--- title: "Brunson Blog: A Blog for Metrology Enthusiasts | Optical Tooling" description: "Optical Tooling | Brunson Blog: A Blog for Metrology Enthusiasts" --- [![Brunson Instrument Company](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hubfs/Brunson-Logo_white.png?width=1079&name=Brunson-Logo_white.png "Brunson Instrument Company")](http://brunson.us) # A Blog for Metrology Enthusiasts # [How to use Simple Geometry to Align Complex Machines – Part 2](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/how-to-use-simple-geometry-to-align-machines-with-optical-instruments-part-two) ![Matt Settle](https://blog.brunson.us/hubfs/blog/Matt-Settle-Brunson-Instrument-Company.jpg) By Matt Settle on Feb 25, 2016 9:20:36 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.brunson.us/hubfs/blog/Roller_Level_Alignment_transparent_rollers.jpg)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/how-to-use-simple-geometry-to-align-machines-with-optical-instruments-part-two) Proper alignment is a core requirement for industrial processing equipment. In this blog series, we are learning to speak the "language" of machine geometry to bridge the communication gap between machinists and metrologists. By representing components as geometric entities, we clarify the alignment requirements and define which instrument is best suited for the task.  [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/how-to-use-simple-geometry-to-align-machines-with-optical-instruments-part-two) --- # [How to use Simple Geometry to Align Complex Machines – Part 1](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/understanding-machine-geometry-and-alignment-part-one) ![Matt Settle](https://blog.brunson.us/hubfs/blog/Matt-Settle-Brunson-Instrument-Company.jpg) By Matt Settle on Feb 8, 2016 3:51:15 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) In our previous post, we introduced machine geometry as a common "language" for machinists and metrologists to discuss precision alignment challenges. Defining machine components in terms of geometry allows each party to use terms and concepts everyone can understand. [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/understanding-machine-geometry-and-alignment-part-one) --- # [Behold the Sight of Parallel Rolls!](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/making-rolls-or-other-components-parallel) ![Bethany Hoppenthaler](https://blog.brunson.us/hubfs/default-author-photo.png) By Bethany Hoppenthaler on Sep 24, 2014 9:29:59 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-1689806416.jpg)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/making-rolls-or-other-components-parallel) The view of parallel rolls is a beautiful thing - and not just the rolls that often accompany your favorite pasta dish! We're talking about industrial rolls.  When they're precisely parallel, they produce faster throughput, higher quality, and more uptime. Rolls that are *not* precisely parallel might result in problems like: - Vibration - Premature roll and bearing wear - Improper web tracking, wrinkling and tearing - Uneven coatings - Substandard registration We're often asked how to make rolls (or other components) parallel. One way to approach the job would be like this: [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/making-rolls-or-other-components-parallel) --- # [Brunson Sawmill Kit Proven to Increase Recovery](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/how-is-the-new-brunson-alignment-solution-being-accepted-in-the-sawmill-industry) ![Brent Grisamore](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-800666194.jpg) By Brent Grisamore on Aug 19, 2014 11:33:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-1477834248.jpg)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/how-is-the-new-brunson-alignment-solution-being-accepted-in-the-sawmill-industry) Over the last 18 months, quite a few sawmills have invited Brunson’s [service](http://www.brunson.us/field-alignment-optical-tooling-measurement-equipment/) group to perform a line-up and/or have purchased our [Sawmill Kit](http://www.brunson.us/alignment-optical-measurement-products-applications/alignment-optical-measurement-products-saw-mill-applications/) and training. One timber manufacturer purchased Sawmill Kits for 12 mills, and will be installing even more kits in the future. Eight of the top twelve lumber producers in North America have asked us to perform line-ups in their mills using our optical alignment technology. What are we hearing from these customers? The mills which are implementing the Sawmill Kit solution into their regular preventative maintenance programs have been the most successful. Some of the results we have seen include a ***reduction in board deviation by over 50% - and improvements in recovery up to 2.6%***. A couple of customers have shared that these results delivered ***annualized savings of $500,000 to $1,000,000.*** [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/how-is-the-new-brunson-alignment-solution-being-accepted-in-the-sawmill-industry) --- # [Part Three of our Sawmill Alignment Solution Series](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/sawmill-kit-proves-critical-in-machine-center-alignments) ![Brent Grisamore](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-800666194.jpg) By Brent Grisamore on Jun 19, 2014 11:33:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![brunson_sawmill_blog_art3](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-1050913530.png) Over the last couple of years, we have worked closely with respected sawmill industry consultant and alignment specialists, looking at the challenges of common machine center alignments in sawmills. This includes aligning chip-n-saw lines, gang & board edgers, overhead endoggers, sharp chains, head rigs, track and rails, band mills, sash gangs, horizontal resaws, planers, trimmers and others, in primary and secondary breakdowns. [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/sawmill-kit-proves-critical-in-machine-center-alignments) --- # [Brunson Training is a Continued Tradition](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/brunson-training-is-a-continued-tradition) ![Deighton Brunson](https://blog.brunson.us/hubfs/brunson_blog.jpg) By Deighton Brunson on Jun 12, 2014 2:58:00 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-1004064031.jpg)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/brunson-training-is-a-continued-tradition) My grandfather was obsessed with several things during his lifetime. One obsession was any wild game whose habitat included the land, sea, or air. Another was the quality of his products. He told me one time that if I cheapened the instruments after he was gone, he would come back to haunt me. Another of his obsessions, and not the least, was ensuring the success of his customers. ***He truly was less concerned about selling products than he was about making sure people knew how to use them after they were purchased.*** It is somewhat sad that today’s culture, which is oversaturated with hyperbole, will probably cause people to doubt what I am saying. But I kid you not, that’s how he was. [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/brunson-training-is-a-continued-tradition) --- # [Part Two of our Sawmill Alignment Solution Series](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/part-two-of-our-sawmill-alignment-solution-series) ![Brent Grisamore](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-800666194.jpg) By Brent Grisamore on Jun 5, 2014 8:39:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![sawmill_blog_art2](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-939165990.png) As previously discussed in our blog, we have found that sawmills of all sizes use piano wire, feeler gauges, mechanical levels, dial indicators and plumb bobs to perform critical machine alignments. It is not unusual to find outside service providers using some form of laser alignment device in a mill, but generally these systems are not owned by the mill.  We have seen sawmills using outside alignment technicians as frequently as once a quarter, while still pulling wire between visits. [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/part-two-of-our-sawmill-alignment-solution-series) --- # [Part One of our Sawmill Alignment Solution Series](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/sawmill-alignment-solution-series-part-1) ![Brent Grisamore](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-800666194.jpg) By Brent Grisamore on May 16, 2014 11:14:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![sawmill_blog_art](https://blog.brunson.us/hs-fs/hub/354518/file-807949410.png?width=686&name=file-807949410.png) While traveling into sawmills in the United States and Canada over the past few years, we at Brunson Instrument Company saw an unfulfilled need in the area of machine center alignment. Most sawmills whether small or large, producing anywhere from 25 mbf (25 thousand board feet annually) to 125 mbf and greater were still practicing old mechanical methods of lining up key machine centers. Using piano wire, dial indicators, feeler gauges and mechanical levels was more common than utilizing a highly accurate, repeatable instrument for important measurements. [Read More](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/sawmill-alignment-solution-series-part-1) --- [All posts](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/all) [Next](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/optical-tooling/page/2) ### Recent Posts ### Subscribe to Email Updates ## About the blog The Brunson blog is designed to be a platform for collaborative exploration in the field of metrology. You can expect to explore new Brunson products, hear from industry professionals invited to be contributing editors, and gain insight from customers who use Brunson products. So if you are one of the chosen few people who understand that Metrology is not a study of the weather, please join us here. ### Posts by Topic - [Metrology (20)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/metrology) - [Optical Tooling (10)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/optical-tooling) - [Sawmill (8)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/sawmill) - [Brunson History (7)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/brunson-history) - [laser tracker (7)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/laser-tracker) - [smr (5)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/smr) - [target holder (5)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/target-holder) - [optical alignment (3)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/optical-alignment) - [3d (2)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/3d) - [Alignment (2)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/alignment) - [East Coast Metrology (2)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/east-coast-metrology) - [lumber industry (2)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/lumber-industry) - [machine geometry (2)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/machine-geometry) - [measurement (2)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/measurement) - [sawmill alignment (2)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/sawmill-alignment) - [B89 (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/b89) - [Contributing Editors (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/contributing-editors) - [KinAiry (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/kinairy) - [NIST (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/nist) - [Roll Alignment (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/roll-alignment) - [TetraLock (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/tetralock) - [calibration (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/calibration) - [cave (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/cave) - [ccr (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/ccr) - [interim field test (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/interim-field-test) - [photogrammetry (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/photogrammetry) - [retroreflective (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/retroreflective) - [stand (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/stand) - [verification (1)](https://blog.brunson.us/blog/topic/verification) see all © 2026 Brunson Instrument Company