Machine or visual grading? – read this!

The European Standard for machine grading (EN 14081-2) will go to second enquiry (public comment) next year.  It will contain a proposal for what happens with existing machine settings:

Since the previous version of this European Standard, grading settings work, and research data, have provided more information about the variation in wood properties. Several new rules were created by CEN/TC124/WG2 to update the procedures and ensure safety of grading – particularly of settings covering many countries, and are referenced in [new guidance paper containing TG1 decision list]. This standard updates the procedures.

Machine control setting that have previously been approved will need to be reviewed to ensure that the basis of the settings complies with the requirements of this European Standard where the settings area covers more than one country or standardized area. The requirements on previously approved machine control settings are:
– If the settings area covers a single country or standardized area, the settings continue to be valid (no change)
– If the settings area covers more than one country or standardized area, and [item 15 in the decision list of CEN/TC124/WG2/TG1] (the ‘country check’) was applied and passed, the settings continue to be valid (no change). This is the case for all settings approved October 2012 and later.
– If the settings area covers more than one country or standardized area, and [item 15 in the decision list of CEN/TC124/WG2/TG1] (the ‘country check’) was not applied and/or not passed, the settings will continue to be valid for a period of three years following the date of publication of this European Standard. To remain valid after this period it will be required that the combined country check in this European Standard is shown to be passed. It may be required to remove countries from the settings area to comply with the requirements (if there was no sampling). If the combined country check is failed, settings must be recalculated according to this European Standard.

At the CEN TC124 WG2 meeting last week, it was also discussed what should happen with existing visual grading assignments in EN 1912.  In short, the view was that there should be some parity between visual grading and machine grading and that the time has passed where we can be OK with assignments based on long standing practice – test data is needed.  This means finding old data, or doing new testing, to confirm all the assignments – or removing them from EN 1912.  The plan is for EN TC124 WG2 to send a letter to mirror committees in National Standards Bodies to gauge opinion.  We think we can guess what that will be…