Reconfiguring processes in a holonic sawmill

With over 40% of landmass covered by forest, lumber is arguably Canada's most plentiful natural material. The processing of lumber in sawmills is receiving increased attention as the requirement to optimize how the wood is cut becomes more prevalent. One approach to automating this processing is to utilize a Holonic Manufacturing System (HMS) as it provides an array of techniques to improve flexibility, fault tolerance and so forth This paper discusses the processes within such a holonic sawmill, and how they can be reconfigured.