For the Italian timber company Bettega Legnami, H.I.T. Maschinenbau implemented a modern system for fully automatic sorting and stacking of sawn timber. The aim of the project was to optimize material flow, automate processes, and at the same time ensure high flexibility for different wood dimensions and qualities.

Right at the start of the material flow, the system ensures a structured transfer of the material. The sawn timber is taken directly from the saw line as well as from an additional external feed via a cross conveyor and delivered to the singulation stage. An inclined conveyor then separates the timbers and aligns them optimally for quality control.

At a clearly designed assessment station, the operator can mark defective pieces. The subsequent automatic sorting is carried out using an integrated scanner, which classifies the timbers by length, width, thickness, and quality. A total of 30 lift-lower boxes are available for this purpose, enabling particularly gentle handling of the material and reliably separating different dimensions.

In the second phase of the project, an automated stacking system was integrated. This system takes the sorted timbers directly from the boxes, separates the material, and automatically starts layer formation. The system automatically adjusts itself to the stored product specifications – from the layer width to the position of the battens and the cross-cutting.

For precise length adjustment, a layer cross-cut saw trims entire layers to the desired size with millimeter accuracy. The timbers are then stacked automatically. Thanks to double magazines, different batten dimensions can be flexibly processed – for example, for shipping or kiln-drying packages.

With this solution, Bettega Legnami benefits from a continuous, automated material flow, high process reliability, and optimally prepared further processing of the sawn timber.