Feller buncher

Last updated
Feller buncher
Feller buncher-4.jpg
Tracked feller buncher
ClassificationWheeled or Tracked
Industry Forestry
Application logging
Weight13,910 kg (30,670 lb)
Fuel source Diesel
Powered Diesel engine
Self-propelledYes
Wheels4 wheels, some types
Tracks Continuous tracks, some types

A feller buncher is a type of harvester used in logging. It is a motorized vehicle with an attachment that can rapidly gather and cut a tree before felling it.

Contents

Feller is a traditional name for someone who cuts down trees, [1] and bunching is the skidding and assembly of two or more trees. [2] A feller buncher performs both of these harvesting functions and consists of a standard heavy equipment base with a tree-grabbing device furnished with a chain-saw, circular saw or a shear—a pinching device designed to cut small trees off at the base. The machine then places the cut tree on a stack suitable for a skidder, forwarder, or yarder for transport to further processing such as delimbing, bucking, loading, or chipping.

Some wheeled feller bunchers lack an articulated arm, and must drive close to a tree to grasp it.

In cut-to-length logging a harvester performs the tasks of a feller buncher and additionally does delimbing and bucking.

Feller buncher, felling trees.

Components and Felling attachment

Feller buncher is either tracked or wheeled and has self-levelling cabin and matches with different felling heads. For steep terrain, tracked feller buncher is being used because it provides high level of traction to the steep slope and also has high level of stability. [3] [4] For flat terrain, wheeled feller buncher is more efficient compared to tracked feller buncher. [5] It is common that levelling cabins are matched with both wheeled and tracked feller buncher for steep terrain as it provides operator comfort and helps keeping the standard of tree felling production. [6] The size and type of trees determine which type of felling heads being used.

Types of felling heads

Disc Saw Head – It can provide a high speed of cutting when the head is pushed against the tree. [7] Then, the clamp arms will hold the tree when the tree is almost completed cutting. It is able to cut and gather multiple trees in the felling head. The disc saw head with good ground speed provides high production, which allows it to keep more than one skidder working continuously. [5] [8]

Shear Blade Head -  It is placed against the tree and the clamp arms will hold the tree firmly. Then, the blade will activate and start cutting the tree. Same as disc saw head, it can hold multiple trees before they are placed on the ground. [7]

Chain Saw Head – The floppy head provides minimal control to place the trees on the ground. It might not suit to collect the cut trees or gather the cut stems in the felling head.

Cost-effectiveness

A forwarder hauls stacked logs left behind by a feller buncher. Fuels treatment program (28811808873).jpg
A forwarder hauls stacked logs left behind by a feller buncher.

The purchase cost of a feller buncher is around $180,000 USD and its fuel consumption and lubricant consumption is high among other mechanical harvesting equipment. [9] The feller buncher also has the highest hourly cost which is around $99.5 when comparing other equipment such as a harvesters and grapple skidders. [9] [10] Although the total cost of feller buncher is high in overall, the unit production price is the lowest which explains why feller buncher is considered the most cost-effective harvesting equipment. The average unit cost of the feller buncher is $12.1/m3 while the unit cost of the harvesters is $16.5/m3. [5] The unit cost of the feller buncher is primary affected by the tree size and the tree volume. [10] The unit felling cost is lower when the tree size increased. For example, tree with 5 inches at DBH has the unit cost of $70 while tree with 15 inches at DBH has the unit cost of $12. As the cost of feller buncher is high, only large tree volume can produce more profit to cover the high average cost. In terms of stump height, lower stump height can maximise the use of natural resources and prevent wood waste. [5] Mechanical felling such as using feller buncher can prevent 30% of value loss caused by the high stumps. [11]

Maintenance

Feller buncher requires daily maintenance before operation and some components only require periodic maintenance. It could ensure the safety of operators and all the workers around the operation. If damaged or faulty machine is operated, it could result in further damage to the machine which can be more expensive to repair. [12]

Daily or Every 8 hours

Modern style Tigercat feller buncher. Commonly referred to as a tree cutter Buncher12.jpg
Modern style Tigercat feller buncher. Commonly referred to as a tree cutter

Lubrication

The felling head is considered one of the hardest part of the feller buncher and it is necessary to apply lubricant to every joint for daily maintenance. It is suggested to apply lubricant to saw head clamps, wrist attachment and driveshaft bearings during every maintenance. [13] The use of grease should meet the extreme pressure performance standard and contains 3% of molybdenum disulphide (MoS2). [14] MoS2 can prevent the wear takes place where the metal to metal contact exists. [14]

Fuel

It is also important to check if there is enough fuel for the operation. Feller bunchers use diesel fuel to generate power. In most of the cases, the fuel is preferably to have cetane number greater than 50 (minimum 40). [15] This is suitable for operation at temperatures below -20 °C (-4 °F) or elevations more than 1500m (5000 Ft.). [16] The Cloud Point of the fuel is preferably at least 5 °C (9 °F) lower than the expected low temperature. [17] It is also suggested that the sulphur content of the fuel should not be more than 0.5% as it could reduce 50% of the service interval for the engine oil and filter. [15]

Older style felling head that uses a bar and chain to cut trees instead of the more modern saw disk. Feller-1.jpg
Older style felling head that uses a bar and chain to cut trees instead of the more modern saw disk.

Engine coolant

Operators have the responsibility to check the engine coolant level of the feller buncher before starting the engine. The coolant prevents cylinder linear erosion and pitting, and provides protection during extremely low temperature for up to -37 °C (-34 °F). [18] It is recommended to use coolants for heavy-duty engines which are relatively low silicate ethylene glycol base. [17] [18] There are two forms of coolants: pre-diluted or concentrate. Water is required to dilute the concentrated coolant with an approximate ratio of 50:50. [16] The use of supplemental coolant addictive might be also required in the concentrated coolant in order to provide protection against corrosion. [15] Distilled, deionised, or demineralised water is suggested for mixing the concentrated coolant because when some water compositions mix with other substances could form a precipitate, causing damage or blockage in the engine. [18]

Risk management approach

During maintenance, there are common working hazards related to two main areas: working environment and exhaust system. [19] When working on the exhaust system, be aware of the hot components around the engine. Workers could wear personal protective equipment such as safety spectacles, heat-proof gloves and safety boots. When feller buncher is elevated for service or maintenance, falls from height might happen. Related injuries could be avoided by ensuring dryness of all the walking surface, wiping any oils or other liquid substances on the floor. [20] Also, ensure the feller buncher is parked on a level and stable ground during maintenance. [12] When getting in and out of the machinery, workers are suggested to use three point of contact with two hands holding the handrails and one foot on a step. [19] It is also important to provide sufficient lighting for all the working sites at all time of service.

Safety

Cutting selected pines for sustainable forest management and fire prevention. Feller buncher on the Gilchrist.jpg
Cutting selected pines for sustainable forest management and fire prevention.
Closeup of grab arms, with chainsaw for felling trees Feller-closeup.jpg
Closeup of grab arms, with chainsaw for felling trees

Logging is considered one of the most dangerous occupations. [21] This is because many loggers are injured by the falling objects which are large in size and heavy. “Struck by object” is the most common injuries that reported in the logging industry due to the manual use of equipment during the logging procedures. [22] There is evidence that using mechanized harvesting equipment could reduce the rate of “struck by” injuries. [23] [24] One study indicates that total injury claims could be reduced by 14.2%, while the “struck by” injuries could be reduced by 8.2%, when comparing the changes before and after the use of feller buncher. [25] The significant decline in the number of “struck by” injuries after using the feller buncher in the logging companies supported the statement that using mechanized harvesting equipment could lessen overall injuries. The evidence also found that the rate of injuries in the logging companies without using feller bunchers had increased slightly throughout a period of time, increasing from 14.5% to 17.5%, in five years. [23] [25] In terms of trees fatality, areas with lower levels of mechanization in harvesting resulted in higher rate of trees fatality. [23] For instance, in Eastern areas of the United States, research which compared the conventional and mechanized logging operations, indicated the number of injuries, when using the conventional approach, is three times greater than that of using the mechanized equipment such as a feller buncher. [26] However, mechanized related injury could be raised accordingly, especially when performing machine maintenance or repair. [27] These kinds of injuries could be serious and also costly.

Limitations

Feller buncher could be highly productive and cost-effective but there are several limitations. Feller buncher is less beneficial when performing operations on a very rough and relatively steep land. For example, in Appalachian hardwood area, trees have heavy crowns and are grown on the steep slopes which requires tracked feller bunchers in the operations. [28] Although tracked feller bunchers allow operations on a steep slope, the cost-effectiveness is not well studied. Also, manual felling can operate on the steeper slopes than the feller bunchers do. On the other hand, feller bunchers are cost-effective only when there is a high volume of trees in the operations. [9] If there is not enough timber to harvest, the unit cost can be expensive, especially when the majority of the operation site is steep slopes. A 2013, University of Maine study suggests that the use of feller bunchers could cause medium to high level of stand damage from 7% to 25%. [29] However, in comparison with other equipment such as harvesters, the damage that is caused by the feller bunchers is less severe.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logging</span> Process of cutting, processing, and moving trees

Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used narrowly to describe the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard. In common usage, however, the term may cover a range of forestry or silviculture activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lumberjack</span> Worker who performs the initial harvesting of trees

Lumberjack is a mostly North American term for workers in the logging industry who perform the initial harvesting and transport of trees. The term usually refers to loggers in the era before 1945 in the United States, when trees were felled using hand tools and dragged by oxen to rivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chainsaw</span> Portable handheld power saw with a rotating chain

A chainsaw is a portable handheld power saw that cuts with a set of teeth attached to a rotating chain driven along a guide bar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combine harvester</span> Machine that harvests grain crops

The modern combine harvester, also called a combine, is a machine designed to harvest a variety of cultivated seeds. Combine harvesters are one of the most economically important labour-saving inventions, significantly reducing the fraction of the population engaged in agriculture. Among the crops harvested with a combine are wheat, rice, oats, rye, barley, corn (maize), sorghum, millet, soybeans, flax (linseed), sunflowers and rapeseed. The separated straw is then either chopped onto the field and ploughed back in, or laid out in rows, ready to be baled and used for bedding and cattle feed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heavy equipment</span> Vehicles designed for executing construction tasks

Heavy equipment, heavy machinery, earthmovers, construction vehicles, or construction equipment, refers to heavy-duty vehicles specially designed to execute construction tasks, most frequently involving earthwork operations or other large construction tasks. Heavy equipment usually comprises five equipment systems: the implement, traction, structure, power train, and control/information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skidder</span> Type of heavy vehicle used in logging operations to pull cut trees out of a forest

A skidder is any type of heavy vehicle used in a logging operation for pulling cut trees out of a forest in a process called "skidding", in which the logs are transported from the cutting site to a landing. There they are loaded onto trucks, and sent to the mill. One exception is that in the early days of logging, when distances from the timberline to the mill were shorter, the landing stage was omitted altogether, and the "skidder" would have been used as the main road vehicle, in place of the trucks, railroad, or flume. Modern forms of skidders can pull trees with a cable and winch, just like the old steam donkeys, or with a hydraulic grapple either on boom or on the back of the frame (clambunk skidder).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cut-to-length logging</span>

Cut-to-length logging (CTL) is a mechanized harvesting system in which trees are delimbed and cut to length directly at the stump. CTL is typically a two-man, two-machine operation with a harvester felling, delimbing, and bucking trees and a forwarder transporting the logs from the felling to a landing area close to a road accessible by trucks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvester (forestry)</span> Type of forestry vehicle employed in logging operations

A harvester is a type of heavy forestry vehicle employed in cut-to-length logging operations for felling, delimbing and bucking trees. A forest harvester is typically employed together with a skidder that hauls the logs to a roadside landing, for a forwarder to pick up and haul away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mechanised agriculture</span> Agriculture using powered machinery

Mechanised agriculture or agricultural mechanization is the use of machinery and equipment, ranging from simple and basic hand tools to more sophisticated, motorized equipment and machinery, to perform agricultural operations. In modern times, powered machinery has replaced many farm task formerly carried out by manual labour or by working animals such as oxen, horses and mules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarder</span> Forestry equipment for moving logs

A yarder is piece of logging equipment that uses a system of cables to pull or fly logs from the stump to a collection point. It generally consists of an engine, drums, and spar, but has a range of configurations and variations, such as the swing yarder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ponsse</span> Finnish company manufacturing forestry vehicles and machinery

Ponsse Plc is a company domiciled in Finland that manufactures and markets a range of forestry vehicles and machinery such as forwarders and harvesters. The Ponsse company was established by the forest machine entrepreneur Einari Vidgrén in 1970. Today, Ponsse's machines are used at logging sites in approximately 40 countries, and 80 per cent of the company's net sales come from exports. All machines are manufactured in the company's birthplace in Vieremä. Ponsse Group employs more than 1,800 people in 10 countries, and the company's shares are quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic List.

Sakari Pinomäki (1933–2011) was a Finnish systems engineer and an inventor, who pioneered the mechanized forestry industry. He was the founder of PIKA Forest Machines which produced the first purpose-built forest machine in 1964 in Ylöjärvi , Finland. His inventions had over 50 patents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Winch</span> Steam skidder

The Washington Winch sits in the forests of eastern Victoria near Swifts Creek and is also known as the Washington Iron Works Skidder.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and guide to forestry:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felling</span> Process of cutting down trees

Felling is the process of cutting down trees, an element of the task of logging. The person cutting the trees is a lumberjack. A feller buncher is a machine capable of felling a single large tree or grouping and felling several small ones simultaneously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stump harvesting</span>

In plantation forests in parts of Europe, the tree stumps left after felling are now sometimes pulled out of the ground to supply wood fuel for biomass power stations. The stump is the base of the trunk and the attached woody roots. Tree stumps and roots are extracted using a hydraulic head on a tracked excavator or with a mechanical head equipped by a special tool for tractors. Stump harvesting is expected to provide an increasing component of the woody material required by the woody biomass power sector in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heli-logging</span>

Heli-logging, or helicopter logging, is a method of logging that uses helicopters to remove cut trees from forests by lifting them on cables attached to a helicopter. Helicopter logging is often used in inaccessible areas of forests. Because the use of helicopters reduces the level of infrastructure required to log in a specific location, the method also helps to reduce the environmental impact of logging. It also can increase the productivity in these remote areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Even-aged timber management</span>

Even-aged timber management is a group of forest management practices employed to achieve a nearly coeval cohort group of forest trees. The practice of even-aged management is often pursued to minimize costs to loggers. In some cases, the practices of even aged timber management are frequently implicated in biodiversity loss and other ecological damage. Even-aged timber management can also be beneficial to restoring natural native species succession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skidding (forestry)</span> Transportation of trees in logging

Skidding in forestry is the first operation after logging: it consists of transporting felled trees from the felling site to a temporary dumping site, known technically as a "loader", near a road or track suitable for further transport. This name is still applied to the first emptying of stones in quarries or stone heaps and possibly heavy equipment in mines, to heavy transport operations and cumbersome handling.

References

  1. ↑ "Feller". def. 2. Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) © Oxford University Press 2009
  2. ↑ Dunster, Julian A., and Katherine Jane Dunster. Dictionary of natural resource management. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press, 1996. 157. Print.
  3. ↑ Sessions, John; Leshchinsky, Ben; Chung, Woodam; Boston, Kevin; Wimer, Jeffrey (19 April 2017). "Theoretical Stability and Traction of Steep Slope Tethered Feller-Bunchers". Forest Science. 63 (2): 192–200. doi: 10.5849/forsci.16-069 .
  4. ↑ Andronov, A V; Taradin, G S; Zverev, I A (1 March 2020). "Models for the determination of basic parameters of tracked feller buncher machines". IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 817 (1): 012001. Bibcode:2020MS&E..817a2001A. doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/817/1/012001 .
  5. 1 2 3 4 Han, Han-Sup; Renzie, Chad (June 2005). "Effect of Ground Slope, Stump Diameter, and Species on Stump Height for Feller-Buncher and Chainsaw Felling". International Journal of Forest Engineering. 16 (2): 81–88. doi:10.1080/14942119.2005.10702517. S2CID   59928993.
  6. ↑ Granskog, James E.; Anderson, Walter C. (1981). "Dense Undergrowth Reduces Feller-Buncher Productivity In Shortleaf Plne Plantations": SO–RN–274. doi: 10.2737/so-rn-274 .{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. 1 2 Tolosana, Eduardo; Spinelli, Raffaele; Aminti, Giovanni; Laina, Rubén; López-Vicens, Ignacio (25 July 2018). "Productivity, Efficiency and Environmental Effects of Whole-Tree Harvesting in Spanish Coppice Stands Using a Drive-to-Tree Disc Saw Feller-Buncher". Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering. 39 (2): 163–172.
  8. ↑ Patent Application Titled “Disc Saw Felling Head for a Feller Buncher” Published Online. (2017). In Politics & Government Week (p. 2828–). NewsRX LLC.
  9. 1 2 3 Wang, Jingxin; Long, Charlie; McNeel, Joe (December 2004). "Production and cost analysis of a feller-buncher and grapple skidder in central Appalachian hardwood forests". Forest Products Journal. 54 (12): 159–168. Gale   A127163531 ProQuest   214626420.
  10. 1 2 Bilici, Ebru; Akay, Abdullah E.; Abbas, Dalia (August 2019). "Assessing the effects of site factors on the productivity of a feller buncher: a time and motion analysis". Journal of Forestry Research. 30 (4): 1471–1478. doi:10.1007/s11676-018-0696-4. S2CID   90298768.
  11. ↑ Parren, Marc; Bongers, Frans (February 2001). "Does climber cutting reduce felling damage in southern Cameroon?". Forest Ecology and Management. 141 (3): 175–188. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00327-3.
  12. 1 2 Diniz, Carlos Cézar Cavassin; Lopes, Eduardo Silva; Koehler, Henrique Soares; Miranda, Gabriel Magalhães; Paccola, José (2020). "Comparative Analysis of Maintenance Models in Forest Machines". Floresta e Ambiente. 27 (2): e20170994. doi: 10.1590/2179-8087.099417 .
  13. ↑ Anand, M.; Hadfield, M.; Viesca, J.L.; Thomas, B.; Hernández Battez, A.; Austen, S. (July 2015). "Ionic liquids as tribological performance improving additive for in-service and used fully-formulated diesel engine lubricants". Wear. 334–335: 67–74. doi: 10.1016/j.wear.2015.01.055 . hdl: 10651/34260 .
  14. 1 2 Jiang, Jin-Wu; Park, Harold S.; Rabczuk, Timon (14 August 2013). "Molecular dynamics simulations of single-layer molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ): Stillinger-Weber parametrization, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity". Journal of Applied Physics. 114 (6): 064307–064307–10. arXiv: 1307.7072 . Bibcode:2013JAP...114f4307J. doi:10.1063/1.4818414. S2CID   119304891.
  15. 1 2 3 Design and Development of Heavy Duty Diesel Engines. Energy, Environment, and Sustainability. 2020. doi:10.1007/978-981-15-0970-4. ISBN   978-981-15-0969-8. S2CID   240927297.[ page needed ]
  16. 1 2 New John Deere L-Series II Skidders & Wheeled Feller Buncher. (2018, September 19). M2 Presswire.
  17. 1 2 Track Harvester & Feller Buncher Guide. (2013). Canadian Forest Industries, 20–.
  18. 1 2 3 Adler, Jonas; Bandhauer, Todd (November 2017). "Performance of a Diesel Engine at High Coolant Temperatures". Journal of Energy Resources Technology. 139 (6): 062203. doi:10.1115/1.4036771.
  19. 1 2 Cavassin Diniz, Carlos Cezar; Da Silva Lopes, Eduardo; De Magalhães Miranda, Gabriel; Soares Koehler, Henrique; Kremer Custodio de Souza, Eduardo (16 July 2019). "Analysis of Indicators and Cost of World Class Maintenance (WCM) in Forest Machines". Floresta. 49 (3): 533. doi: 10.5380/rf.v49i3.60013 .
  20. ↑ Lyons, Kevin; Sessions, John; Wimer, Jeffrey (17 August 2014). "The Adequacy of Falling Object Protection Design Criteria for Feller Bunchers". Forest Science. 60 (4): 757–763. doi:10.5849/forsci.12-110.
  21. ↑ Myers, John R.; Kisner, Suzanne M.; Fosbroke, David E. (December 1998). "Lifetime Risk of Fatal Occupational Injuries within Industries, by Occupation, Gender, and Race". Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 4 (6): 1291–1307. doi:10.1080/10807039891284677.
  22. ↑ Holman, Robert G.; Olszewski, Albert; Maier, Ronald V. (July 1986). "The Epidemiology of Logging Injuries in the Northwest". The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care. 26 (7): 1044–1050. doi:10.1097/00005373-198607000-00052. PMID   3656467.
  23. 1 2 3 Myers, John R.; Fosbroke, David E. (June 1994). "Logging fatalities in the united states by region, cause of death, and other factors — 1980 through 1988". Journal of Safety Research. 25 (2): 97–105. doi:10.1016/0022-4375(94)90021-3.
  24. ↑ Axelsson, Sven-Ăke (1 June 1998). "The Mechanization of Logging Operations in Sweden and its Effect on Occupational Safety and Health". Journal of Forest Engineering. 9 (2): 25–31. doi:10.1080/08435243.1998.10702715. S2CID   55474977.
  25. 1 2 Bell, Jennifer L. (December 2002). "Changes in logging injury rates associated with use of feller-bunchers in West Virginia". Journal of Safety Research. 33 (4): 463–471. doi:10.1016/S0022-4375(02)00048-8. PMID   12429103.
  26. ↑ Laflamme, Lucie; Cloutier, Esther (December 1988). "Mechanization and risk of occupational accidents in the logging industry". Journal of Occupational Accidents. 10 (3): 191–198. doi:10.1016/0376-6349(88)90012-0.
  27. ↑ Shaffer, Robert M; Milburn, Jason S (1999). "Injuries on feller-buncher/grapple skidder logging operations in the Southeastern United States". Forest Products Journal. 49 (7/8): 24–26. ProQuest   17386853.
  28. ↑ Li, Yaoxiang; Wang, Jingxin; Miller, Gary; McNeel, Joe (March 2006). "Production economics of harvesting small-diameter hardwood stands in central Appalachia". Forest Products Journal. 56 (3): 81–87. Gale   A144298809 ProQuest   214625700.
  29. ↑ Hiesl, Patrick (2013). Productivity Standards for Whole-Tree and Cut-To-Length Harvesting Systems in Maine (Thesis).

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