User’s guide for LORCAT: the log recovery analysis tool, version 4.00

Abstract

The Log Recovery Analysis Tool (LORCAT) was developed to enable hardwood sawmill personnel, researchers, and other individuals interested in creating lumber and by-products from logs to examine the impacts of and the relationships among various factors that influence lumber recovery in hardwood mills. LORCAT is a spreadsheet-based tool that was developed for use with either Excel (Microsoft Inc., Redmond, Washington, USA) or LibreOffice (The Document Foundation, Berlin, Germany) spreadsheet applications. LORCAT allows users to interactively view the results from a single log or view trends by using hundreds of logs of various species, geometry, and quality. LORCAT requires users to specify the log lengths and grades, species, small- and large-end diameters, and various processing specifications, including opening face dimensions, cant size, board thickness, green allowance, sawing variation, kerf size, and taper sawing method. Additionally, cost data can be entered to allow estimates of total costs and profits for sawing a specific log or group of logs. After simulating sawing using those specifications, LORCAT reports the expected total number and volume of lumber and cants produced and the projected recovery by National Hardwood Lumber Association grades and gives estimates of cost and profit. Also, starting with LORCAT 4.00, users can select between novice and expert modes, with the novice mode offering less complexity and requiring less data input. For example, using expert mode, LORCAT 4.00 can estimate the volume and revenue of sawdust, chips, and bark generated, a feature that is not available in novice mode.

Citation

Thomas, R.E.; Buehlmann, U. 2025. User’s guide for LORCAT: the log recovery analysis tool, version 4.00. Gen. Tech. Rep. FPL-GTR-307. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 49 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/FPL-GTR-307.