the Z-Tec Automation Systems Inc. Flying Barcoder" please visit our Products page .