man with drill
A green chain is a type of wood separation process used in sawmills and lumber facilities. This process is used to sort and stack freshly cut lumber based on size and grade. Generally, a green chain is incorporated into the timber production process shortly after the logs are cut, but before the timber undergoes any treatment or processing. The term green chain has had multiple meanings throughout history and today can be used in different ways depending on the region or country.
The green chain process is called green wood, which is a term used to describe all untreated wood products. Green lumber generally includes freshly cut logs and may have had the bark removed. They are considered green at all stages of the sawmill production process, including cutting and peeling. Much of this wood eventually undergoes some type of treatment, including pressure treating, spraying, or coating. Green wood can still be used by some wood craftsmen and builders using more traditional materials and techniques.
Throughout history, most green chain-sawn lumber processes relied on manual labor. Freshly cut wood was removed from a pile by human workers and dumped in piles or piles. Workers can sort the wood in different ways depending on the needs of the project. For example, they may process lumber by length, diameter, species, or grade. This type of green current was labor intensive and also put workers at great risk of injury.
Modern green chain production is generally automated or based on a combination of human and machine labor. This type of operation involves some type of wood sorting machine, usually a belt or a series of rollers. The belts are often lined with steel chains, which help hold the wood in place and control its movement. Workers can pull different pieces of wood from a pile and drop them onto these belts for sorting. Other mills may use multiple green conveyors to direct different types of lumber to different areas of the mill.
This process serves as an easy and effective method of separating green wood for further processing or sale. It allows workers to sort materials based on a variety of different factors, including the size, species, or quality of the wood. A green chain also helps control and organize the piles of lumber found in most sawmills. Modern factories can even incorporate portable tracking systems or special software into the green chain process to allow workers to count each unit of wood as it is sorted.