Zebra AI-Powered 3D Sensors Reduce Waste at EBI Electric

[Erkan Teskancan]

## Zebra AI-Powered 3D Sensors Reduce Waste at EBI Electric

Zebra Technologies' AI-powered 3D sensors have significantly reduced operational costs at EBI Electric by optimizing material efficiency in their wood processing operations.

Wood manufacturers can face substantial financial losses due to the limitations of traditional linear scanning technologies. Older systems often fail to detect subtle defects, leading either to the rejection of usable wood or to errors in products. Zebra addresses these industry shortcomings with AI-powered 3D sensors, providing a level of precision unattainable by standard scanners.

### Overcoming Traditional Scanning Limits with AltiZ 3D Sensors

For decades, the industry relied on linear scanners with limited fields of view. Zebra AltiZ 3D sensors, however, capture the full cross-section of a plank in one pass using a dual-sensor cross-sectional scanning method. This eliminates the "blind spots" common in older systems, increasing measurement accuracy eightfold compared to traditional methods.

### AI-Powered Defect Detection and Precision

What sets this technology apart is the integration of high-accuracy 3D profiling with advanced AI models. Even under variable conditions where traditional systems struggle, knots, cracks, color variations, and early signs of wood rot can be accurately identified. This optimizes every cut, reducing waste and ensuring higher quality material enters production.

### Impact on Operational Efficiency and Yield

The transition from simple scanning to AI-powered 3D vision provides direct financial benefits. Manufacturers using this advanced sensor technology report up to a 5% increase in usable wood yield. In large-scale facilities, this yield improvement can translate into annual savings of approximately $750,000. Furthermore, thanks to their robust construction, these sensors deliver consistent performance even in dusty and challenging wood processing environments.

### Optimization in Inventory and Resource Management

Beyond the physical cutting process, the high-resolution data provided by the sensors also improves inventory management. The quality and yield values of wood from different suppliers can be clearly tracked, enabling more informed purchasing and production decisions. The Aurora Imaging Library software further streamlines workflows by ensuring consistent scanning quality across the entire operation.