The Wood Machining Institute (WMI), founded in January, 1984 in Berkeley, California, is an independent, international center organized to collect, evaluate and disseminate information about wood machining equipment and cutting tools (saws and knives, etc.), and operations such as debarking of logs, chipping, slicing, sawing, planing, molding, shaping, routing, sanding, and safety issues with woodworking equipment and cutting tools.

WMI organized and conducted workshops on design, operation and maintenance of circular and band saws, and on wood machining and cutting tools as well as international conferences on scanning technology and process optimization in the wood industry and on sawing technology. These conferences and workshops were invaluable sources of the latest information in the field. Proceedings from these conferences are still available from WMI.

For 36 years the Institute reported on the latest advances in wood processing in the international bimonthly newsletter, Wood Machining News. Since 1989, subscribers to Wood Machining News have also received the Scanning Technology Update, a regular supplement to the newsletter. The Scanning Technology Update provided readers with in-depth coverage of technical developments and current research in the areas of scanning technology and process optimization in the wood industry.

For over 41 years, founder and director of WMI, Dr. Ryszard Szymani, offered consulting on the latest wood processing equipment, production efficiency, machine safeguarding and worker safety; assistance with product liability and patent infringement litigation, including accident reconstruction, reports and expert witness testimony.

Dr. Szymani is presently working full-time as a Safety Consultant and Accident Investigator.

Short Resume | Long Resume