As an alternative, for many companies it is more efficient to hire HALCO to provide analytical services on a consulting basis. This is particularly true if the required services are of a "one-off" nature, such as during planning for a significant sawmill modification project.
An additional benefit of our consulting services is that, with the experience gained through many years of mill modeling, the HALCO analysts offer much more than just a "number crunching" service.
In a SAWSIM^® consulting study, we begin by collecting data which defines the characteristics of your timber supply and your current mill operation. We then develop a "Base Case" SAWSIM^® model of your current operation, which accurately models a complete shift of operation in the mill. Following this, the mill modification or operating practice change under consideration are modeled and compared to the Base Case.
We have very successfully worked along with our clients` consulting engineers in mill design or mill modification projects. In this situation, clients and their engineers develop preliminary mill design plans for the alternatives under consideration, and we provide SAWSIM^® analysis to evaluate the lumber recovery or overrun, product value, and sawmill flow data for each alternative. Through this process the best possible mill equipment and layout are selected, that will allow it to operate efficiently under different log supply and production scenarios.
We have assisted many clients to prepare specifications for scanning and optimizing systems, and specified the acceptance testing procedures. We have also assisted many clients to carry out the acceptance tests, and worked with them and the vendors to ensure the systems are functioning as they should.
We offer a service to clients to review optimizer parameters settings in use, and to train mill staff in how to determine good settings. Many mills do not pay sufficient attention to this. In a modern mill the optimizer parameters determine the lumber recovery, product mix, and influence the sawmill flow and hence the production rate and profitability.
We also offer a service in which we calculate optimum sawmill optimizer parameters that will maximize overall profitability, and monitor sawmill performance to ensure that these parameters stay "on-track".

Consulting Studies Services

Services Overview