Zebra’s AI-powered 3D Sensors Save Money and Cut Waste for EBI Electric

New machine vision solution gives manufacturers unprecedented view of wood characteristics, optimizing cuts, improving yields, and boosting usable wood by up to 5%.

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in digitizing and automating workflows to deliver intelligent operations, today announced that EBI Electric, an innovative wood scanning solutions provider, is using Zebra’s AltiZ 3D sensors to power its new AI-enriched lumber scanning solution, Inspector T. The new solution provides an eightfold improvement in measurement precision, enabling lumber manufacturers to reduce costly errors and waste by optimizing the yield from every plank of wood.

In the wood manufacturing industry, precision determines profitability. For 20 years, EBI Electric’s machinery relied on linear scanners that could miss defects, leading to the unnecessary rejection of usable wood or flaws in the final product. To develop a more advanced solution, the company needed vision technology with high resolution and the ability to deliver consistent, reliable results under challenging mill conditions. By integrating Zebra’s AltiZ sensors into its proprietary transversal scanning solution, EBI Electric helps its customers gain up to 5% more usable wood which results in a near USD$750,000 cost savings annually.

“With Zebra’s AltiZ Series high-fidelity 3D profile sensors, we were able to make our vision come to life through our new Inspector T solution,” said Gabriel Mathieu, Vision Project Manager, EBI Electric. “This day-to-day reliability was a key reason we chose Zebra technology, given the challenging installation environment.”

EBI Electric’s Inspector T solution moves across the entire plank, using dual AltiZ sensors to capture the complete cross-section in one pass, ensuring there are no blind spots. This provides manufacturers with clear, precise visibility into each supplier's yield and quality. The system identifies wood characteristics with high precision, using AI models to detect knots, cracks, color variations, and even subtle signs of wood rot far more accurately than conventional systems. This granular understanding allows manufacturers to optimize cuts, reduce waste, and improve inventory management.

The rugged AltiZ sensors deliver reliable performance even in the dust-filled, challenging environments of lumber mills. Zebra’s Aurora™ Imaging Library software aligns images and manages device performance for consistent scan quality. This comprehensive solution equips lumber mills with the right tools to drive efficiency and optimize workflows.

“We are passionate about collaborating with organizations such as EBI Electric to solve tough industry challenges through innovation,” said Charlie Long, Vice President and General Manager, Machine Vision and Fixed Industrial Scanning, Zebra Technologies. “Their Inspector T solution is a powerful example of how our high-fidelity 3D sensors can unlock new levels of precision and efficiency, delivering significant value to their customers and advancing intelligent operations in the manufacturing sector.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• EBI Electric’s new Inspector T scanning solution, powered by Zebra’s AltiZ 3D sensors, delivers an eightfold boost in accuracy and reducing measurement errors.
• By integrating Zebra's machine vision technology, EBI Electric provides its customers with an innovative solution that improves defect detection, optimizes yield, and enhances inventory management.
• Learn more by reading this case study.

WHO IS ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES?

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) provides the foundation for intelligent operations with an award-winning portfolio of connected frontline, asset visibility and automation solutions powered by AI. Organizations globally across retail, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, healthcare, and other industries rely on us to deliver outcomes today while driving innovation for what’s next. Together with our partners, we create new ways of working that improve productivity and empower organizations to be better every day. Learn more at www.zebra.com.

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