ULE researchers map wood quality in real time using non-destructive technology and digital twins
Within the framework of the technological transformation of the forestry sector, and in the framework of the European project DIGIS3, the University of León through the research group DRACONES, and with the collaboration of the Forestry and Wood Technology Center (CETEMAS) and the company Proceq Screening Eagle, are developing the Proof of Concept (PoC) ‘Mapping and detection of quality wood in poplar plantations’, an initiative that seeks to transfer advanced tools for mapping and detection of wood quality to processing companies, with the aim of optimizing processes and promoting sustainability within the scope of ‘Smart Forestry’.
The project, requested by the company Fustek, which specializes in poplar wood products, aims to integrate cutting-edge technologies, such as advanced sensors and digital twins, to detect the existence and depth of knots in standing trees, which depreciate the value of poplar wood, affecting its industrial potential and the price paid to owners for the wood. Inter-institutional collaboration reinforces digitalization in the sector, promoting the use of non-destructive tools that generate accurate data, essential for more efficient and sustainable forest management.
The DRACONES group of the University of León leads this project from the Ponferrada campus, contributing with the creation of digital twins through portable laser scanners, key tools to understand the external structure of trees. In parallel, CETEMAS uses resistographs to identify internal discontinuities in the wood, such as knots and cavities, while Proceq Screening Eagle provides GPR technology to detect non-visible internal variations.
This collaboration is part of the European Digital Europe Program, in particular a collaboration between DIGIS3, the European digital innovation hub of Castilla y León, of which the University of León is a partner, and AsDIH, the digital innovation hub of Asturias, of which CETEMAS is a partner.
This collaboration between institutions and companies ensures a multidisciplinary and practical approach. “With this project, we are bringing cutting-edge technologies closer to the forestry sector, which will allow companies like Fustek to advance innovation”, said the DRACONES team.
More information at: https://www.unileon.es/noticias/investigadores-de-la-ule-mapean-la-calidad-de-la-madera-en-tiempo-real-utilizando