☰ Menu
In lumber manufacturing, kiln drying is an important step that creates value by removing moisture from the wood to provide dimensional stability and strength. However, kiln drying can be damaging to the wood if not done properly. Wood that remains wet will fail moisture checks by inspectors and customers, potentially causing large moisture claims by construction contractors or end users. Lumber that is over-dried becomes brittle and causes processing issues at the planer when it is dressed to the final dimension. Additionally, this over-dried lumber results in less throughput and lost profit for the mill.
Whether the mill has batch or continuous kilns, it’s important to optimize drying schedules to avoid under- or over-dried lumber. Typically, mills are targeting between 12-19%, on an oven-dry basis. Finna Sensors can help you achieve these targets with our in-kiln technology.
Finna Sensors has been offering systems for the kiln drying process for over 20 years. In 2006, we released our first generation, in-kiln moisture measurement solution through one of our subsidiaries, Signature Control System (SCS). Drawing upon years of experience measuring radio-frequency and our in-depth knowledge of wood science, the accuracy of those initial systems was +/-1%.
KilnScout™, the latest generation of wired and wireless products for in-kiln moisture measurement, have been improved to include advancements in measurement speed and accuracy, seamless integration with kiln controllers, as well as Internet of Things (IOT) data. KilnScout™ provides:
The benefit of purchasing in-kiln measurement sensors is that they can increase throughput as much as 10%. Payback on these solutions is as little as 3-4 months. For this reason, Finna Sensors has sold its in-kiln moisture measurement tools to the vast majority of lumber mills in North America. An added benefit is that these systems integrate with Finna Sensors’ related products in the sawmill and planer to allow users to track results through the entire production process.
KilnScout-Softwood is an integrated wireless moisture system for batch and continuous kilns. The system provides real-time moisture measurements for drying optimization and control strategies. Each sensor measures 17 cubic feet providing an accurate representation of product moisture content during drying.
Using capacitive measurement technology, KilnScout-Softwood allows your operation to control the drying process from direct moisture content input. This eliminates the costly feedback loop from the planer mill and unreliable time-based drying schedules. The result is improved grade recovery, increased throughput and a significant impact on your bottom line.
Key Benefits
Features
Key Specifications
Stop taking hours to check your lumber with oven-dry samples or a pinned handheld meter. KilnScout-Hardwood is a wireless moisture system specially designed for hardwood kilns. The system provides real-time moisture measurements for drying optimization and control strategies. Each sensor uses capacitance to measure 17 cubic feet of the package, providing an accurate representation of product moisture content during drying.
Using capacitive measurement technology, KilnScout-Hardwood allows your operation to control the drying process from direct moisture content input. This eliminates the need for spending hours checking oven-dry samples or using a handheld pin moisture meter. Handhelds damage the lumber and only allow you to check the outside boards, rather than the middle of package, where more moisture issues may exist. The result is improved grade recovery, increased throughput and a significant impact on your bottom line.
Benefits
Features
Key Specifications
For our KilnScouts designed specifically for the European market, please visit the KilnScout-Europe product page.
Improved moisture control has emerged as an important process improvement element in the forest products industry as mills continue to focus on profitability and yield. SCS Forest Products by Finna Sensors provides the industry’s widest-used end-to-end line of integrated moisture measurement systems and related process optimization tools. Learn more about our products for the sawmill, planer and biomass.
Fill out this form and we will get back to you with recommendations.
Copyright Finna Sensors 2026
Cart
by Webolutions