New Cursal automatic cross-cutting line supplied by JJ Smith & installed at BSW’s Newbridge sawmill

Cursal automatic crosscut line infeed and separating system

BSW Timber, the largest integrated forestry and sawmilling business in the UK, has seven BSW timber sawmills located throughout the UK and headquarters in Berwickshire, Scotland, where the business originated. BSW Timber manufactures and supplies a wide range of quality, FSC-certified sawn products for an array of industries including fencing, landscaping, cladding, construction, DIY, decking and packaging.

Due to continued growth in a number of key sectors, BSW has undertaken a significant investment program in plant and infrastructure across a number of sites. This includes the installation of a new automatic cross-cutting line at its Newbridge-on-Wye site in Mid Wales. Commenting on the project’s objective, Mill Manager David Burd said that installing a semi-automatic cross-cutting line would achieve a safer working environment with less manual handling for employees, while delivering an uplift in efficiency, accuracy and productivity of cut-to-length products.

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Infeed cross chain loading

Nigel Patrickson, BSW Group Project Manager, was tasked with investigating the market in order to find the best solution to meet their specific requirements. As a result, Nigel contacted Kevin McGlone, cross-cutting specialist at JJ Smith, and a meeting was held to discuss BSW’s key goals. Taking into consideration all these points, Kevin concluded that the best solution would be a Cursal TRSI automatic cross-cutting line with automated stacking. BSW was invited to JJ Smith’s Liverpool showroom for a demonstration and time trials of a similar machine in operation. Following this, a final machine specification and quotation was submitted to the BSW board for approval.

Final specification for the saw line comprised an infeed system with extended infeed chains and a separating system, and a TRSI saw unit fitted with two side aligning devices – one before the saw blade and one directly behind the blade – to ensure the cut timber remains in packs prior to reaching the outfeed conveyor. The outfeed system consists of a 6,000mm conveyor with two ejectors – the first rapid ejector designed for smaller, non-standard cut pieces; the second ejector pushes the cut packs onto a pre-stacking conveyor prior to the automatic overhead stacker lifting the cut timber to a new final pack, ready for banding.

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Outfeed automatic stacking system

The line was installed in April 2021 by JJ Smith engineers and a Cursal technician, with additional infeed and outfeed driven chains installed by BSW’s own engineers. Gareth Downey, Assistant Production Manager at the Newbridge site, commented: “The new Cursal line is working very well and production output is exceeding our expectations.” David Burd added: “So far so good; it seems that JJ Smith and Cursal have supplied a machine that has met our project objectives.” Kevin McGlone concluded: “I’m very pleased that we were able to meet the challenges set down by BSW and to finally see the Cursal line in operation and performing well.”

For further information, contact JJ Smith Woodworking Machinery on 0151 548 9000, email [email protected] or visit www.jjsmith.co.uk.

COMPANY INFO
JJ Smith & Co (Woodworking Machinery) Ltd
Moorgate Point, Moorgate Road
Knowsley Industrial Park, Kirkby
Liverpool, L33 7DR
0151 548 9000

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