Two stands, one mission

“Ligna is the world’s most important trade fair for the timber industry. This is confirmed not only by European customers, but also by our customers and partners from overseas,” Frank Jöst, CEO of Microtec, emphasized. Accordingly, the company was ambitious when planning its presence at the fair: Solutions for the entire sawmill value chain were presented at two exhibition stands. At the center of it was Microtec Connect in combination with the Mill Manager, which processes acquired information and provides real-time warnings in the event of deviations from critical process steps. According to Jöst, Microtec is pursuing a specific goal: “We want to control, analyze, and optimize the entire sawmill process at the product level – with a clear focus on potential value loss. Our products not only contribute to the most resource-efficient use possible; they also maximize the economic added value for companies.”

Intelligence at a whole new level

According to Microtec, the trade fair presence marked a new development stage in the intelligent interconnection of production machines. The company stands out with a comprehensive digital solutions portfolio. From log reception to further processing, the South Tyrolean company is setting new standards in process optimization, resource efficiency, and future viability. “We get inspiration for innovation not only from our customers, but also from university research and other industries such as medical technology,” CTO Philipp Bock told us. These influences have enabled major developments such as the CT scanner in the past and are now promoting the integration of the next generation of artificial intelligence. Specifically, Microtec is focusing on generative networks as an extension of traditional image processing, the goal being the intelligent, cross-system linking of individual machines and the targeted optimization of the entire plant.

The backbone of interconnected production

Microtec Connect links all stages of production – from log scanners, such as the Logeye or CT Log, and cutting optimization to the planing mill and further processing plant – to form an adaptive overall system. Bock described the platform as a “central interface for process data, AI training, and production optimization”. Individual scanners such as the Goldeneye 900 benefit from training with computed tomography data, for example. The advantages range from increased grading accuracy to AI-supported reconstruction of sections that would not be visible otherwise.

Benefits for all customers

Thanks to CT Cross Training, all products benefit from the depth of data, for example in pith detection or under-bark grading. “This enables us to develop high-end functionalities for all products based on CT technology,” Bock explained.

User-oriented (further) development

In addition to new solutions, Microtec places great emphasis on the continuous improvement of existing systems. In numerous cases, customer feedback has been directly incorporated. For example, the company made service access to the Goldeneye 900 significantly easier and did so with the integration into existing production lines as well.

Measurable sustainability

At Microtec, sustainability is a strategic priority. “We only saw what is actually needed. This reduces raw material usage, lowers energy consumption, and minimizes logistics costs,” Jöst explained.

A practical example shows the potential for savings: At a Microtec customer with an annual cutting volume of 400,000 m³ of log wood, around 20,000 logs, 600 truck journeys, and 3,000 MWh of energy required for drying can be saved. At the same time, 300,000 kg of carbon emissions are avoided.

Personnel efficiency also increases: Automated analyses and self-learning machines reduce the need for manual intervention – a decisive advantage given rising labor costs and the shortage of skilled workers.

More than just a trade fair

“We use direct exchange to learn from our customers and explore new paths together. Recent years have been characterized by more traditional installations. Now, companies are showing a greater interest in new developments and innovations. This is an environment that benefits us at Microtec,” Bock told us. Microtec’s CTO concluded: “All of our developments are always aimed at achieving one overarching goal: We want to help advance our customers through technological leadership – both ecologically through active resource efficiency and economically through direct increases in added value.”