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LSIZE Software for Lumber Size Control
LSIZE is a quality
control and SPC (statistical process control) software program designed for lumber,
plywood and panel size control. LSIZE provides short and long-term analysis
of your measurement information in both statistical and graphical representation.
The 32-bit version of LSIZE was released in July 1995 and is considered the
standard in the forest products industry.
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Unique Features
LSIZE is packed full of features. This quality control software is not
just a set of add-ons to basic software products like Microsoft Excel, Crystal Reports,
etc. LSIZE has been developed using the 32-bit C++ development language from
Microsoft. This approach takes more time and effort; however, the result is a
better, more flexible and expandable product. Be sure to check out the new features page to see what has been added
LSIZE.
- Shape Analysis helps you to understand what is happening in your sawing process on a
board-by-board basis by allowing you to graphically check each individual board.
- Include from one to thousands of boards (subgroups) in a calculation and scroll through
the charts to view the results.
- Display the results as a single board, daily, weekly or as monthly averages.
- Customize your analysis by easily exporting measurements from LSIZE to programs
such as Microsoft Excel.
- The database stores years worth of measurements, allowing you to look back over time and
see if your sawing process is being improved. You can also compare results today with
results of last week, last month, 6 months or any time frame you select.
- Zero in on specific problems and opportunities by analyzing what is happening on a
board-by-board basis. Histograms are great for looking at overall averages, but with
LSIZE you also get the Time Series Charts which allow you to look at averages,
ranges, standard deviations, shape, etc. for each individual board. You also get the shape
of each board in your analysis.
Sample Displays &
Reports
(Click on image for enlarged view)
Following is a sample of a few of the many displays and reports available with
LSIZE. If you would like to check out all of the features of the software, call
about an evaluation copy of LSIZE.
LSIZE setup is fast and easy. The first step is to define a list of process labels
for machine centers, sawline and product codes that you want to monitor. Next you
create a set of process combinations from these lists. For example, lets assume you
created a machine center for the quad, a sawline for Left and Right, and a product code
for 2T. The process combinations that you would then create would be Quad-Left-2T
and Quad-Right-2T. An additional combination you may want to create would be
Quad-@-2T. This Quad-@-2T combination would allow you to combine the Left and Right
sawlines into a single analysis. You can create hundreds of process labels and
process combinations.
Next you would define your product specifications (target size, high spec, low spec,
etc.) and identify the times that each crew and shift operate. You have the ability
to track product sizes by crew and/or time of day. The products that are set up for
LSIZE are also used to set up the specs for the MicroPak
data collector. |
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Generate
a report by selecting a time period, one or more process combinations and a set of
crews. The time period can be a continuous period between any 2 dates or any
combination of individual dates. You can mix and match the process combinations
(Quad-Left-2T, Gang-Saw1-2T, @-@-2T, etc.) to generate the desired reports. The
analysis can be based on a set of crews or a time window within a day (8:00 am to 8:59 am,
1:30 pm to 3:48 pm, etc.)You can generate as many reports as you desire and you can
switch from one report to another with the click of a mouse. Remember that you can
retrieve historic reports since your database can store years worth of size control
information. |
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The
histogram display is one of several reports that can be generated. This display can
show a plot of the individual measurements or a plot of the average board sizes. The
user can show the average, target, spec limits and control limits reference lines.
Display of the normal curve is also selectable by the user. The horizontal scale is
selected by the tool bar buttons. Statistics for each histogram bar can also be
displayed. The histogram can be printed by pressing the print or print preview
toolbar buttons |
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Time
Series Charts allow you to look at averages, ranges, standard deviations (within, between
and total) and shape (taper, snake, snipe/flare and wedging) on a board-by-board, daily,
weekly or monthly average basis. Up to 32,000 boards can be included in the
analysis! Use the horizontal scroll bar to view the full range of data. Want
more details about a specific point? Just click on the point to get the complete
information. If the Shape Analysis chart is shown on displayed when you click on a
point, the shape chart is updated with the shape for the selected point. You can
print the points on the screen or select a desired range of points. Another display
is also available that shows the calculated values for each point in the Time Series
Charts. |
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Shape
Analysis Charts let you understand what is happening in your sawing process by graphically
viewing the shape of individual boards! This is the display that the filers and
maintenance people really depend on. You can select a shape chart by scrolling
through the calculated results or by clicking on the desired point in a Time Series
Chart. These shape charts can show the shape for individual boards, daily, weekly or
monthly averages. The chart at the left shows the shape for the measurements along
the top edge, the bottom edge and the average of the top and bottom. If you are
displaying the daily, weekly or monthly averages, a graph of the standard deviation at
each measurement location is also available. As with the other charts and displays,
you can also print these shape charts. |
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Collecting & Analyzing Your Measurement Data
Companies have found that in order to maintain an effective QC program, they need to
collect and analyze measurement information on a regular basis. LSIZE makes
it easy to process your measurement information and gives you an in-depth analysis of the
information you have collected.
If you have an effective on-going QC program, you will save money as a result of the
effort. If your efforts are hit and miss, you will be wasting money far in excess of
what it would cost to implement LSIZE. If you are collecting measurements
on a regular basis and are entering these measurements into a calculator or
spreadsheet, you will save significant time and get better results by using
LSIZE
What Users Say
Here are some of the comments from our users. Would you like to talk directly to
one of our users? Give us a call and we can get you in
contact with a user in you area.
"Things are
going great. I'm really enjoying LSIZE. The sheer convenience of
it compared to your competitor makes it worthwhile."
"LSIZE has paid for itself by helping to diagnose the causes of
sawing variation through the use of the Shape Analysis reports. Our saw filers and
millwrights can immediately determine what is happening at a specific machine center."
"The ability of
LSIZE to maintain and display long-term trends
allows us to correlate sawing variation with maintenance data."
"The report calendar function in
LSIZE provides the ability to
select any combination of data needed for a specific analysis."
"The ability to show a shape analysis by clicking on a point on the Time
Series display has enabled us to rapidly select and evaluate boards that have exhibited
sawing problems."
"The ability in LSIZE to show multiple reports and time periods
on the same screen allows for direct comparison of historic and present day information."
Want an Evaluation
Copy?
Would you like to get an evaluation copy of LSIZE? Give us a call and we will send you one. The evaluation version of
LSIZE is the full program that has been restricted to allow up to
1,000 boards to be
entered into the database. A sample database is also included with the evaluation
version so that you can immediately work with the capabilities of the program without
having to enter any information.
System Requirements
- LSIZE is a 32-bit software program designed for
Microsoft Windows XP.
- Please contact us if you plan to use WedgeLink with
Microsoft Vista.
- The minimum display resolution required is 1024 x 768.
The fonts size support for this resolution is "Normal Size" at 96 dpi.
- Laser or inkjet printer (All charts and analysis can be printed. If using a
color printer, this information can be reproduced in color.)
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