Project Portfolio

Jump to project details by year: 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

2013 Highlights

  • Waitete Sawmill bin sorter and stacker, Te Kuiti

    For this project, which took place from June to September this year, Tui was sub-contracted by Lakeland Steel to commission a packet stacker and bin sorter for Waitete Sawmills.
    Lakeland Steel oversaw the refurbishment and installation, while Tui was responsible for the design and commissioning of the electrical automation systems.
    For the US-imported stacker, Tui’s job included installing a machine safety system and HMI functionality, and interfacing it with existing equipment, plus MCC installation and electrical contractor management.
    The 28-bin bin sorter was also refurbished, integrated with an existing Pacific Timber trimmer controlled by a Rockwell PLC. The existing controls on the trimmer were kept and a solution was engineered to pass the board data to the Siemens 319F PLC. The trimmer lug chains where synchronised with the bin sorter system via electronic gearing. Tui’s established sorter software works with Tibersmart for easy inventory tracking.

  • Greenlane Biogas, Norway

  • RedStag Bin Sorter, Rotorua

  • McDonnell Hewsaw

2012 Highlights

  • Dongwha Timbers, Bombala NSW

    Tui Technology has successfully completed the automation and electrical installation of green-field sawmill installation.  All machines in the mill were automated by Tui Technology including log sorter, log infeed, sawline, binsorter and stacker.This major sawline installation at a greenfield site in New South Wales was led by Veisto of Finland for the Hewsaw Sawline, and Kit-Sell of Finland for the board sorting and stacking lines.
    Tui Technology is part of a local supply alliance for Hewsaw machines in Australasia.

  • Waimea Sawmills Trimmer, Nelson

    The Trimmer project at Waimea Sawmills involved replacing the existing trimmer with a second-hand machine from America and integrating it with the existing bin sorter.
    The manual valley trimmer was replaced with a Newnes scanner and multi-saw trimmer with a three-stage smart fence. The objective was to get rid of the manual trim decisions and use the scanner to optimise the best trim solution, resulting in higher and better quality production.
    A Lucidyne grade mark reader, Lakeland board turner, board weighing system and GNS sonic grading system were removed from the original line and reinstalled in the new one; all which needed re-commissioning.
    The project also included installing a new safety system for electrical isolation to SIL3 using Siemens F-CPU and IO.
    The unique aspect of this project was the need to cut boards into two, without requiring prior knowledge before the lugs were loaded and an empty lug created, or having to send the whole board back to the resaw for re-cutting to a lower-value product. 
    Because it would have been a lot of mechanical work to put in the dropout belt and board handling equipment at that specific stage of the re-fit, Tui suggested the unique solution of putting in a set of lift skids after the trimmer and creating an empty lug by re-synchronising the lug chains.
    If the scanner recognised a board needed cutting into two, it was cut in the trim saws and then as the board was transferred onto the lug chain, the lift skids would lift up one of the two boards (the lift skids were operated based on board length, saw cut locations etc). Lug chain one was slowed down and then ramped back into synchronisation with lug chain two, creating an empty lug. The board that had been lifted out of the lug was then placed into the newly created empty lug.

  • Ensign Engineering Services CNC boring machine, Rotorua

    Originally built a few decades ago, Ensign’s CNC 5 axis boring machine – a precision metalwork milling machine – was due for a motor and control upgrade to improve functionality and usability.
    Due to the rarity of such machines and their parts world-wide, in October 2012 Tui was commissioned to retro-fit the machine which involved replacing existing motors, drives and controllers in order to improve reliability, accuracy and gain machining features – whilst maintaining as many original mechanical parts as possible.
    Five synchronous AC servo motors coupled to Sinamics drives replaced the existing DC servos; Heidenhain linear measurement system was interfaced to the controller as a primary measurement system; Siemens 828D controller with Shopmill software option was installed to provide easy milling features and usability; and an in-built PLC was incorporated to control the machine’s services, such as hydraulics, cooling, gearbox, hoist etc.

  • Skookum & Tropik Wood PLC Control System, Fiji

    Tui was contracted to supply and commission a new PLC Control System, for the control and automation of the Belt Conveyors on Tropik Wood Products’ ship loading site in Vanua Levu, Fiji.
    The objective was to install five conveyors for the transfer of woodchip from Tropik Wood’s land-based chipping plant facility out to a ship loading conveyor nearly a kilometre away.
    The project was originally a new build in 2008, but was put on hold and then restarted under the mechanical and electrical direction of Skookum Technology.
    There were many unique issues with this project that required unique solutions, a major of which was its extremely remote location. To get to site from the mainland (Nadi) could take up to seven hours, which meant getting both workers and gear to the site was often problematic.
    Another issue with the remote location was the fact that all power came from two diesel-fuelled, three-phase generators, one situated at each end of the line. The control system had to be designed with extremely low maintenance and ease of usability in mind. For example, Skookum used gearboxes rather than chains for low maintenance. Standard operating procedures were also re-designed, to address issues with the Fijian weather, budget restraints and costs associated with working so remotely, plus the difficulty of sourcing local expertise.
    Because of the length of the conveyer line, standard communications were not suitable and Tui opted to use fibre optic communications, which were terminated onsite by Tui. All the equipment also had to be weather resistant in Fiji’s extreme weather; with the line continuing half a kilometre out to sea there is no natural shelter from the yearly hurricane season or the 40°C-plus temperatures.

  • Pukepine Sawmills Stacker, Te Puke

    This project involved upgrading an existing stacker from manual operation to a semi-automated system, to improve production on multi-sized boards that were being run through the same machine. Board lengths ranged from 2.4m through to 6m, and the objective was to improve stacking speed and quality of the packets.
    The stacker was re-vamped by changing the manual functionality to an automated free flowing system. The variable speed drives were installed to control the deck chains and the PLC system was switched out to ControlLogix.

2011 Highlights

  • Tasco Bombala Sawmill, NSW

    June 2011: Tui Technology has been awarded the multi-million dollar contract for the entire automation and electrical installation of a greenfield sawmill at Bombala, NSW. The contract involves supply of controls, MCCs and operator software for the log sorting line, debarker, Hewsaw R250 Trio Sawline, Binsorter and Stacker. The installation and commissioning is expected to occur during the middle part of 2012.

  • Binsorter and Stacking Lines at Kiwi Lumber Masterton, Tregoweth Sawmill, Nelson Forests Blenheim Sawmill and Stillwater Lumber.

    January to October 2011: Tui Technology has completed 4 contracts to automate newly installed binsorter and stacking lines at 4 customer sites throughout New Zealand.

  • Optimised Edgers at Pukepine Sawmill and Waimea Sawmillers

    January to March 2011: Tui Technology has completed 2 contracts to automate newly installed edgers at 2 customer sites in New Zealand. Both edgers have USNR/Newnes scanning and optimisation.

  • Fairfax Dubbo Printing Press Safety Upgrade

    March 2011: Tui Technology has completed the implementation of a electrically interlocked guarding system at Fairfax Media's Dubbo Plant. The project won the Health and Safety award at the PANPA Newspaper of the Year awards. Australia.

  • Other projects During 2011:

    Kiwi Lumber Dannevirke Edger PLC Upgrade, Pukepine Curve Saw Gang, Dannevirke Concrete Plant, Titan Slicer Bacon Slicing Machine Automation

2010 Highlights

  • Stillwater Ari Sawline Automation

    December 2010: Tui Technology has completed the automation of a newly installed Ari Sawline at Stillwater Lumber, Greymouth, New Zealand.

  • Timberlands Kaingaroa Cutoff Saw and Log Sorter

    December 2010: Tui Technology has completed the replacement and modernisation of the Control Systems for the Cutoff Saw and Log Sorter at the Timberlands Merchandising Plant, Kaingaroa, New Zealand.

  • CHH Whangarei Dry Mill Binsorter and Stacker

    August 2010: Tui Technology has completed the Automation of the newly installed dry mill binsorter and stacker at Carter Holt Harvey, Whangarei, New Zealand.

  • Davis Sawmilling Trimmer Upgrade

    September 2010: Tui Technology has completed the Automation of the new Trimmer at Davis Sawmilling. The system includes operator grade and trim control as well as ink jet printer and Tui Acoustic Grading system. Featherston, New Zealand.

  • Sequal Lumber Log Sorter Scanner

    Replacement of obsolete Log Sorter Scanner with a Trueshape scanning system at Sequal Lumber, Kawerau, New Zealand.

  • Other projects During 2010:

    Timberlands Kaingaroa Chip Volume Measurement System, Flight Timbers Heat Plant Upgrade, Fibre Fresh Animal Feed Press Electrification, Fibre Fresh Animal Feed Silos Automation, Kiwi Lumber Masterton Planer Infeed Automation, Niagara Sawmill Trimmer Automation, Redstag Log Sorter, Rob Jennings Carton Stacking Machines, Lockwood Homes Timber Grading Machine

2009 Highlights

  • Gorton Timber Carriage

    January 2009:New control system for 4 knee carriage and slabber. There is a S7-319 PLC controlling the operation of the machine, The carriage knees use a Delta RMC150e motion controller to position the knees, the slabber position control is done by the S7-319. WinCC Flexible runtime was used for the HMI, with a 15" touch screen for the operator. Milton, Otago, New Zealand

  • Fairfax Waikato DC replacement

    March 2009:Waikato Times contracted Tui Technology to upgrade their 20 year old drives. Hamilton, New Zealand.

  • Prime Sawmills Edger Automation

    October 2009: Automation of a new edger at Prime Sawmills. Project included Computer generated laser lines displayed on a camera image of the board. Gisborne, New Zealand.

  • Redstag Carriage Automation

    August 2009: Automation and Modernisation of the existing carriage at Redstag Waipa Sawmill. Project included integration to the USNR Perceptron Scanning and Optimisation. Waipa, New Zealand.

  • Niagara Dry Mill Sling Sorter

    February 2009: Machine Controls and management console for a 30 Bay Sling Sorter. A Lakeland board turner controlled by a VSD allows the operator to view both sides of the board, while it sits in the lug chain, without lifting a finger. A wireless remote allows the bin walker to operate the bins freely. Invercargill, New Zealand.

  • Other projects during 2009:

    Place Mouse over each for a description: Lakeland Optimizing Saw , Fiber Fresh Mixing Decks, Niagara Dry Mill Stacker, Waimea Log Grader, Waimea Board Turner, Fiber Fresh Grain Silos, Gorton Timbers Horizontal Resaw Automation, Lakeland Pinewood Stacker, Rob Jennings Carton Erectors, Fibre Fresh Bag Sealer Automation

2008 Highlights

2007 Highlights

2006 Highlights

  • TDC Sawmills Greenfield Logline – WORLD FIRST Scan and Set Hewsaw Trio Line

    March 2006: Tui Technology recently completed the supply and implemenation of control systems and operator Scada system for a greenfield sawmill for TDC Sawmills, Whangarei. Machines include new log infeed from Kitsell in Finland, new debarker from Valon Kone, new Hewsaw R250 Trio Logline from Veisto of Finland, along with Binsorter and Stacker. Scope included machine control, scada operator control, Scan and Set functionality using solution from USNR Scanning, Supply of variable speed drives and setworks positioning for 70 axes. Safety logic implemented using safety PLCs. Whangarei, New Zealand.

  • Great Hage – Animal Feed Press Upgrade

    December 2006: Project includes weighing, position control of the press cylinders, check weighing, control of automatic sealers and interfacing with a JMP palletizing robot. This job was done using Siemens S7-300 PLC’s, a wireless connection to a laptop running Operator screens on WinCC flexible and 2 TP177a Operator panels. Reporoa, New Zealand.

  • Fairfax Blenheim Press Upgrade

    September 2006: Upgrade of control system and drives for a Printing Press. Blenheim, New Zealand.

  • Moutere End Dogger Upgrade

    June 2006: A pre-position table was installed to the end-dogging saw. We designed and commissioned an automatic centering system. When dogged the saws set to opening cut position based on diameter measured. Log length was also measured, this was used to open dogs automatically to correct distance for next log. Nelson, New Zealand.

  • Other projects during 2006:

    Place Mouse over each for a description: TDC Logline Stacker, Great Hage: Animal Feed Conveyor Control System, Kiwi Putaruru Carriage Scanning Upgrade, The Press -  Drive Upgrade, Findlater Sawmills -Stress Grader, Waimea Sawmills -Grade Mark Reader Integration, Kiwi Dannevirke - Debarker, Redstag Waipa Board Static QA Tester, Moutere 2006 Carriage Winch Upgrade, Kiwi Lumber Dannevirke Carriage, Flight Carriage Scanning Upgrade 

2005 Highlights

2004 Highlights