Prototype Machine Vision System for Raw Material Traceability at a Lumber Mill
TRACEABILITY OF THE WOOD ALL THE WAY TO THE FACTORY
ITCL (Castile and León Institute of Technology)
Castile and León Regional Government
Computer Vision for Raw Material Traceability at a Lumber Mill
What is it and what is it used for?
A computer vision solution that analyzes side and rear views of logging trucks, along with origin and destination data from the NEMUS system and open-source satellite data. The prototype detects, counts, and measures logs; estimates diameters, grades, and volumes; and recognizes license plates to automatically associate each load with the vehicle and verify the traceability of the raw material all the way to the mill.
The problem it solves
It addresses the lack of reliable traceability during the transport of timber: manual or image-based counts have low accuracy, are sensitive to lighting and orientation, and do not measure diameters or volumes or verify that the vehicle is the same one. This leads to logistical errors, financial losses, and difficulties in verifying the integrity of shipments between origin and destination.
"Computer visionto transform images of transported wood into objective traceability, reliable measurements, and better industrial decisions."
What makes it innovative?
Computer Vision
It combines advanced log segmentation, grouping, automatic calculation of diameters, areas, and volumes, license plate recognition, and analysis of open-source satellite imagery. The innovation lies in correlating origin, transport, and mill using multi-view computer vision, which makes it possible to verify the integrity of loads and improve measurements using fixed cameras and NEMUS data.
Expected impact
It reduces errors in inventory and purchasing, improves traceability and trust among forestry operations, transportation, and industry, and provides more objective measurements of volume, diameter, and quality for evaluating lots. It can also reduce economic losses and support environmental monitoring of logging operations using satellite imagery without additional acquisition costs.
