Industrial photos
 

I'm interested in seeing some industrial photos - both for the artistic aspect and for the educational value. There are many processes about which I'm fairly ignorant, and I imagine that a lot of others are, also. So, please post!

I'll start. Here are some pictures from a plywood/veneer plant which I visited last week for a work project.

The first picture shows the logs going in to the lathe. They are first measured (automatically) for shape and size, then they are spun on the big lathe, which reduces the diameter of the raw log to about four inches in just a few seconds. This turns the round wood into a long, continuous sheet, as shown in the second picture.

The remaining core is sold to a post and pole manufacturer.

The long sheet is cut into small sheets, which are then stacked and glued to form plywood. The first picture shows the cut sheets flying by on an overhead conveyor.

The second picture shows the grader. A machine flips through the sheets, but the grading is done by a person, who looks at both sides and assigns a grade. You can see the grader in the center of the picture.

Cool , I will try and get some pics of processes , though most customers wouldn't let me take pics .

As with most lumber mills, the "waste" wood is reused. This refers to the sawdust, chips, bark, and other process residues. In this case, this waste is used to fuel a boiler. The boiler produces steam, which is used in the kiln and in a steam turbine, which produces electricity.

The first picture shows a small part of the boiler, which is several stories tall. This boiler was not running; the doors are for ash clean-out.

The second picture shows the steam turbine and generator set.

I'd be very interested in seeing that. But don't get yourself in trouble.

Ever seen the inside of a steel mill ??

No. Do you have pictures?

I'll see about getting some

Nothing educational about these, but it's all I've got. Anyone who'se traveled south from NYC will recognize them:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/13/18...91897a938b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/14/18...0a44a68257.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/13/18...1ee7ba8efb.jpg

As some of you know I am an Industrial scale tech ,
This was a weird scale I had to install not to long ago ,
Here is the container sitting on the scale ,
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/4...a6a13f2c0d.jpg
Here is the container in the upright position , weird but the scale wouldn't weigh worth a CRAP unless the container was fully upright ,
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/4...97b88a267c.jpg
Here is the container being put in place by a Taylor
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/4...d36e4f7ffb.jpg
Here are the loadcells and checking system ,
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/149/4...5aa6f49453.jpg
And here is the insrumentation,
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/4...13e65ab8f8.jpg

HLJ, Photos post #1 in the south, before GP sold out, the cores from plywood mills went to 2x4" or landshape timbers.

More, please. This is great. I've got nuthin', but I'm likin' this.

Cool stuff, guys...I may have to go down to the riverfront near the pizza shop and snap some pics.

Now I have to know. I won't be able to sleep until I find this out ...

What determines whether a log ends up as veneer or plywood?

Zippyt - so that scale is used to measure shipping containers? Why is it made to weigh in the vertical position?