We often write about specific plastic sawmill solutions and what benefits those offer in regards to sawmill/planarmill maintenance. However, sometimes it’s good to take a step back and look at the big picture of why we put industrial plastic in sawmills in the first place. It really comes down to a few primary problems that plastic solves: shock, noise, and wear.

First of all, shock. Sawmills are dynamic operations often involving large logs being transported around mechanically, processed, and with lumber that’s still quite heavy being further transferred. While these logs and lumber move they bang around different pieces of equipment. As this occurs month after month, hour after hour, they can damage sawmill equipment. Weak areas such as welds are very prone to shock and impact. Plastics such as Redco Deadplate or dissipater channel assist in protecting equipment by absorbing this shock and thus protecting valuable sawmill equipment.

Secondly, noise. All this dynamic movement, chains running, banging of lumber and logs, causes a lot of noise. Often governmental agencies have limits on the decibel level of noise that is permissible in a facility. Plastics when mated to metal components greatly reduce noise and thus can assist to reduce the noise in a facility to more acceptable levels.

Last but not least, wear. When components of similar materials are mated to each other this causes increased wear. Examples would be metal sprockets mated to metal chain, or chain running in a metal channel. Plastics provide a low friction, wear-resistant surface, that when mated with metals increases the lifespan of expensive equipment. The reduction in maintenance needs also reduces maintenance downtime and thus increases time in production.

For more information on the benefits that plastics offer sawmills and planarmills, please contact us today.