Microtec control of a CDR 250 sawing system without an operator at the Nolot sawmill

Traveling from Remiremont to Gérardmer in the Vosges, you pass through a commune called Le Syndicat—just like a union! At the Pont-de-Cleurie roundabout, you’ll find Scierie Nolot Vosges, located in the heart of the Vosges forest and run by a family with a long lineage of foresters. In the Nolot family, woodworking is passed down through generations: Christophe Nolot and his brother Sébastien are the fourth generation to process timber from the forests of Franche-Comté and later the Vosges.

Scierie Nolot Vosges (SNV) was established in 2012 on the site of the former Vinel sawmill, founded in 1870 and later liquidated. The leaders of SNV sought to take over and develop part of Vinel’s operations. The company saws 100 m³ of wood per day. It is a medium-sized sawmill with 12 to 15 employees. SNV serves the local market, providing structural timber or custom sawn products. Christophe Nolot, co-manager: “We primarily saw packaging timber and manufacture pallets, which represents 70 % of our activity.”

Improved Performance

Since 2024, the sawmill has been equipped with new machinery to improve efficiency. After consulting with peers, SNV turned to Microtec: “Microtec is number one in software, and the machine was made by LBL BRENTA,” explains Christophe Nolot. Specializing in industrial sawing technologies for hardwood and softwood sawmills, LBL BRENTA offers a complete range of log saws and high-performance edging solutions. LBL BRENTA designs, manufactures, and installs complete sawmills and has its own mechanical, automation, and industrial IT engineering departments to meet each client’s specific requirements. The installation includes a canter with six mobile axes, as well as a recovery center for edging unsorted boards, flitches, and cores, all controlled by Microtec.

Before/After

How was the work done before these software solutions allowed for better wood grading? Christophe Nolot: “Before, the edger was not equipped with a scanner, and the operator had to manage each piece manually. Now, the software calculates everything 100 % automatically, and the operator only monitors upstream.” With Wanescan, sensors scan each board, recording its position, tilt, and flitch depth while accurately identifying the shape and position of irregular edges. Maxicut, meanwhile, is the sawing pattern optimizer, capable of alternating between optimizing boards or cores. The operator activates products by sawing type, and the software calculates the best yield, taking into account geometry, quality, resale value of finished products, and client-specific quality requirements.

Photo credit :Microtec